Bars and restaurants
Savoy, Kaartinkaupunki
Designed and furnished by Aino and Alvar Aalto, and run by chef Helena Puolakka – who learned her craft at three-star kitchens in London and Paris – Savoy is a formal affair. The vorschmack with pickles and beetroot was the favourite of Finland’s wartime leader, Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, whose corner table still stands in the dining room.
Kupoli, Kluuvi
Helsinki is home to many great cocktail bars but Kupoli’s seasonal libations, such as its spring creek martini, are unique. The nature-inspired menu features ingredients such as birch leaves, forest berries and wild hops. Its penthouse space with views over Helsinki is another draw.
Kosmos, Kamppi
Still run by the family that founded the restaurant in 1924, Kosmos is known for classic Finnish fare. Try the vorschmack, a traditional chopped-herring-and-minced-meat appetiser. Its old-world setting, with white tablecloths and period detailing, is a magnet for local artists and has served as a backdrop in several Aki Kaurismäki films.
Palace, Kaartinkaupunki
Two Michelin-star Palace is one of Finland’s best restaurants. The seasonal tasting menu showcases regional ingredients, with a particular focus on seafood, and the top-floor setting overlooks the city’s historic harbour. A great choice for a leisurely business lunch.
Kuurna, Kruununhaka
Kruununhaka locals swear by this laid-back neighbourhood bistro. The triweekly rotating menu centres around seasonal organic produce, while the interiors pair minimalist furniture with candlelight. The owners also run nextdoor wine bar Klaava, as well as a vegetable shop at Hakaniemi Market Hall.
Kolme Kruunua, Kruununhaka
Set in the stately Kruununhaka neighbourhood, Kolme Kruunua serves traditional dishes such as fried Baltic herring, pyttipannu (a potato fry-up with smoked ham) and läskisoosi (Finnish-style pork stew). The interiors are a time capsule of 1950s Helsinki, with vintage Paavo Tynell lights and colourful stained-glass windows by artist Fritz Hilbert.
Grön, Kamppi
Toni Kostian and Lauri Kähkönen, the founders of New Nordic restaurant Grön, have a passion for wild ingredients. Small-scale producers from across the region provide them with meat and fish, and Kostian forages the herbs and mushrooms in local forests. “It’s about returning Finnish cuisine to its roots, using age-old ingredients and methods such as fermentation,” he says.
Baskeri & Basso Bistro, Punavuori
Nicolas Thieulon and Kalle Kiukainen founded Baskeri & Basso Bistro after deciding that the city lacked a bistro-style restaurant. The menu, which is chalked up daily, is a marriage of southern European recipes and fresh Finnish ingredients, and its laid-back spirit is the perfect counter to Nordic minimalism. It’s also worth checking out its sister restaurants, Basbas Kulma and Basbas Studio.
Kämp Bar, Kluuvi
Affluent Finns have rubbed shoulders in this bar for more than a century, making it one of the few places in Helsinki where you’ll see a room of dinner jackets and glamorous evening gowns. It was given a facelift in 2025 by London-based Archer Humphryes Architects, which restored the building’s original neoclassical columns while also adding polished mahogany and marble surfaces. Order the signature Kämp punch highball.
Nolla, Punavuori
Run by a Spanish-Portuguese-Serbian trio, Nolla is a zero-waste pioneer. “We believe in nose-to-tail cooking and discard as little as possible,” says Luka Balac, one of the co-founders. The ever-changing menu often features freshwater fish, such as sturgeon, and meat sourced from regional hunters.
Jackie, Punavuori
For a lively night on the dance floor, try this buzzy hangout. Interiors by Studio Joanna Laajisto give it the look of a 1970s Italian bar, with dark-green walls, leather sofas and plenty of marble. DJs pump out disco and electro tracks throughout the night.
