Telliskivi Creative City: shops, food, and what to do there

What is Telliskivi Creative City?

Telliskivi Loomelinnak (Telliskivi Creative City) is a complex of repurposed Soviet-era factory and railway buildings at the northern edge of Tallinn’s Kalamaja neighbourhood, a 20-minute walk from the Old Town or a short ride on tram 2. What was a disused industrial site has become Tallinn’s most vibrant creative district — home to around 200 businesses including design studios, independent fashion boutiques, a craft brewery, concept stores, vintage shops, cafés, restaurants, street food vendors, and creative agencies.

It is not a sanitised shopping mall. The buildings retain their raw industrial character — exposed brick, concrete floors, salvaged fittings — and the atmosphere is casual, young, and local. You are as likely to see a furniture designer at work in an open studio as you are to browse finished products in a boutique. On weekdays it is lively with the creative businesses going about their work; on weekends, and especially Saturdays, it becomes a social gathering point for Tallinn’s creative community.

Getting there

Telliskivi is in the Kalamaja neighbourhood, approximately 15 minutes’ walk from Raekoja plats (Town Hall Square) via Nunne Street and Telliskivi Street. Alternatively, tram 2 from the city centre (Vabaduse väljak stop) to Telliskivi stop is a 5-minute ride.

From Balti Jaam (Baltic train station), Telliskivi is a 3-minute walk north — so combining the market with Telliskivi is a natural half-day route.

Opening hours vary by business; most shops open from 11:00 or 12:00 Tuesday to Sunday. The Saturday flea market runs 10:00 to 15:00. The food and café venues have more flexible hours, with some open from 09:00 and some running until midnight.

Shopping at Telliskivi: what to look for

Estonian fashion and clothing

Telliskivi has the strongest concentration of independent Estonian fashion in the city. Several designers work and sell from their studios within the complex:

• Womenswear: several labels produce contemporary women’s clothing with a Scandinavian-minimal sensibility — clean cuts, quality fabrics, understated colours. Look for collections using Estonian or Nordic materials.
• Knitwear and accessories: beyond the Old Town’s folk knitwear (see our souvenirs guide), Telliskivi has contemporary knitwear designers producing modern pieces using Estonian wool traditions.
• Footwear and leather goods: a handful of small leather workshops sell handmade bags, wallets, and belts — not cheap (a handmade leather bag runs €80 to €200) but genuinely locally produced.

The labels change; Telliskivi’s creative ecosystem has a natural turnover. Arrive ready to discover rather than seeking specific brand names.

Vintage and second-hand

Telliskivi has several dedicated vintage and second-hand shops with curated selections:

• Soviet-era items (enamelware, bags, clothing, badges, cameras)
• 1970s to 1990s Estonian and European clothing
• Vintage furniture and home goods (harder to take home, but interesting to browse)

Prices are fair by European standards — curated vintage, not charity-shop prices, but significantly cheaper than comparable vintage boutiques in Berlin or Copenhagen.

The Saturday flea market

The Saturday flea market (Telliskivi kirpukk) runs from 10:00 to approximately 15:00, weather permitting (it moves indoors in cold or wet weather). It is a mix of:

• Private sellers clearing out Estonian household items (excellent for Soviet-era finds at genuine prices)
• Small vintage dealers with curated stock
• Artisan makers selling handcrafted goods
• Book sellers (mostly Estonian-language, but international titles appear)

Arrive by 10:30 for the best selection — popular finds go quickly. Bring cash (most sellers prefer it, though cards are increasingly accepted). Reasonable haggling is acceptable.

Concept stores and design goods

Several Telliskivi concept stores stock Estonian-made goods that are difficult to find in the Old Town:

• Natural and botanical personal care products from small Estonian producers
• Handmade ceramics and glassware from Estonian studios
• Quality stationery, prints, and paper goods from local graphic designers
• Sustainable homeware and lifestyle goods

These are generally mid-priced (€20 to €60 for a good piece) and represent genuine Estonian production.

Food and drink at Telliskivi

Telliskivi’s food and drink scene is arguably its best feature. The cafés and restaurants here are priced for locals, not tourists, and the quality is consistently good.

Coffee and cafés

Several excellent specialty coffee shops operate within the Telliskivi complex and on the surrounding streets of Kalamaja. Kohvik 22 and Pärnu maantee cafés near the complex entrance are popular with the creative community. The standards are high — Estonia has a surprisingly sophisticated coffee culture, and Kalamaja is where it is most concentrated.

Põhjala Brewery and Taproom

Põhjala is Estonia’s most internationally recognised craft brewery, brewing at its base near Telliskivi. The Põhjala Taproom within the complex is the best place in Tallinn to try the full range — around 10 to 14 taps including seasonal, experimental, and core range beers. The taproom also stocks bottled beers to take away. Prices: draught from €4 to €6 per pint, bottles from €3 to €8.

Põhjala specialises in Nordic-style lagers, darker ales, and seasonal beers using Estonian ingredients. The stout range and the sour ale programme are particularly strong. For craft beer enthusiasts, this is a non-negotiable stop.

Craft beer and local bites tour — includes stops in the Telliskivi and Kalamaja area

Street food and casual dining

On weekends and during warm weather, Telliskivi’s outdoor areas host street food vendors — typically rotating between Korean, Mexican, Georgian, and local Estonian options, plus good wood-fired pizza. Quality and selection peak on Saturday afternoons from May through September.

The indoor food hall operates year-round with a more consistent selection of Estonian and international street food options.

Restaurants

Several good restaurants operate within or immediately adjacent to the Telliskivi complex:

• Fotografiska restaurant: the Tallinn outpost of the famous photography museum has an excellent restaurant on site — Scandinavian-Nordic cuisine, well-executed. Worth booking for dinner.
• Soo restoran: contemporary Estonian cuisine in an informal setting, good for lunch or early dinner

Events at Telliskivi

The complex hosts regular events throughout the year:

• Design markets and craft fairs — several times per year, themed craft markets take over the outdoor spaces
• Live music — the main outdoor stage and indoor venues host concerts from spring through autumn, ranging from local indie acts to international electronic music
• Õllesummer fringe events — during the main Beer Summer festival in July, Telliskivi hosts associated events
• Film screenings — outdoor cinema during summer months

Check the Telliskivi Creative City website or local listings (tallinn.ee, piletilevi.ee) for the current events programme.

Telliskivi and Kalamaja: combining your visit

Telliskivi is the anchor of a broader Kalamaja neighbourhood visit. The surrounding streets of Kalamaja are worth exploring for their wooden architecture (some of the best-preserved early 20th-century wooden housing in the Baltics), community gardens, and neighbourhood cafés.

Natural combinations for a Kalamaja-Telliskivi day:

• Start: Balti Jaam Market for coffee and a pastry, then browse the market stalls
• Morning: walk to Telliskivi, explore the shops and studios, Saturday flea market if applicable
• Lunch: Telliskivi food hall or one of the neighbourhood restaurants
• Afternoon: walk the wooden streets of Kalamaja, visit the Estonian Film Museum, continue to the Lennusadam (Seaplane Harbour) waterfront

From Lennusadam it is a 15-minute walk back to the Old Town along the coast, passing the Noblessner harbour district (also worth a look for its converted industrial waterfront). See our Noblessner guide for details.

Practical information

Getting around: Telliskivi is on foot or tram-accessible from the Old Town. Tram 2 is the easiest option; the walk (15 to 20 minutes) takes you through interesting streets and is pleasant in good weather.

Best day to visit: Saturday, for the flea market, full food vendor selection, and maximum creative atmosphere. Weekdays are quieter, with a more working-neighbourhood feel and access to studios that may be invitation-only on busy weekends.

Budget: lunch at Telliskivi costs €10 to €18 per person. Coffee is €2.50 to €4. Shopping budget is entirely variable — you can spend an hour browsing and buy nothing, or spend €200 on an artisan piece.

English: very widely spoken throughout Telliskivi. No language barriers.

For the broader shopping picture across Tallinn, see our full shopping guide. For the best Estonian souvenirs to bring home, see our souvenirs and design guide.

Telliskivi vs the Old Town: which is better for shopping?

The two areas serve different purposes. The Old Town is better for traditional craft (the Müürivahe sweater wall, Katariina käik, Masters’ Courtyard) and for decorative amber and food gifts. Telliskivi is better for contemporary Estonian design, vintage, independent fashion, and the Saturday flea market. Most Tallinn shopping visitors benefit from both.

Go to the Old Town for:

• Hand-knitted woolens and folk knitwear
• Kalev marzipan and traditional foods
• Medieval craft workshops
• Amber jewellery from named designers

Go to Telliskivi for:

• Contemporary Estonian fashion and design
• Vintage clothing and Soviet-era items
• The Saturday flea market
• Põhjala craft beer to take home
• A more local, less tourist-inflated atmosphere

Telliskivi in the creative ecosystem

Telliskivi is not just a shopping destination — it is the hub of Tallinn’s creative economy. The complex houses studios for architecture firms, graphic design agencies, independent publishers, tech start-ups, and creative production companies. This working-studio atmosphere is what makes it feel different from a curated lifestyle mall.

The Fotografiska photography museum in the complex brings a significant cultural anchor: rotating international photography exhibitions of consistently high quality. Check the exhibition programme before you visit — it frequently justifies the trip on its own. Admission around €12 to €18 depending on exhibition.

History of the complex

Telliskivi’s red-brick buildings date from the early 20th century, when the area was part of Tallinn’s railway and freight handling infrastructure. After Soviet-era industrial use, the complex was acquired by developers in the mid-2000s who recognised its potential for creative repurposing. The conversion was gradual — creative tenants moved in first, and the food and retail elements followed. By 2015 it had become the established creative centre of the city. The process mirrors what happened in London’s Shoreditch, Berlin’s Mitte, or Helsinki’s Punavuori — but Tallinn’s version happened faster and the quality of the creative work has remained high.

Frequently asked questions about Telliskivi

Is Telliskivi worth visiting if I only have one day in Tallinn?

It depends on your priorities. One day in Tallinn should prioritise the Old Town and at least one major museum. But if you have your afternoon free after a morning in the Old Town, a Telliskivi visit (with lunch there) is a very good use of 2 to 3 hours and gives you a completely different version of the city.

When is the Telliskivi flea market?

Every Saturday from approximately 10:00 to 15:00, weather permitting. Indoors during cold or wet weather. Free entry.

Is Telliskivi safe?

Entirely. It is a busy, publicly accessed creative complex, not an isolated area. It is very safe during the day and evening.

How much time should I budget for Telliskivi?

Allow 2 to 3 hours minimum if you want to browse the shops, visit the food hall, and have a drink. Add 1 hour for the Saturday flea market. Add 1 hour for Fotografiska if an exhibition is on. A full Kalamaja-Telliskivi day can comfortably fill 5 to 6 hours including Balti Jaam Market and walking the neighbourhood.