12.7.2024 | Restaurants

A cozy little café with a big heart and tasty food

Text Mark Taylor
Photos Andrei Chertkov

Paul Senosi opened Café Cape Town in 2020.

South African Paul Senosi’s arrival in Estonia was very much like many expats. He met his wife in Cape Town, but when it came time to have kids there was only one place they wanted to raise their daughter.

The former charity worker, found his way onto Estonian TV not long after his arrival – featuring on cooking shows, as well as in magazines. However, a request to set up Tallinn’s European School took him away from food for 5 years, before leaving to open Café Cape Town in 2020.

At the cozy little café in Tallinn’s Balti Jaama Turg, the main specialty on the menu are the handmade pies (an almost national dish in South Africa). In total, there are 23 different flavours of pie available, including vegetarian options. The high-quality ingredients and carefully cooked pies being packed with many subtle, yet beautifully combining flavours.

Café Cape Town, pies, Balti Jaam — There are 23 different kinds of pies available at Café Cape Town.

Pies aren’t the only thing available on the menu, you will also find a seafood soup packed to the rim with different seafood, South African-style grilled sausages made on-site, and much more. However, the “piste de resistance” on the menu are oysters and champagne, which are available every day.

“The number of people coming in for the first time to try them is growing. I had a guy who works at Selver downstairs bring his girlfriend. They had both never tried. For them it was an outing, they both dressed up and took the shells home,” he recalled.

If you are looking for something sweet, you can try the South African national dessert, Milk Tart, and accompany it with the cafe’s signature coffee, which is gaining a reputation even outside of Estonia.

“We probably make the best coffee in Europe. I say that because we’re the only people who serve it the way we do”. At Café Cape Town the coffee is served in Bialetti coffee pots, with beautiful cream that comes directly from Ireland. “Two people can share that pot, there are 6 espressos in there,” he adds.

If you fancy an alcoholic drink, you will also find South African wines, beers, and other beverages.

Beyond the exquisite attention to detail that goes into everything on the menu, the biggest takeaway to the café is the overall experience, Senosi is an attentive, friendly, and caring host, and the welcoming atmosphere he creates is one where people from all over the world can come and mingle with one another. “One day there were 13 people in the little café at the same time from 13 different nations.”

Café Cape Town, Balti Jaama Turg Kopli 1, Tallinn