National cuisine is not a huge point of pride among Estonians like it might be among the people of Italy or Japan. Instead, traditional dishes are often largely influenced by the culinary practices of neighboring countries. Since Estonia was once part of the Russian Empire and then occupied by Germany and the Soviet Union, the country borrows a lot of its ingredients and recipes from other Eastern European and Nordic countries.
In Tartu, the city I live in, there are a couple of fabulous restaurants with international, ethnic food. For example, Estonians consume their fair share of Indian and Asian food, so I eat tikka masala whenever I can! The big cities, like Tartu and Tallinn, also have some fast food restaurants that you might recognize, such as Subway and McDonald's. The big popular hamburger chain here is called "Hesburger", which is a chain from Finland, but I also see stores that try to imitate American classics like barbecue!
Estonia's national bread is rye bread. Rye has been grown in Estonia for over a thousand years and is the country's most famous export. Rye bread is usually served with pork, the most affordable meat in Estonia, or with cooked vegetables. I prefer to dip rye bread into my soup, especially on cold autumn days, and I think rye bread pairs especially well with potato leek soup.
