Restaurants in Helsinki
Helsinki's city centre is the best place for restaurants. Elk, reindeer and bear are among the less usual treats on offer, while the city's proximity to the Baltic fishing grounds ensures a great choice for fish and shellfish lovers. Finland's historic links with Russia are plain to see at restaurants such as Bellevue, while traditional Lapp dishes are the focus at Saaga. Don't miss the highly individual Restaurant Zetor.
Top-end
Expand all1. Bellevue - Authentic Russian cuisine
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Located close to Uspenski Cathedral, Bellevue is Helsinki's longest-established Russian restaurant. It offers an authentic Russian experience with everything from zakuska (sausage, cold meats, pickled fish and other appetisers) and blinis to elk steak and pot-roast bear. A range of fixed-priced menus is also available, a good choice for sampling something new.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11am-12am; Sat 5pm-12am
Address
3, Rahapajankatu, Helsinki 00160
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 179 560
2. Kabuki - Sushi and sashimi
Show moreHelsinki's most popular Japanese restaurant, Kabuki is located close to the city centre in the Kamppi district. The wide-ranging and extensive menu includes an impressive range of sushi and sashimi dishes, along with a good selection of cooked fish, meat, vegetarian and tempura options. There is also a selection of teishoku (set menus).Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11.30am-2pm & 5pm-11pm; Sun 4pm-11pm
Address
12, Lapinlahdenkatu, Helsinki 00180
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 694 9446
3. Saaga - Arctic cuisine
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Saaga offers an authentic Lapp experience in the heart of the capital. The best of Arctic food, including local delicacies like elk, reindeer and arctic char, feature on the extensive menu, which is printed in five languages to assist international diners. Expect rich and carnivorous food, served in rustic surroundings, reflecting the restaurant's northern origins.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 6pm-11pm
Address
34B, Bulevardi, Helsinki 00120
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 7425 5544
4. Chez Dominique - Michelin-starred dining
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City-centre Chez Dominique is the only restaurant in Finland to receive two Michelin stars. Led by celebrity chef Hans Välimäki, it aims to create innovative recipes based on Nordic and French flavours. Specialities include fish, game and dishes like Finnish suckling pig. The main room seats 50 diners and the cabinet room seats 14.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Wed-Fri 11.30am-3pm & 6pm-12am; Tue & Sat 6pm-12am
Address
4, Rikhardinkatu, Helsinki 00130
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 612 7393
5. G W Sundmans - Fine Finnish dining
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The luxurious G W Sundmans restaurant is named after an esteemed navy captain and housed in a building designed by Helsinki master architect Carl Ludvig Engel. Located in the city centre, close to the harbour and fish market, it specialises in local seafood and meat, and is particularly renowned for its dessert selection.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11am-2.30pm & 5pm-12am; Sat 6pm-12am
Address
16, Eteläranta, Helsinki 00130
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 6128 5400
Mid-range
Expand all6. Kosmos - Writers' favourite
Show moreCentrally located off one of Helsinki's main streets, Mannerheimintie, Kosmos is known throughout Finland as a gathering place for artists, writers and television personalities. The decor is 1930s and simple, and the menu includes dishes like grilled whitefish, smoked eel, fried Baltic herring, mutton chops with a creamy herb sauce, and chicken in cherry sauce.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11.30am-1am; Sat 4pm-1am
Address
3, Kalevankatu, Helsinki 00100
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 647 255
7. Sea Horse - Classic Finnish food
Show moreSea Horse, in the Ullanlinna area, is a classic Finnish restaurant that opened in 1934. The menu ranges from salmon and deep fried herring to beef steak and reindeer, and there is also a good choice of vegetarian dishes. Specialities include warm open sandwiches and fried zander fish fillet. There are also daily lunchtime specials.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 10.30am-12am (until 1am Fri & Sat)
Address
11, Kapteeninkatu, Helsinki 00140
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 628 169
8. Restaurant Zetor - Eating on a tractor
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Restaurant Zetor is an unconventional restaurant, offering a truly idiosyncratic dining experience that in some ways sums up the unique Finnish approach to life. Named after a Czech manufacturer, the somewhat chaotic decor includes seating around real tractors. The menu is eclectic, ranging from traditional Finnish reindeer steaks to beef steaks and Russian blinis.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Thu 12pm-2am; Fri-Sat 12pm-4am; Sun 1pm-12am
Address
3-5, Mannerheimintie, Helsinki 00100
Telephone
+358 (0) 10 76 64450
9. Kynsilaukka - Garlic lovers
Show more Kynsilaukka is a rustic restaurant in Punavuori with wooden beams. Its name means "garlic" and the menu reflects this theme, but not all dishes are too pungent. The menu includes a combination of fish, meat and salad dishes, as well as Russian classics such as blinis. It generally closes when the last customer leaves.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11am until late; Sat & Sun from 1pm
Address
22, Fredrikinkatu, Helsinki 00120
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 651 939
10. Manala - Fresh Finnish food
Show moreSpecialities at Manala (which means "underworld"), in the Taka-Töölö district, include fresh fish, sautéed reindeer and grilled chicken with garlic potatoes cooked on a hot iron grill. There's also a wide range of pizzas. For after-dinner partying, there's a bar and disco on the same premises.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11am-2pm & 3pm-4am; Sat & Sun 2pm-4am
Address
2, Dagmarinkatu, Helsinki 00100
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 5807 7707
Budget
Expand all11. Café Bar 9 - Reindeer steaks and sandwiches
Show moreCafé Bar 9, in the Punavuori district, is popular with artists and advertising types, despite the rather simple cafeteria-style Formica tables. They come for the varied, good-value menu, which includes stir fries, steaks, sandwiches, soups and salads. Specialities include dishes like sausages served with mashed potatoes and mustard.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 11am-2am (from 12pm Sat & Sun)
Address
9, Uudenmaankatu, Helsinki 00120
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 621 4059
12. O'Malley's - Irish-style pub food
Show moreO'Malley's is an Irish-style pub that offers traditional bar food such as fish and chips. Located in the city centre, its pub is very popular as well, and finding a seat can be difficult, so diners should come during the daytime or early evening before the crowds arrive. The kitchen does, however, open until late.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 4pm-10pm
Address
26, Yrjönkatu, Helsinki 00100
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 4336 6330
13. Rax - Budget pizza
Show moreA local Finnish chain, Rax offers a basic range of good-value, buffet-style pizza dishes, aimed at those on a small budget or who just want a quick bite before continuing their sightseeing. There are also a few side dishes on offer, such as a salad buffet, chicken wings and meatballs.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 11am-9pm (from 12pm Sun)
Address
8, Mikonkatu, Helsinki 00100
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 4780 0555
14. La Famiglia - Relaxed Italian family restaurant
Show moreCity-centre restaurant La Famiglia is a large Italian-American eatery that offers a classic Italian menu of steaks, pizzas, pastas, salads and seafood. There's also a selection of good-value set menus, and family menus for four to 20 people. There's a relaxed atmosphere here, and a decor of red-and-white check tablecloths and rustic wooden furnishings.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon & Tue 11am-11pm; Wed-Fri 11am-12am; Sat 12pm-12am; Sun 1pm-11pm
Address
3, Keskuskatu, Helsinki 00100
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 8568 5680
15. Ravintola VPK - Buffets on a budget
Show moreDecorated simply like a 1950s-style Soviet café, Ravintola VPK in Helsinki's Kamppi district is run by the Volunteer Fire Brigade. It serves a daily changing buffet of hearty Finnish fare, such as its popular pea soup and pancakes. There are also cheap set meals available.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 10.30am-3pm
Address
29, Albertinkatu, Helsinki 00180
Telephone
+358 (0) 9 693 1581
