The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. The same applies to an accidental tourist or someone who has just moved into town. Every place has its own taste. What would that be in Helsinki?
The local cuisine
The ingredients are obvious. Salty drops from the sea, bittersweet treasures from surrounding forests, a combination of Eastern and Western flavours.
The predominantly agricultural society of Finland was struck by famine in the 1860s. Fast forward to present days and Helsinki is on the heels of other Nordic capitals known for their cuisine. The latest Michelin Guide (2019), names thirty Helsinki based restaurants, six of them are awarded one star.
In comparison, the price of food in Finland is higher than the EU average but still lower than in the rest of Scandinavia. Especially the cost of alcohol may surprise you. However, getting an excellent meal in Helsinki does not empty your bank account. Restaurant selection next to fine dining is wide, and there is a myriad of reasonably priced and excellent options.
As in other fields of life, Finnish cuisine has absorbed influences from opposite directions. To simplify things, Sweden can be thanked for their affection with fish - herrings and salmons - and their fresh ingredients while Russia and Germany have made the table with their bears and moose and other meat pots and boiled vegetables.
The best places to eat out in Helsinki
Maybe the best way to start your culinary expedition is to visit the two indoor and outdoor food markets, the one in Hakaniemi and the other right in the southern harbour. Depending on the season the stalls are filled with vegetables, fruit, berries, fish, bakeries and other everyday necessities. On offer are always some specialities as well. The markets are also good places to grab a quick bite or even sit down for lunch. Just beware of the seagulls.
Seagulls are aplenty also during the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market, a tradition since 1743, taking place in October. Fishermen occupy the harbour and sell their products to city dwellers. Recently another outdoor happening has become popular. Four times a year - on the third Saturday of February, May, August and November – people across the city carry tables outside, invite people in or even serve straight out of their windows their own dishes and bakeries. It is the Restaurant Day, the day of pop up restaurants!
In case you would prefer to eat inside, the third indoor food market, the Hietalahti Market Hall has been turned into a home of various international kitchens. Another unique melting pot of restaurants can be found on the eastern side. A former abattoir from the 1930s re-opened in 2012 is now a centre for urban culture, including food.
For those in search of something older, arty and a bit decadent, Helsinki has a few cultural hangouts such as Sea Horse, Elite and Kosmos. Even if they are a lot less smoky and noisy (and the clientele less drunk), the menus and surroundings have stayed the same.
Just like everywhere else, sushi is the new pizza in Helsinki as well. And just like everywhere else, the big shopping malls serve food from across the globe. Maybe the widest selection of chain eateries can now be found in the largest mall in Scandinavia, Tripla.
Another growing trend in Helsinki is locally produced food. Many restaurants even name a particular producer and farm from where the ingredients originate. The same applies to beer – small breweries are increasing their market share, and the Helsinki Beer Festival is an occasion to find something new.
Decreasing carbon missions goes together with local production. So does decreasing the amount of all kinds of waste and plastic. A restaurant named Nolla (Zero) has taken things as far as they could. Plastic is completely banned, and even table clothes are made out of recycled material.
Popular dishes to try in Helsinki
For some reason, Thursday is the day for pea soup and pancakes. But, national holidays and dates memorizing dignitaries add something extra to the menus. In February, the Finns enjoy Runeberg's tarts in honour of the national poet, Fredrik Runeberg. The first of May, a big carnival, is the time for eating funnel cakes and drinking mead. Easter means baked rye porridge, which has an appearance causing nausea for the first-timers. Come August and restaurants are advertising their crayfish menus. Christmas would be nothing without rice porridge, sweetened potato/carrot/turnip casserole, beetroot salad, ham and salt-cured salmon.
A few delicacies hard to find anywhere else are Karelian pies, fish pie, bread cheese, blood sausage and blueberry pies – to name a few.
Still hungry in Helsinki? And it is already late at night. That is the exact moment to head towards Jaska's Grill behind the National Museum and the Parliament. Aliisa, aged 80, the lovely lady serving the hungry party people will tell you what you need. The long list contains pies and hot dogs all named after famous (and sometimes infamous) politicians and celebrities.
Useful links:
Finn Style
My Helsinki
Stadinsilakka Markkinat
Teurastamo
Hietalahden Kauppahalli
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