{"id":150398,"date":"2025-08-21T01:24:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T22:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/balticguide.ee\/?p=150398"},"modified":"2025-08-20T11:29:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T08:29:40","slug":"cest-la-vie-an-elegant-french-restaurant-in-tallinns-old-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/balticguide.ee\/en\/cest-la-vie-an-elegant-french-restaurant-in-tallinns-old-town\/","title":{"rendered":"C\u2019est La Vie\u2014An Elegant French Restaurant in Tallinn’s Old Town"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

 <\/p>\n

C\u2019est La Vie is a caf\u00e9 and restaurant located in Tallinn\u2019s Old Town, featuring Art Deco-inspired interior design, reminiscent of the 1930s. The aesthetic was created in 2007 by Maile Gr\u00fcnberg<\/b>, the legendary Estonian interior designer and architect. Gr\u00fcnberg, who passed away last spring, was one of Estonia\u2019s most respected and versatile interior architects.<\/p>\n

In early 2024, the restaurant came under new ownership. Today, C\u2019est La Vie aims to offer guests authentic and traditional culinary experiences from French cuisine, along with a good selection of wines. The venue is worth visiting for its unique interior alone. The ornate, luxurious, and streamlined Art Deco style was a popular design trend in the first half of the 20th century.<\/p>\n

The interior is dark-toned, with gold, ochre, and burgundy dominating the colour scheme. A large and striking chandelier in the main hall and ceramic busts of 1930s women immediately catch the eye. Soft French music plays in the background.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of our wines are from France, but some come from Italy,\u201d says Patsi, a server at C\u2019est La Vie. \u201cWe get a lot of foreign guests, including Finns,\u201d she adds. The service is relaxed and friendly.<\/p>\n

Despite appearances, C\u2019est La Vie is surprisingly spacious. Behind the main hall is a smaller, booth-style dining room, and the basement includes rooms for private events. A special highlight during summer is the large, furnished courtyard, where live music is occasionally played.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Traditional steak tartare.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n

Among the starters, the rich terrine de campagne<\/i>, or country-style liver p\u00e2t\u00e9, is made entirely in-house. The small pickles and pearl onions complement the strong flavour nicely. The shrimp dish was well-seasoned with chilli and garlic. The classic raw steak tartare was very French\u2014the meat was properly sliced and grated, not minced. The dish comes pre-mixed and had an excellent flavour. The generous portion is served with hand-cut French fries. C\u2019est La Vie\u2019s steak tartare is among the best in Estonia.<\/p>\n

Overall, the experience left a pleasant impression. The only criticism would be the presentation of the dishes, which could be improved\u2014for example, more greens or salads could be used for balance and visual appeal.<\/p>\n

C\u2019est La Vie offers weekday lunches and a daily soup special.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

C\u2019est La Vie<\/strong> <\/a>is located at Suur-Karja 5, Tallinn.<\/a><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  C\u2019est La Vie is a caf\u00e9 and restaurant located in Tallinn\u2019s Old Town, featuring Art Deco-inspired interior design, reminiscent … Read more<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":149898,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[309,13205,25931,25932,25933],"class_list":["post-150398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-restaurants","tag-tallinn","tag-fine-dining-2","tag-french-cuisine","tag-eating-out","tag-cest-la-vie-2"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t