Onion Route Buffet Day

The tradition of home cafes has become a thing of honor in Estonia in recent years. The Peipus area and Onion Road have also taken up this tradition. In mid-September, the locals will open the doors to their lovely homes and offer the best recipes handed down from generation to generation.

This is a day full of joy, good local food, and different meetings with old friends and interesting local people!

Here you can find a map of the day (link will be here in the beginning of September). On one layer are buffets, other layers cover other open places and accommodation possibilities.

On September 12th, many pop-up buffets will be open in the Onion Route area. The buffets will be set up in home courtyards and gardens. The menus will feature onions, fish, vegetables, mushrooms, venison, and much more. And of course, plenty of onion pies!

IMPORTANT

Map of the pop-up cafés here (Google Maps).
The first layer shows the cafés, while the second layer includes other places that will also be open – for example, the amazing tropical garden in Kallaste.

The cafés are open from 11:00 to 18:00.

The afterparty Oktoberfest tuleb Sibulateele vol 5 starts at 17:00 at Alatskivi Mõisa Tall. If you would like to reserve a table, contact alatskivi@moisatall.eu.

We will also introduce the cafés, their menus and extra activities in more detail on the Facebook event page.

EXTRA ACTIVITIES

• At Heliseja talu in Nina, there will be a full-day concert programme.

• At Välgi puhvet, you can join a wristband-making workshop.

• At Mõisa pargi puhvet in Vara, there will be live music, folk dancers, a lucky wheel and a workshop called “Old Farm Work”.

• At Aavikuisanda puhvet, you can join a traditional cord-making workshop.

• At Kargaja Kuke puhvet, Kristo Plovits will perform from 11:30 to 13:30.

• At Kass Alberti puhvet, bingo starts at 12:00.

• At KolkjArt Galerii puhvet, there will be an art workshop for everyone who would like to get creative. Participation fee: €15.

• At Kalamehe talu in Nina, you can search for euros hidden in the field.

• At Metsakivi noa- ja ehtekoja puhvet, you can make your own silver ring in a workshop. Advance registration is required.

• At Liivaranna puhvet, Foxy will perform at 12:00, 14:30 and 16:30.

• At Võnnasalu puhkekeskuse puhvet, you can take part in a guessing game and test your language skills.

• At Oti talu perepuhvet, Jüri Homenja will perform from 14:00 to 17:00.

• At Grau Köök & Blondiinid Rannal puhvet, there will be a burlesque show at 16:00. From 12:00 to 15:00, you can meet nature expert Vahur Sepp.

FOR CHILDREN

• At Mõisa pargi puhvet in Vara, there will be an obstacle course and outdoor checkers.

• At Aavikuisanda puhvet, children can meet the farm animals.

• At Otsa talu perepuhvet, there will be farm animals, a large play area and various fun activities.

• At Kargaja Kuke puhvet, children can try target throwing, play football and enjoy the playhouse.

• At Kass Alberti puhvet, there will be a board game area, temporary tattoos and balloon animals.

• At Voronja galerii puhvet, there is a great children’s play area in the garden, including a little hut in an apple tree.

• At KolkjArt Galerii puhvet, children can join an art workshop.

• Tädi Šura puhvet in Kolkja is basically one big Rändur Rääbu playground.

• At Kalamehe talu puhvet, children can search for euros hidden in the field.

• At Õnne Seltskonna puhvet, there will be a bouncy castle and plenty of fun activities.

• At Vigurite puhvet, there is a children’s play area.

• At Liivaranna puhvet, children can enjoy a painting corner.

• At Võnnasalu puhkekeskuse puhvet, there will be a treasure hunt, guessing games and outdoor games.

• At Karaski Kambri puhvet, there will be bingo and crafts.

• At Oti talu perepuhvet, face decorations and onion braids will be available from 11:00 to 13:00, and an artist-led drawing workshop will take place from 12:00 to 14:00.

• At Grau Köök & Blondiinid Rannal puhvet, children can get glitter tattoos and face gems.

EXHIBITIONS

• At Välgi puhvet, there will be a nature photography exhibition.

• At Mõisa pargi puhvet, there will be an exhibition of domestic birds.

• At Kass Alberti puhvet, you can see an exhibition dedicated to the star of the café – Albert.

• At Voronja galerii puhvet, this is your last chance to see the 2026 summer exhibitions “Imelikud inimesed” and “Pühad kassid”, as well as the kratts working away in the garden. Admission is free.

• Poiss/Meeste puhvet is located by Samovarimaja. You can also visit the samovar exhibition for an extra fee and see the summer double exhibition by Liina Lelov and Valdek Laur. There will also be an opportunity to meet the artists.

• At KolkjArt galeriis, you can see this summer’s exhibition “Mütseel”. Admission is free.

• At Peipsimaa Präänikutalu puhvet, there will be an exhibition of old objects and teapots.

• At Tädi Šura puhvet, all exhibitions in the house will be open, from the samovar museum to the textile exhibition.

• At Aljonushka puhvet, there will be an exhibition about the history of the farm in the barn.

• At Karaski Kambri puhvet, all of Kodavere Pärimuskeskus’ summer exhibitions and permanent exhibitions will be open. Admission is free.

• In addition to the cafés, Alatskivi loss, Juhan Liivi muuseum and Kolkja vanausuliste muuseum will also be open.

VISITING WITH PETS

• You are welcome to bring your pets to all cafés. However, at places where there are farm animals – Otsa talu and Aavikuisanda – please keep dogs on a leash.

AWARD-WINNING ONION PIES

• You can find onion pies at many of the cafés – and yes, they really are all different!

• Award-winning onion pies are available at Voronja galerii puhvet, Kargaja Kuke puhvet, Grau Köök & Blondiinid Rannal puhvet, Peipsimaa Präänikutalu puhvet and Õnne Seltskonna puhvet.

WHAT CAN YOU FIND ON THE MENUS?

• Plenty of delicious food – and plenty of local produce. Ingredients are grown, picked or caught right here in the area whenever possible. This year, for the first time, Sibulatee Puhvetite Päev carries the Tartumaine Toit regional food label.

• You can browse the menus by opening the café map and clicking on each café.

• VONK – Võta Oma Nõu Kaasa! Bring your own cup, plate, fork and spoon if you like, and use them at the cafés. It helps our local hosts save time and reduces the amount of disposable tableware.

• Many cafés will also sell preserves to take home. And of course, you can stock up on onions for the winter!

TRAFFIC AND PARKING

• In Varnja, part of Kesk tänav will be one-way. Please follow the traffic signs.

• In Kolkja, parking on Suur tee is allowed only on one side of the road.

• Where several cafés are located close together, it is a good idea to park once and visit several of them on foot.

• In Varnja, a good place to park is the courtyard of Samovarimaja.

• In Kolkja, there is a larger parking area on Roheline tänav next to Peipsimaa Präänikutalu.

• In Alatskivi, you can park, for example, at the Kalmistu car park.

• In Kallaste, due to the reconstruction of the central square, part of Võidu tänav is closed to car traffic. We recommend parking on Oja tänav or in the former bus station car park on Kevade tänav.