Situated along the thoroughfare of Liivalaia, VÕIVÕI operates from Tallinn’s Arter Quarter. This glass complex is the spearhead of the city’s investments in business infrastructure, and VÕIVÕI, which translates as ‘butter butter’, envelops guests in a fiery embrace.
Added to the MICHELIN Guide selection in 2025, VÕIVÕI’s concept hinges on the marriage of flames and butter; think open kitchen, smoky flavours and seared meats. From Black Angus liver doused in truffle sauce to grilled perch fished from Estonia’s beloved Lake Võrtsjärv, it merges quality ingredients with culinary showmanship. Launched only in November 2024, the concept immediately sparked interest amongst the locals.
Join us as we step inside. Can you already hear the crackling of fire?
A chef cooking over an open flame in the kitchen (© VÕIVÕI).
The Concept Unsurprisingly, given its double-barrelled reference, VÕIVÕI’s relationship with butter is deeply engrained. The motivations are simple: it might seem a universal ingredient, but in Estonia, the dairy product is integral to both culinary traditions and the economy. Between the intensity of open flames and the flavour-enhancement of the butter, the restaurant adopts an inherently tasty, decidedly Estonian, approach to cuisine.
Behind the scenes, those buttery notes come from the bowels of the restaurant. The product is crafted from scratch, with VÕIVÕI using locally sourced cream to churn its own butter. This handcrafted recipe underpins the restaurant’s concept, but equally, seasonality is paramount; don’t expect the rest of the menu to remain static. There’s no cutting corners when approximately 50% of produce is organically grown to order by Estonian farmers.
A finished fire-cooked dishes and one of the chefs cooking meat in the kitchen (© Lauri Laan).
The ChefVladislav Djatšuk is the brains behind VÕIVÕI and brings a repertoire of experiential gastronomy. Djatšuk has turned his hand to novelty-infused dinners, from tables suspended in the sky to corporate meals on helicopter pads. That meticulous attention to guest experience is noticeable in VÕIVÕI’s flame-centric approach.
Like any seasoned orchestrator of well-oiled experiences, Djatšuk is a firm believer in the power of a good team. Other integral members include Vladislav’s son, Domenik Djatšuk, who takes the reins as General Manager, and Karl-Märten Kézel, the restaurant’s trusted Sommelier.
Not one to forget his roots, the chef even recruits assistance from his mother. “Mamma Djatšuki’s Dumplings” are crafted on-site with motherly love and, after years of practice, her folding technique is near-impossible to replicate. The kitchen team prepares everything strictly according to her recipe, and she still arrives to fold each pelmeni by hand.
One of the chefs at the pass and putting the finishing touches to a dish (© VÕIVÕI).
The Space The Arter Quarter’s trio of towers forms a mecca of modernised living, combining corporate offices with high-end stores. Arrive tactically early to perfect your look with a blow-dry or specialist hair treatment at ArterSalon, purchase a bouquet for that special someone from Decoration & Fleur or browse books at Rahva Raamat if you’re date is more of the intellectual sort.
Travelling to VÕIVÕI is a journey from the Gothic turrets of Tallinn’s Old Town to the glass walls of the Arter Quarter. Crossing the restaurant’s threshold, that shift seems symbolic – an architectural rebirth, celebrated with flames.
VÕIVÕI’s interior is an ode to an ambitious blaze. The premise is nature-inspired, curated with natural tones, from wooden tables to stone-grey flooring. Yet that touch of fire is never too far away. On the ceiling, an overhead sculpture unfurls in plumes of metallic ‘smoke’, while, as daylight dwindles, the walls begin to emit red-tinged light: fixtures, sculpted from smoothly undulating glass, impart a melting effect, glowing like embers.
If these design features don’t assert the restaurant’s concept, the rhythmic whoosh of flames from the open kitchen serves as a sufficient reminder. Upstairs, there are drifting sounds of music from a wine and cocktail bar. But, for now, the mission is simple: grab a seat on the ground floor.
The impressive glass-walled wine cellar at the back of the dining room (© Lauri Laan).
The Menu VÕIVÕI is an evening venue at heart. This restaurant is intended as a cosy destination: somewhere to spark conversation and steal nibbles from each other’s plates as the sky darkens outside. The open kitchen creates a backdrop of culinary entertainment, but while you’re settling in, start with the sourdough.
On a dairy-inspired journey through the flames, crisp sourdough with artisanal butter seems the only appropriate way to begin. “It’s absolutely different from what you can buy in the shops,” says Vladislav Djatšuk, explaining the “simple” process of crafting the butter and adding that he regularly adjusts its flavour on a whim. Sample the night’s creation while perusing the menu. From here, the evening takes on a carnivorous route.
VÕIVÕI focuses on fresh produce, but primarily, proteins seared over an open fire. Pick from beef cuts like Black Angus tongue or liver, fish fillets, like buttery whole sole, or organic chicken, drenched in the likes of a mushroom and cognac sauce.
Guests select the intensity of their buttery baptism, with dishes assigned an index: either a single ‘v’ (buttery) or a ‘vv’ (very buttery). Unsurprisingly, most menu items feature at least the single version.
On the rare occasion that the mains haven’t quite fulfilled your desired butter quota, there’s a selection of sides, too. A dollop of richly swirled mashed potato or a scattering of handcrafted fries, dripping with kimchi mayonnaise, could be the perfect intensifier.
And, finally, dessert enters with smoked temptation. Slip into a spoonful of truffle chocolate with browned butter, explore temperature contrasts through an affogato, or experience the flavours of a seared baked Alaska. Short – and literally sweet – the dessert menu is an extension of VÕIVÕI’s conceptual exploration, with digestif recommendations to match.
A selection of dishes from VÕIVÕI’s menu (© Lauri Laan).
The AfterpartySome embers refuse to die, and for those who like to think of themselves as the ‘life of the party’, the bar beckons from the staircase. An intimate space with plush seating, it offers a cosy spot to continue conversations over a local beer, spirit or carefully concocted cocktail.
The focus on natural ingredients reverberates across the cocktail menu. Gin enthusiasts can sample floral ‘Hiis’, with its peony extract, while the non-alcoholic ‘Behind the Pines’ grants a special opportunity to appreciate the citrus notes of spruce shoot syrup. The options are concise yet creative, perfectly matched to the intimate setting.
The wine list, on the other hand, is anything but condensed, generously covering a full spectrum of white, red, rosé, sparkling and dessert options. Bottled across a myriad of countries, the menu is split into subheadings of different destinations, with a special section dedicated to sommelier recommendations for extra direction. The latter is a luxurious way of continuing an experiential evening of culinary exploration. Embrace the history behind the labels, popping a Bollinger ‘La Grande Année’ Brut or uncorking a 1995 Château Lafon-Rochet.
For something stronger, spirits tread a predominantly traditional path: bourbons and Scottish whiskies, Mexican tequilas and Jamaican rums. However, to embrace Estonian roots, a cinnamon-infused tipple of Vana Tallinn liqueur is unmissable. Crafted and bottled in Tallinn’s nearby Liviko factory, it’s a reminder that new stories are never far away. This drink is synonymous with Estonian cuisine.
Estonia is carving a respected corner in the culinary community. Yet, in Tallinn’s modernised Arter Quarter, it’s safe to assert that VÕIVÕI has sparked a fire of its own. Between self-churned artisanal butter and the crackle of open-flame cooking, there’s an experience to be had. Cross the threshold and take a seat with a kitchen view.
Hero Image: The fired-themed dining room at VÕIVÕI in Tallinn, where fire and and butter lead the way in dishes cooked over open flames (© Lauri Laan).
Written by
Eibhlis Gale-Coleman
Eibhlis is a MICHELIN Guide contributor. She uses ‘home’ in the UK as a launchpad for almost full-time travel, and her passion lies in unpicking the merging of cuisine and culture. Her list of must-visit destinations is always growing, although she has an insatiable love for Baltic and Nordic Europe.