Where to eat in Helsinki
Helsinki eats Finnish: salmon soup with rye bread, Karelian pies, herring and reindeer, and a cinnamon bun with coffee. The best value is at lunch, when many restaurants serve a set menu. Cafes and market halls are cheap and reliable, and dinner costs more than in most cities.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- The Old Market Hall and Kauppatori for lunch, and Punavuori or Kallio for dinner.
- Order this
- Salmon soup, a Karelian pie and a cinnamon bun with coffee.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 11, dinner from 5pm. Finns eat early.
- Book or walk in
- Book dinner at weekends. Cafes and market halls take walk-ins.
- Tipping
- Service is included. Rounding up is welcome but not expected.
What to eat in Helsinki
- LohikeittoCreamy salmon soup with potato and dill, served with rye bread. The classic lunch, found in market halls and cafes.
- KarjalanpiirakkaA Karelian pie: a thin rye shell filled with rice porridge, eaten with egg butter. Sold at bakeries and market stalls.
- KorvapuustiA cinnamon bun, sweeter and softer than the Swedish version, eaten with coffee.
- SilakkaBaltic herring, pickled or fried, a staple of the market and the October herring fair.
- MuikkuSmall fried vendace fish, sold at market stalls in summer, often with mash.
- PoronkäristysSautéed reindeer with mashed potato and lingonberries, a traditional Lapland dish found in Helsinki restaurants.
- LihapullatFinnish meatballs with cream sauce, potatoes and lingonberry jam.
Where to eat in Helsinki, by neighborhood
Kauppatori and the Old Market Hall
Market stalls, a historic hall and harbor views. Best for lunch and quick bites.
The center, around Esplanadi and Kluuvi
Classic cafes and long-standing restaurants, good for a coffee and a pastry or a lunch.
Punavuori
Independent restaurants, wine bars and cafes in the Design District. Best for dinner.
Kallio
Casual restaurants, bars and cheap eats north of the center, popular with locals.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Sea Horse
€€€Finnish restaurant · Ullanlinna
OrderFried Baltic herring or the onion steak
A classic Helsinki restaurant serving traditional Finnish food since 1933, open daily.
- Book
- Book online
Confirmed open: seahorse.fi
-
Fazer Café Kluuvikatu
€€Cafe and bakery · Kluuvi
OrderA pastry and coffee, or the lunch of the day
Karl Fazer's cafe, open since 1891, with pastries, cakes and chocolate and a view of the confectioners at work.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: myhelsinki.fi
-
Café Regatta
€Cafe · Töölö
OrderA cinnamon bun and coffee
A red cottage cafe by the sea near the Sibelius Monument, open every day, with a grill outside in summer.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: myhelsinki.fi
-
Ravintola Kappeli
€€€Restaurant and cafe · Esplanadi
OrderSoup at lunch, or coffee on the glass terrace
A restaurant in the Esplanadi park since 1867, with a glass terrace and a daily changing lunch soup.
- Book
- Book for dinner, walk in for coffee
Confirmed open: myhelsinki.fi
-
Soppakeittiö
€Soup counter · Old Market Hall
OrderSalmon soup with rye bread
A soup counter inside the Old Market Hall, known for a creamy salmon soup with refills of bread.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: tablejourney.com
Food markets in Helsinki
- Old Market Hall (Vanha kauppahalli)Helsinki's first indoor market, opened in 1889, with stalls for smoked fish, cheese, reindeer, pastries and soup.Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm; some stalls keep their own hoursSource: vanhakauppahalli.fi
- Kauppatori (Market Square)An open-air harbor market with stalls for fried fish, berries and snacks. Check seasonal hours before you go.Daily in summer, shorter days in winter; hours change with the seasonSource: tablejourney.com
How Helsinki eats
- Meal timesLunch from 11, dinner from 5pm. Many kitchens close by 10pm.
- TippingService is included. Rounding up is a courtesy.
- Lunch menusMany restaurants offer a set weekday lunch, the cheapest way to eat well.
- CashCards and phones are accepted nearly everywhere.
Signs of a place to walk past
A harbor-front stall with a multilingual menu board and reindeer burgers.
A cafe with pastries sitting out all afternoon.
A restaurant that advertises Finnish food but has no Finns inside.
Eating in Helsinki: questions people ask
What food is Helsinki known for?
Salmon soup, Karelian pies, cinnamon buns, Baltic herring and reindeer.
Where should I eat in Helsinki?
The Old Market Hall for lunch, Punavuori or Kallio for dinner, and a cafe for coffee and a bun.
Is food expensive in Helsinki?
Yes, but lunch menus, market halls and cafes keep costs down.
Do I need to book in Helsinki?
For dinner at weekends, yes. Cafes and market halls take walk-ins.
What is a Karelian pie?
A thin rye pastry filled with rice porridge, eaten with egg butter.