2 Best Restaurants in Helsinki, Finland

Background Illustration for Restaurants

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.

Löyly

$$$ | Eira Fodor's Choice

Located on the shoreline of the newly developed Hernesaari residential district, Löyly is a brilliantly conceived sauna restaurant, housed in an angular and elegant wooden structure, a minor architectural wonder in itself. Customers have three separate options or can indulge in all three in a single visit: bathing in the spacious sauna with an invigorating sea dip; lunch or dinner in the restaurant; and a relaxing drink on the shoreside terrace. There's also a popular Saturday brunch menu in the winter. The à la carte dinner menu includes Finnish dishes such as pike perch and reindeer, while the lunch selection includes moose meatballs and salmon soup. Löyly (it's the name in Finnish for the steam released when water is tossed on the sauna stove) is especially popular with the younger, trendier set, as well as convenient for disembarking cruise-ship passengers, and has been included in Time's 'World's Greatest Places" list.  

Story

$ | Kauppatori

The original branch of the local bistro Story started in Vanha Kauppahalli—the Old Market Hall near the South Harbour—and that's where it's still going strong as a popular lunch restaurant. It offers tasty and affordable snacks, breakfast, brunch, and lunch, including especially irresistible burgers, but there are vegan options too. Other branches have since opened across the city, and they all offer dinner as well.