Food & Wine Food & Wine
Where to Eat in Helsinki
  • Subscribe
  • Video
    • Mad Genius Tips
    • Cooking Videos
    • Mad Genius Live
  • Recipes
    • Meat & Poultry
    • Comfort Food
    • Soups
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Appetizers
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Fruits
    • Vegetables
    • Seafood
    • Pasta & Noodle
    • Special Diets
    • Chefs
  • Drinks
    • Wine
    • Cocktails
    • Champagne
    • Coffee
    • Beer
    • Tea
  • Travel
    • Restaurants
    • Wine Regions
    • Around the World
  • Holidays
    • International Women’s Day
    • Mother's Day
    • Memorial Day
  • News
  • Kitchen & Home
    • Cooking Techniques
    • How To
    • Gift Guides
  • Shop
  • More
    • F&W Classic in Aspen
    • Events
    • Newsletters
    • Wine Club
  • Subscribe
  • VIDEO
    • Mad Genius Tips
    • Cooking Videos
  • RECIPES
    • Meat & Poultry
    • Comfort Food
    • Soups
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Appetizers
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Fruits
    • Vegetables
    • Seafood
    • Pasta & Noodles
    • Special Diets
    • Chefs
  • DRINKS
    • Wine
    • Cocktails
    • Champagne
    • Coffee
    • Beer
    • Tea
  • TRAVEL
    • Restaurants
    • Wine Regions
    • Local Flavor
    • Around the World
  • HOLIDAYS
    • Chinese New Year
    • Mardi Gras
    • St. Patrick's Day
  • NEWS
  • KITCHEN & HOME
    • Cooking Techniques
    • How To
    • Gift Guides
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Subscribe
    • Events
    • Give a Gift
    • Newsletters
    • Wine Club
  1. Home
  2. Travel

Where to Eat in Helsinki

As the Finnish capital increasingly becomes an international travel destination, more and more restaurants are popping up  with fantastic food and great vibes. We rounded up some of Helsinki’s greatest gems—from a floating restaurant accessible by both land and sea, to a huge market hall featuring all sorts of Finnish delicacies—along with some suggestions for what to eat when you're there. —Laura La Monaca

More
Food & Wine
1 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

El Fant

El Fant is a cozy coffee shop and wine bar that sells one of the best whole-grain rye breads you can find in Helsinki. Made with buttermilk, malt and syrup, this traditional Finnish bread is perfect for the avocado toasts El Fant serves for breakfast.

Advertisement
2 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Naughty BRGR

Inspired by traditional American recipes, Chef Akseli Herlevi—winner of Top Chef Finland—opened his own Helsinki burger Bar back in November 2015. The burgers are made exclusively with Finnish meat, excepting the vegetarian option, which is made with mushrooms. 

3 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Dinner with Joona Lehto

Joona Lehto is a young and talented chef and food stylist based in Helsinki. He hosts private dinners and works together with HelEats to promote Finnish food. His philosophy is to balance different textures and flavors, like this whitefish served with both raw and fried cauliflower.

Advertisement
4 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Old Market Hall

The Old Market Hall opened its doors in 1889 and is a cultural heritage site protected by the National Board of Antiquities. It’s the perfect place to shop for local products like cheese, fish, vegetables, fruit and cakes. Or you can just stop by to eat the fantastic soups and light snacks. Pro-tip: Try the fried muikku, a local freshwater white fish; Finland's classic Easter chocolate eggs; or a karelian pie, a traditional pastry from Finland’s Karelian region that’s made with rice- or potato-filled rye crust and brushed with egg butter (butter mixed with boiled egg). 

Advertisement
5 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Karjalanpiirakka

Karjalanpiirakka, or Karelian pie, is a traditional pasty from the Karelian region.

Advertisement
6 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Easter Chocolate Eggs

Another Helsinki specialty to pick up at the Old Market Hall, Easter Chocolate Eggs are traditional to Finnish Easter celebrations. Real eggshells are completely filled with almond and hazelnut chocolate and packed in an egg carton.

Advertisement
7 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Story Restaurant

Story is located at the entrance of the Old Market Hall. Bread and pastries, like this vanilla pulla, come from a local bakery.

Advertisement
8 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Andante Coffee Shop

Andante is a small coffee shop and florist in the heart of the Helsinki Design District. They sell flowers as well as a good selection of teas and coffee. It’s also known for its vegan and raw cakes, and for typical Finnish sweets like Pulla, a Finnish sweetbread commonly served for breakfast or as a snack.  

Advertisement
9 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Andante's Cardamom Pulla

Andante's version is made with crushed cardamom seeds.

Advertisement
10 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Savotta

Savotta (which means logging site in Finnish) is a typical Finnish restaurant located in front of the white Helsinki Cathedral. Everything inside, from the decor to the menu, is inspired by Finnish nature. A few highlights from the menu include herring with dill- and salmon-marinated beetroots, and cream of celeriac soup with smoked reindeer and lovage. 

Advertisement
11 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Savotta's Celeriac Soup

This cream of celeriac soup is made with smoked reindeer and served with homemade bread and butter.

Advertisement
12 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Savotta's Reindeer

Also on the menu at Savotta: Roasted rump of reindeer fawn with cranberry sauce, served with buttery mashed potatoes from Lapland, and parsnip.

Advertisement
13 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Savotta's Finnish Delicacies

Another highlihgt of the Savotta menu: Herring with dill and salmon, and marinated beetroots.

Advertisement
14 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Ravintola Meripaviljonki

Meripaviljonki, which means sea pavilion in Finnish, is a floating restaurant in Hakaniemi, accessible both by land and sea when the Gulf is not frozen. The restaurant offers great examples of traditional Finnish cuisine using largely seasonal products. 

Advertisement
15 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Ravintola Meripaviljonki's Tomato Goat Cheese Soup

Ravintola Meripaviljonki's tomato and goat cheese soup with black pudding bean salad mixes one of Finland’s best exports—goat cheese—with traditional Finnish foods like soup and pudding.

Advertisement
16 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Ravintola Meripaviljonki's Fried Trout

Another must-try at Ravintola Meripaviljonki: The fried trout with rémoulade sauce, capers, and potatoes over a dill foam and a slow cooked egg.

Advertisement
17 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Sandro Restaurant

Sandro used to be a famous Moroccan kiosk in the Kallio district, but in 2013 owner Hicham Mountnassir and chefs Hicham Daoussi and Pasi Virta reopened it as a proper restaurant. A few months later Richard McCormick, a young chef and restaurateur, joined the project, bringing his contemporary style along with him. On Saturdays Sandro serves a vegan and vegetarian brunch, and on Sundays there’s a “Marrakech Madness Brunch,” where everything is inspired by Moroccan flavors.

Advertisement
18 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Sandro Restaurant Brunch

On Saturdays, Sandro serves a vegan and vegetarian brunch. On Sundays, everything is inspired by Moroccan flavors.

Advertisement
19 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Sandro Restaurant's Vegan Cheesecake

The brunch is not complete without a buffet of cakes, cookies and baklavas. Gluten free and tasty vegan desserts, like this cheesecake, are also available.

Advertisement
20 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Juuri

The Finnish food culture is a collection of different regional cuisines, traditions and innovations. Juuri tries to preserve all of these features in its dishes—like the deer pastrami Sapas (which comes from a Finnish phrase referring to “small Finnish starters”), a leek and potato soup with roe from the Finnish lake of Puula, and pike served Wallenberg-style, with potato butter and dill hollandaise. 

Advertisement
21 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Juuri's Sapas

Juuri is known for its sapas, a word that comes from the Finnish suomalaiset alkupalaset, which means “small Finnish starters." This selection includes deer pastrami, lamb sausage, salmon and crispy fish.
 

Advertisement
22 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Juuri's Leek and Potato Soup

Also on the menu at Juuri: Leek and potato soup with crispy pork and vendace roe from Puula.

Advertisement
23 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Juuri's Pike

Don't miss Juuri's Pike Wallenberg style, which is served with potato butter and dill hollandaise.

Advertisement
24 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

Juuri's Chocolate Pudding

Another gem from the Juuri menu: Chocolate bread pudding with cream cheese sorbet and sea buckthorn berry.

Advertisement
25 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

The Cock Restaurant

The Cock is run by Chef Richard McCormick. The spot opens at breakfast and keeps its doors open for the late-night crowd. Specialty dishes include the beautiful breakfast smoothie bowl.

Advertisement
26 of 26 © Laura La Monaca

The Cock's Smoothie Bowl

This beautiful, delicious smoothie bowl is one of the fantastic breakfasts on offer at The Cock.

You May Like

Read More

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Keeping you in the know on all the latest & greatest food and travel news, and other special offers.
Sign up

DELICIOUS DEAL

12 ISSUES FOR JUST $12
Subscribe & Save

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Keeping you in the know on all the latest & greatest food and travel news, and other special offers.
Sign up
Food & Wine
Holidays & Occasions
  • Chinese New Year
  • Super Bowl Recipes
  • Valentine's Day Recipes
  • Oscar Party Food
  • Mardi Gras Recipes
  • Memorial Day Recipes
  • Father's Day Recipes
  • Rosh Hashanah Recipes
  • Halloween Recipes
  • Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Christmas Recipes
Popular Dishes
  • Sandwiches
  • Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Grain Recipes
  • Bean Recipes
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Quinoa Recipes
  • Chicken Breast Recipes
  • French Recipes
  • Mexican Recipes
Subscribe
  • Subscribe to Food & Wine
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Food & Wine Books
  • Get Food & Wine iPad Edition
  • Get F&W Mobile Apps
Clubs & Events
  • Food & Wine Connoisseur Club
  • Events
  • F&W Classic in Aspen
  • Best New Chefs
Contact
  • Customer Service
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising
  • Careers
  • Site Map
Time Inc.Affluent Media Group
  • Travel + Leisure
  • Departures
Food & Wine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. © 2018 Time Inc. Affluent Media Group. All rights reserved.
View Website Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Your California Privacy Rights. Ad Choices. Users of this site agree to be bound by the Website Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
foodandwine.com is part of the Time Inc. Food Collection and the MyRecipes Network.