Why Estonians invite strangers into their back yards each summer |
Why Estonians invite strangers into their back gardens each summer
Each summer, home gardens, garages and even bedroom windows across Estonia become temporary cafes open to anyone.
Beneath a giant tent, complete strangers queue to buy lunch. Around them, vegetable beds overflow with cucumbers, strawberries, garlic and courgettes, while an apple tree shades a table laden with rye bread, homemade pickles and a simmering pot of seljanka, a tomato-based soup with ham and smoked sausage. Guests order from a simple printed menu before carrying bowls of steaming soup to communal tables to eat.
At first glance, it looks like a country cafe. It isn't. It's Heiki Kalvik's back garden in the outskirts of Kehra, a small town about 45 minutes east of Tallinn, which he turns into a pop-up cafe each summer.
"I'm very outgoing, and I like to cook. I enjoy hosting, and I’m proud of our outdoor space," Kalvik says as another group of visitors arrives.
Kalvik is one of around a dozen residents taking part in Kehra’s annual Kodukohvikute Päev, or "home cafe day", when locals turn private gardens, courtyards and garages into temporary eateries for one day in July. Elsewhere in town, Karolin Vahtre has converted a garage behind her Soviet-era apartment block into a makeshift cafe, selling tempura sushi rolls, chanterelle quiche, chocolate cake and French fries to anyone who stops by.
More than 150 such events are held across Estonia between April and September, a beloved tradition that has spread steadily since the first event almost two decades ago. Some are elaborate, with rented tents, tables and chairs; others are little more than a lemonade stand manned by children. Together, they give visitors a rare glimpse of everyday Estonian life that is usually out of reach.
When to go: Cafe days take place across Estonia from spring to early autumn, with many concentrated in July and August. Dates vary by town and region.
How to find one: Check local tourism websites and search for 'Kohvikutepäevad' ("cafe days") on Facebook or in local event listings. Estonia's regional tourism sites also publish upcoming events.
What to expect: These aren't conventional cafes or food festivals. Residents turn gardens, courtyards, garages, or other private spaces into temporary cafes, serving whatever they choose.
How Estonia's cafe days began
Estonia's home cafe tradition began on Hiiumaa, the country's second-largest island, in 2007 when local tourism promoters were looking for a way to attract visitors beyond the peak month of July.
They drew inspiration from Kärdla, the island's capital, and its long association with coffee. In the mid-1800s, the town was home to a broadcloth factory run by a Baltic German baron, who employed coffee-drinking workers from Central Europe. Local Estonians soon adopted the habit, with Kärdla residents eventually earning the nickname kohvilähkrid, or "coffee flasks", for taking coffee into the fields instead of the traditional sour milk or beer.
Fifteen homes took part in Hiiumaa's 2007 cafe days; today, the........