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Helsinki is dotted with cozy yet decidedly modern-looking venues offering reindeer, herring, and pike accompanied by delicious Finnish mushrooms or wild-berry sauces. Don't be turned off by spare menu descriptions such as "reindeer with lingonberry sauce and chanterelles,"—it's a classic example of the Finnish tendency toward un
Helsinki is dotted with cozy yet decidedly modern-looking venues offering reindeer, herring, and pike accompanied by delicious Finnish mushrooms or wild-berry sauces. Don't be turned off by spare menu descriptions such as "reindeer with lingonberry sauce and chanterelle
Helsinki is dotted with cozy yet decidedly modern-looking venues offering reindeer, herring, and pike accompanied by del
Helsinki is dotted with cozy yet decidedly modern-looking venues offering reindeer, herring, and pike accompanied by delicious Finnish mushrooms or wild-berry sauces. Don't be turned off by spare menu descriptions such as "reindeer with lingonberry sauce and chanterelles,"—it's a classic example of the Finnish tendency toward understatement, and the skill will be evident in the taste. You'll find everything from Mexican to Nepalese (quite popular with locals) in the city, though not at every price point. Expect European-size entrées, excellent location, and service at a steep price. A strong café culture makes it easy to find a tasty, reasonably priced lunch.
Situated on the north side of the Esplanade amid stylish design boutiques, this café is a great place to sample a giant version of the korvapuusti, roughly translated as a "slap around the ear"—a sweet bun fresh from the oven and made all the more delicious by virtue of the cinnamon spinkled between its folded layers. Salads, filled bread rolls, and other enormous confectioneries are on offer, eased down with some of Helsinki's best coffee or something stronger if required. It's a good option for evening snacks as well as lunch.
Pohjoisesplanadi 37, Helsinki, Uusimaa, 00101, Finland
Just a short walk from the Stockmann department store, this cozy restaurant has become a lunchtime favorite; come evening it's given over to artists and journalists. Menu highlights draw on Scandinavian and Russian elements and include reindeer, fried vendace, perch, trout, and cèpe mushrooms. Chilled chocolate cheesecake makes a superb dessert. The high ceilings and understated interior lend a Scandinavian air of simplicity and elegance. Happily, some things never change, and Kosmos has retained its character since 1924.
Named for the architect Carl Ludvig Engel, this café on Senate Square serves traditional lunch fare, and it's also open for breakfast. Portions are hearty—you can fill up on a huge bowl of the tomato basil soup or the cold smoked salmon sandwich; for a lighter snack, try a savory karjalanpiirakka or one of the smaller open-faced cold-cut sandwiches. Locals stop in for coffee, wine, and desserts, which include seasonal treats such as lingonberry cheesecake, fruit tarts, and an excellent Sacher torte. The outdoor KesäKino summer cinema is held in the courtyard, which is also the venue for recitals and other events.
Aleksanterinkatu 26, Helsinki, Uusimaa, 00170, Finland
Located by the sea, with views across to Suomenlinna, this café has been a favorite with locals since the 1950s. They come for the coffee, ice cream, pastries, and light lunches that include soups and salads made with traditional Finnish ingredients and to sit on the terrace on sunny days after seaside strolls in and around nearby Kaivopuisto Park. The lunch menu, which changes daily, includes fresh fish specialties, fish or root-vegetable soups, and a steak dish.
Ehrenströmintie 3, Helsinki, Uusimaa, 00140, Finland
A five-minute walk from the somewhat austere neoclassical Parliament House, on the same street as the National Museum and close to the "Church in the Rock," this casual local gem is the kind of restaurant travelers delight to discover. The main courses have a pan-European flavor, but the "classics"—the sort of hearty food that grandma used to make—are what this place is about. Seasonal game is popular in the colder months; in summer the menu lightens to include quality salads and fish. But whenever you come, you're in for good-quality, wholesome, Finnish organic ingredients at their best. Roasted butternut squash is an excellent starter. Pan-fried breast of pheasant makes a terrific main-course follow-up. Diners can choose between one of three set menus, including a delicious vegetable-only option, and a varied à la carte selection.
Helsinki's café boom and an increasing demand for Continental-style bars helped give birth to this hybrid, on a lively street just south of the city center. The trendy menu includes salad with goat-cheese croutons.
Korkeavuorenk. 4, Helsinki, Uusimaa, 00150, Finland
Right beside city hall and a handy place to take a break from shopping in Market Square, this building retains marble columns and deep wood panels that harken back to the days when it was a bank rather than an elegant restaurant, fitted as it is today with very plush and luxurious furniture. Toast Skagen, a Nordic classic, is a good bet—it's shrimp, mayo, and chives on toasted bread, topped with a generous dollop of whitefish roe. Pan-fried Baltic herring is another classic. A full five-course chef's menu costs €65, while the price of a more compact three-course Scandinavian menu is €45. Salutorget has adopted with gusto the very British concept of afternoon tea, served Monday to Saturday from 2 to 6 pm.
Pohjoisesplanadi 15, Helsinki, Uusimaa, 00100, Finland
At the foot of village-like Korkeavuorenkatu—“high hill street”—within easy reach of a cluster of boutiques and cozy cafés, Sea Horse was founded in 1934. Originally famed for its fried Baltic herring and authentically local feel, it gained a higher profile in the 1990s when lauded in national and European publications for its excellent steaks. Sea Horse gives a convivial taste of down-to-earth, no-frills Finnish restaurant life.
Kapteeninkatu 11, Helsinki, Uusimaa, 00140, Finland
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