What to eat in Finland: traditional dishes and how Finns eat
Finnish food is built on rye, potatoes, fish, berries and dairy, with reindeer and game in the north. The dishes below are the ones to try on a short trip. The one thing to know is that a lunch buffet or a market hall stall is often the best way to eat well without paying for a full dinner.
The short answer
- Order this first
- Lohikeitto, a creamy salmon soup with potatoes and dill. It is the easiest Finnish dish to find and a good start.
- When people eat
- Lunch around 11 to 1, often a hot meal. Dinner early, usually between 5 and 7 in the evening.
- Tipping
- Service is included, so tipping is not expected. Rounding up the bill is a courtesy.
- Where to eat well
- Our Helsinki food guide names the places, each checked against a source.
What to eat in Finland
- LohikeittoSalmon soup with potatoes, leeks and cream, served with rye bread. A lunch staple in cafes, market halls and restaurants.Nationwide
- KarjalanpiirakkaA thin rye crust filled with rice porridge, baked and eaten with egg butter. A bakery and breakfast classic.Karelia
- PoronkäristysSautéed reindeer, served with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. Look for it on menus in Lapland and in Helsinki restaurants.Lapland
- KalakukkoFish and pork baked inside a rye loaf. It is sold in market halls, sliced, and it is worth trying once.Savo
- LihapullatFinnish meatballs, served with potatoes, cream sauce and lingonberries. Common on lunch menus.Nationwide
- LeipäjuustoA mild, squeaky baked cheese, served warm with cloudberry jam. Found in market halls and as a dessert.Ostrobothnia
- KorvapuustiA cinnamon bun, the Finnish coffee-break pastry. Order one with coffee in any bakery.Nationwide
- Grilled makkaraA grilled sausage with mustard, the classic snack after a sauna or at a market kiosk. It is cheap and filling.Nationwide
- Smoked and cured salmonSalmon that is smoked, cold-cured or grilled on a plank. Look for it at the harbor market stalls.The coast
- Cloudberries and lingonberriesWild berries served with cheese, meat, porridge and desserts. Cloudberry is the prized one, sold as jam and in desserts.Nationwide
How the food changes across Finland
Helsinki and the south
The widest range, from market halls and traditional lunch rooms to bakeries and modern kitchens, with plenty of fish from the Baltic.
Karelia and the east
Home of rye pies, kalakukko and hearty baking, where savory and sweet pastry is a daily habit.
The Lakeland
Freshwater fish such as whitefish and vendace, cooked simply, plus berries and smoked fish from lake shores in summer.
Lapland
Reindeer, game, cloudberries and arctic char. Menus lean on local ingredients, and portions are built for cold weather.
What to drink in Finland
- CoffeeFinns drink more coffee than almost anyone, usually light roast and filter. A coffee with a pastry is the daily break.
- Beer and ciderLagers and a growing craft scene. Beer is served in bars and with meals, and strong drinks are sold in state shops.
- Salmiakki and KoskenkorvaSalmiakki is salty liquorice, often as a sweet or a shot. Koskenkorva is the classic local vodka, served cold.
- GlögiHot spiced wine or berry juice, served in winter and at Christmas markets with raisins and almonds.
Where to eat in Finland, city by city
Helsinki
A waterfront capital of design shops, saunas, islands, markets and good coffee. It suits couples, families and anyone who wants a relaxed city with the sea close by.
Order Lohikeitto
How Finland eats
- Meal timesLunch is the main hot meal, often between 11 and 1, and dinner is early, between 5 and 7. Many kitchens close by 9 or 10 in the evening.
- CoffeeCoffee breaks are a fixture of the working day, and bakeries open early. A pastry with coffee is the usual order.
- ReservationsBook dinner at known restaurants a week or two ahead for weekends. Lunch spots and market halls take walk-ins.
- TippingService is included in prices, so tipping is not expected. Leave a few coins only for exceptional service.
Signs of a place to walk past
Menus with photographs of every dish on the pavement.
A restaurant on a main tourist street with staff handing out menus.
A reindeer dish at a price far below the places around it.
Pastries that look dry and have sat in the window all afternoon.
Food in Finland: questions people ask
What food is Finland known for?
Salmon soup, Karelian pies, reindeer, rye bread and cinnamon buns are the best known. Berries, fish and coffee are everyday staples.
What is the national dish of Finland?
There is no single official one. Karjalanpiirakka, lohikeitto and poronkäristys are the dishes most often named as Finnish.
What is karjalanpiirakka?
A Karelian pie: a thin rye crust filled with rice porridge and baked, usually eaten warm with egg butter.
What do Finns eat for breakfast?
Rye bread with cheese and ham, porridge, yoghurt and coffee. Many hotels also serve a buffet with smoked fish.
Is food expensive in Finland?
Eating out costs more than in much of Europe. Lunch buffets and market hall stalls are cheaper than dinner, and supermarkets sell good ready meals.
Do you tip in Finnish restaurants?
No. Service is included in the price, so tipping is not expected. Rounding up is a courtesy, not a rule.
What is a good vegetarian option in Finland?
Most restaurants offer a vegetarian dish, and Helsinki has many vegetarian and vegan kitchens. Soups, rye bread, cheese and berry desserts are easy choices.