My Best Helsinki: 15 pages of Helsinki photos, numerous links to Helsinki sights, restaurants, hotels, shopping, culture, transportation, etc:
Welcome to My Best Helsinki
RESTAURANT REVIEWS 2
ON RESTAURANT PAGE 1:
baskeri & basso,
bronda,
demo,
farang,
ateljè finne,
gaijin,
kuurna,
olo,
savoy,
spis,
strindberg.
(CLOSED: Alexander Nevski. We really loved it / still miss it. One of the few places you could get real caviar. Many other's had to fold, too, but this one is the one we still miss.)
ON THIS, RESTAURANT PAGE 2:
(click on restaurant names):
kappeli,
maxill,
mekka,
midhill,
nokka,
palace gourmet,
santa fé,
seurasaari,
sunn,
särkänlinna,
torni.
CAFES:
aalto,
angelica, carusel,
carusel esplanade,
chapman,
ekberg,
esplanad,
fazer,
ursula,
senaatti,
tamminiementien kahvila
ON RESTAURANT PAGE 3: alppitori,
amanda,
elite,
havis,
kabuki,
kokomo,
kuurna,
kynsilaukka -garlic,
brasserie kämp,
juuri,
la place,
olo,
postres,
safka,
saaga,
savotta,
sea horse,
signe,
tori,
yume.
SUMMER RESTAURANTS, LOCATED ON HELSINKI ISLANDS:
boathouse,
chapman,
njk,
saaristo,
särkänlinna,
uunisaari,
walhalla
&
a general Suomenlinna link.
TRADITIONAL Finnish cuisine and LAPPISH cuisine.
ALSO:
a restaurant list & a café list & more photos.
Many
top
restaurants in Helsinki are closed during the whole month of July,
some
for even longer. If
you
are planning a "foodie vacation"
in Helsinki during
the summer,
July is probably not the
best time to do it. July,
which usually is
the warmest summer month, is
"vacation month" in
Finland. Most Finns start
their vacation around
the 21st-24th of
June,
when "Midsummer Eve",
a huge
holiday in Finland, is celebrated. Check in
advance.
We love Helsinki restaurants. There are - and have been - an impressive number of high quality restaurants for a while now. Both formal and casual, and small places that serve remarkably high quality food - and wines. We favor these kinds of restaurants now.
RESTAURANT
NOKKA
is located in the beautiful Katajanokka
neighborhood, on Kanavaranta (=Canal bank),
in one of the restored 19th century warehouses,
by the water. The same space used to be
home to Restaurant Kanavaranta, now long
gone. The Uspenski Cathedral is a block away.
The name, "Nokka", stems from the
name of the neighborhood: Katajanokka.
Loosely = Juniper tree Peninsula
From the getgo, "hand-picked, clean, and high-quality raw materials", have been the guiding ideas of this ambitious restaurant.
We dined here soon after the opening and found the familiar, warm rooms pleasantly pared down. As a result the space is more elegant and calm. The ambiance is very pleasing. The restaurant was still struggling with some glitches, mostly having to do with the service, but the over all experience was promising.
In July 2002, we dined here in a group of
three. My husband now found the
restaurant very romantic and said he would
recommend it to anyone who wanted to take
his date for a romantic evening. Since the
service was excellent and the food is very
good, I agree.
Unfortunately the pandemic wreaked havoc, and many restaurants had to fold, but we
just learned that Nokka is back! They re-opened this month.
We are definitely checking it out next time we are in Fi
Restaurant/nokka
July 2003: A lovely dinner on Nokka's summer
patio, by the water, confirms the praises above.
Address: Kanavaranta 7, 00160 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9-687 7330
second
link
Restaurant Nokka's summer patio, Katajanokka, Helsinki.
Helsinki South
Harbor. Click for
larger view:
This is he view from the now closed Palace Hotel Terrace Bar.
Now that Palace Hotel sadly has closed, the restaurant (below) is the
only way to enjoy these stunning city and harbor and island views.
PALACE RESTAURANT
Finnish-French, global cuisine, with modernist
touches. Make sure to reserve one of the window
tables that face the South Harbor.
Address: Eteläranta 10, 00130 Helsinki
Phone: +358 50 502 0718
Email: rrestaurant@palacerestaurant.fi
Särkkä Island seen behind taxi boat & pier.
Helsinki skyline. Taxi boat from Katajanokka to Särkka.
Click for larger view and information: place names, etc:
The restaurant is located on the top floor of the old fortress, a long and narrow room with sloping floors and wonderful views of the sea on the other side, and the charming Helsinki skyline on the other side. The room and the deep window sills are decorated with historic artifacts, beautiful tall ship miniatures,etc.
The restaurant is popular and for good reason. The food is very good and the setting is one of it's kind, and even though the decor at Särkänlinna is a little rustic, I find the place very romantic.
In July 2001 we thought that Särkänlinna was the best restaurant in the city, even though it is only a seasonal restaurant. The meal the four of us had (fish, of course.) was the best we had in Helsinki, and the staff, especially the Maitre´d, was splendid.
Reservations are highly recommended.
Address: Särkänsaari, 00130 HELSINKI
Phone: (358)- (0)9 1345 6756
second
link
Download
the taxi boat schedule & PRICING.
Sorry, only in Finnish.
View from Särkkä island pier, after dinner at Särkänlinna restaurant. Looking at Suomenlinna fortress island (which Särkkä is a part of) shore line and its old lighthouse. Incredible light blue light of a Nordic midsummer night
Most photos on My Best Helsinki can be viewed in a larger format by clicking on the photos. Please see the copyright notice on the bottom of the page. Legal notice about unauthorized copying and / or posting of our images. Interested in buying our images? Please contact us. Thank You.
SANTA FÉ
serves, you guessed it, Tex-Mex ( and Cajun and
international foods).The prices are low and the
plates are large. The food is pretty good the prices.
The fact that Santa Fe has been open since 1991 - despite market downs and ups AND the pandemic - is quite impressive.
The space is pretty cozy, despite it's size. It seats 240 people and has a decked courtyard summer terrace. Some info
They serve drinks, international beers, cocktails and wines.
It's a fun, very popular place among locals, for a casual snack together with friends or family.
Their menu is quite extensive. menu Click on the green "boxes". There is a lot to choose from. They also have a children's menu.
Address: Aleksanterinkatu 15, 00100 Helsinki
Phone: 050 302 8185
Email: santafe@rafla.fi
Santa Fe on FB
Santa Fe on Instagram
MIDHILL Diner / Brasserie "Burgers & Stuff"
High quality burgers, made from scratch, that are tweaked with Korean, Japanese & Greece flavors.
American diners and European Brasseries have served as the inspiration for Midhill.
The menu offers choices from burgers, hot dogs, and steaks to fish, seafood and salads. There is even lobster on the menu. The emphasis is on high quality ingredients.
The restaurant occupies two floors; the downstairs is for "fast" food and the 2nd floor for the more extensive menu.
There is also breakfast and brunch.
Menu
Address: Kaivokatu 8, 2nd floor.
(Citykäytävä, Saarisen piha), 00100 Helsinki
Phone: 0207 345110
Email: city@midhill.fi
Midhill also operates in two amusement parks: Linnanmäki (in Helsinki) & Särkänlinna in Tampere.
Remember, in Finland the dates
are marked: day /mo / year.
RESTAURANT TORNI
Restaurant Torni has been in business
since 1931 (since the building, that also
hosts Hotel Torni, was constructed).
The interior design of the restaurant tries to stay true to the traditional Finnish functionalism (modernism).
It has been a while since we had a chance to sample this restaurant, but when we did, we thoroughly enjoyed it: The food was made of very fresh ingredients, with nice layers of flavors and the presentation was beautiful.
The service was friendly and unpretentious. We have heard that the restaurant is still very good and cannot wait to try it again.
Address: Yrjönkatu 26, 00100 Helsinki
i
Phone: 020 1234 604
Email: torni.helsinki@sokoshotels.fi
MAXILL | Maxill on fb
Is a casual restaurant, serving good casual food.
For the price it is a real bargain.
We dined here in different groups of four. The food was consistently tasty and the service attentive and friendly.
The menu contains delightfully many seafood dishes, but has choices for everyone.
The wine list features a broad range of low to medium end wines.
This restaurant became immediately popular when it opened in 1992; the food was good and the restaurant was refreshingly different compared to most other restaurants in Helsinki back then. It is not a place that tourists would easily find on their own.
That already is a good reason to pay a visit: You get a satisfying meal in a "cool" setting, for a reasonable price with almost only locals as patrons.
The room is a small rectangular space. The ceilings are high. The two walls that face the street are basically huge windows. That gives a more spacious feeling to the small room and also provides a nice overlook of the street.
The tables have tablecloths, and there are some decorative pieces of "art" on the walls.
The place is still quite popular among locals, so Reservations are recommended for dinner. First reviewed in 2001. Later visits confirm our original thoughts, with some variations. -Still good.
Address: Korkeavuorenkatu 4, 00150 Helsinki, Phone: (358)- (0)9 638873
KAPPELI
This historic and well known structure has
been one of the gathering places of locals
and tourists alike, since it opened in 1867.
And when the famous composer Jean
Sibelius and other Finnish artists were
not hanging out at Kämp, they were here.
Casual fare for good prices.
It is hard to beat the location: in the heart of Helsinki, in the Esplanade Park, right next to the Havis Amanda Fountain and the Market Square by Helsinki South Harbor and the sea.
Throughout the years, this old gem of a building has suffered trough different kinds of restaurants, interior designs, and patrons. There has been times when I have not cared for any of them. Which is too bad, since it is in such a nice spot.
Kappeli now conists of: Kappeli Bar, Bar Café, the “Sali” dining room, Cellar, and the most popular Summer Patio in Helsinki.
Kappeli was featured on the show “Amazing Race".
Address: Eteläesplanadi 1, 00130
Helsinki
Phone: 010 76 63880
Kappeli on fb
Second
Link
to Club Kappeli
P.S. PHOTOS OF KAPPELI ON OUR HELSNKI (WINTER) PHOTOS 4 -page.
SUNN
Located by Senate Square, with viewsa to the "Dome", a.k.a. Helsinki Cathedral. Open daily.
Address: Aleksanterinkatu 26, 2.krs 00170 Helsinki
Phone: +358 10 231 2800
Email: varaukset@ravintolasunn.fi
Lovely! Lots of people love this place.
ESPLANADE PARK, Restarant Kappeli patio. Click to enlarge:
Restaurant Kappeli & patio, midnight early July in Helsinki. Click to enlarge image.
Cafe
Aalto, in the Akateeminen Bookstore.
Delicious espressos, salads, sandwiches and
pastries.
Cafe Ekberg, an old classic on Bulevardi. Always
popular.
Address: Bulevardi 9, 00120 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 6811 8660,
Email: ekberg@cafeekberg.fi
second link
Cafe Fazer
at Kluuvikatu 3
has delicious cakes, pastries & sandwiches.
second link
Café Esplanad
on Pohjoisesplanadi is known
for it's huge & delicious cinnamon rolls.
Cafe Ursula
on the beautiful Kaivopuisto shore,
with magnificent sea & island views.
Cafe/Restaurant
CARUSEL
Address: Merisatamanranta 10, 00150 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9- 622 4522
Email: carusel@carusel.fi
Café Senaatti
In the Kiseleff building, Senate Square.
Address: Aleksanterinkatu 28, 00170 HELSINKI
Phone: (358)- (0)9 602 462
second
link
CAFERIAS IN HELSINKI, off the center / outside Helsinki:
Tamminiementien Kahvila
Address: Tamminiementie 8, 00250 Helsinki
(close to the entrance to Seurasaari Open-Air Museum)
Phone: 0500- 603- 378
Villa Angelica
Address: Tamminiementie 3, 00250 Helsinki
Phone: 0500- 603 -378
RESTAURANT AND CAFÉ HVITTRÄSK
Address: Hvitträsk,
Hvitträskintie 166,FI-02440 LUOMA
Phone: +358 (0)9 297 6033
Hvitträsk is part of the National Museum.
CAFETERIAS IN HELSINKI, on islands:
Café Antin Kaffeliiteri
(Café Antti's Coffee Shed),
on Seurasaari Island. Address: Seurasaari, 00250 Helsinki
For more information, see:
Seurasaari Open-Air Museum
RESTAURANTS & CAFES ON SUOMENLINNA (SVEABORG) ISLAND, which is a wonderful picnic and/or excursion destination. Take advantage of the info, destinations of this list. If you go sightseeing anywhere outside the center in Helsinki, Suomenlinna should be it.
CAFE CHAPMAN
on the historic Suomenlinna Fortress Island serves
surprisingly good fare both indoors and in their back
yard garden. We absolutely love this unpretenitous
cafe/restaurant and make sure to have lunch in their
garden every time we visit the Suomenlinna Island.
RESTAURANT SAARISTO
on LUOTO/KLIPPAN island. An absolutely wonderful setting for a summer restaurant, on
a tiny island in the South Harbor. A must. CLICK ON PHOTO for place names
and a
much larger view of Klippan island & surroundings.
second link /
location on map / image gallery
Phone: (358)- (0)9 7425 5505
Email: sales@asrestaurants.com
General about Finnish Cuisine and Helsinki Restaurants:
For years, Finland has been one of our top destinations partly because of its excellent and constantly evolving culinary scene, that encompasses not just the Scandinavian way of cooking, but also integrates international flavors and styles.
Every time we travel back to Helsinki, there is something new and exciting going on in the restaurant scene. The culinary know-how and the skill level of many of these chefs is truly impressive and often delights even the most demanding and spoiled patrons.
We live in New York and are spoiled rotten by the abundance of high culinary skills, both in "fancy" and casual restaurants here, but we still find dining in Helsinki restaurants quite enjoyable. And just like everywhere else, of course there are also bad restaurants in Helsinki. But to hear someone bash the culinary skills of all Finnish chefs, based on one or two bad experiences (or based on ignorance), is just plainly silly.
Restaurant Sasso on North Esplanade by the Market Square in Helsinki
Remember, in Finland the dates
are marked: day /mo / year.
General about
wine pricing in Helsinki Restaurants:
Be aware that Finnish restaurants generally appear to mark-up
their wines to a higher degree than comparable American
restaurants.
Also good to know: A smoking ban in Finnish restaurants took effect June 1st, 2007.
Website feedback: So many restaurants, so little time! Unfortunately we never have the time
to
explore all the splendid restaurants we would like to while in Helsinki.
We would love to hear from fellow Helsinki travelers & foodies. Please
let us know
WHICH RESTAURANTS YOU HAVE ENJOYED IN HELSINKI
