Historically, Tartu is somewhat notorious for its café traditions. The university town attracts young crowd from all over the country and abroad, so cafés have long served as socialising places for the youth. My grandmother would tell me stories about she and her friends enjoying fresh pastries at Café Werner before heading to lectures as a favourite pastime. Werner has been around since 1882, making it one of the oldest cafés in Estonia. Many Estonian writers and artists gathered there to play chess, read poetry, and of course, drink coffee. But times have changed and so has café culture. People’s lives have grown faster and it seems like we have simply lost connection with time to enjoy an indulgent drink or sit down for a chat.

Yet amid the hectic day-to-day life in today’s Tartu, there are those who choose to enjoy the little moments. Whether we are sipping coffee at a quaint local café before heading to work or venturing into a new hip restaurant at the creative district for lunch break, we try to embrace a slower lifestyle. And the city responds to the yearning. A new wave of cafés, bars and restaurants with sassy names are popping up all over the town, and we’re excited.