14.5.2025 | Restaurants

New Car-Free Pedestrian Zone in Kalamaja

Text Susanna Poikela
Photos Andrei Chertkov, Kristo Õismets

The Krulli Quarter (Krulli kvartal) is located in the Kalamaja district of Northern Tallinn. In 1899, the German industrialist Franz Krull built a huge, 12-building industrial complex, where large machines and other metal products of the time were manufactured. Industrial use ended in the last century. The massive buildings were emptied and abandoned for several decades.

In recent years, the refurbishment of the area has been started by Kvartal AS. The prospects are very interesting: by 2033, apartments for almost a thousand people will be built in the area, as well as commercial premises, shops, restaurants, a theatre, an event centre, galleries, a kindergarten, and so much more. The first residential buildings, the main building of the Krulli Quarter, and the event centre will be completed as early as 2027.

The aim is to preserve the old architecture of the Krulli Quarter, and build facilities that complement it. The construction will use as many existing materials as possible—from old concrete elements to limestone walls. This new Krulli will become a car-free urban area.

One day, Krulli will be connected to the neighboring Volta block, which is also a rapidly developing area. A couple of hundred meters from Volta is another well-known harbour area, Noblessner, with Michelin-starred restaurants, cafés, galleries, and the very popular brewery and restaurant Põhjala Tap Room. Opposite the brewery is the interior designer’s paradise, Shishi. For families with children, the Proto Invention Factory offers a great time.

Currently, the Krulli area is home to the restaurant and bakery SUMI, and in May, the restaurant duo Raba and Sadu will open their doors, the first of which is a lunch restaurant, and the second a Korean restaurant open in the evening.

In the same building as SUMI, there is a cozy KODA studio, which can be used to organise concerts, courses, parties and other events. Other service providers operating at the same address include a makeup studio, a mosaic studio, a photography studio, a sewing studio, and more.

Although the Krull buildings are still empty for most of the year, the area is exciting to explore, and learn about their history. Some of the buildings regularly host festivals, events, theatre, and exhibitions. In addition, the area is home to the brand new NOËP Distillery, whose gin is available at SUMI. The distillery’s upstairs is home to the music studio of popular Estonian musician NOËP. The distillery is special in that it is only accessible by invitation or during events. It remains to be seen whether the distillery will soon open a bar for the public. Krulli also currently has a publicly accessible skatepark.