Helsinki City Map Anders Husa & Kaitlin Orr

Helsinki City Map

Helsinki has all the ingredients for a good life. Perhaps Finns are most known for their sauna culture, the Moomins, or their insane coffee consumption (more than any other country in the world!), but Finland’s versatile food scene is not to be overlooked. Helsinki is home to some of the top fine dining restaurants in the Nordics, but Finland’s capital also has a plethora of delicious options for everyday eating. Sustainability is a huge focus of the chefs, and most restaurants proudly highlight the organic, local, and seasonal ingredients of the region. In general, the city is extremely environmentally-friendly, and quite compact in size. We loved being able to walk and bike everywhere!

In this foodie map, we have gathered all our Helsinki favorites. You’ll find everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to natural wine bars to specialty coffee shops. Navigate the map easily either by scrolling through the list on the right or by clicking the points on the map. Places are listed in a geographical order.

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Baskeri & Basso

http://Baskeri%20&%20Basso
Tehtaankatu 27-29, Helsinki, Finland

Baskeri Basso, referred to by locals as BasBas, is the big brother bistro to next-door neighbor BasBas Kulma. If you manage to score a table at this Helsinki hotspot, you’re in for a delicious evening. Whether you’re picking a few dishes, or going for the affordably priced four-course menu, don’t miss the pasta dish – it was our favorite! The garlicky, creamy, perfectly cooked tagliolini was so insanely good, we almost doubled down and ordered seconds. All dishes change seasonally, but if you’re there in the spring we can wholeheartedly recommend the white asparagus with a horseradish beurre blanc. Although there are still some fun bottles, the wine list here leans a bit more classical in style than at the wine bar downstairs.

BasBas Kulma

http://BasBas%20Kulma
Telakkakadun kulma, Helsinki, Finland

It was the little sister restaurant to Baskeri Basso, BasBas Kulma, that stole our hearts in Helsinki. This was, hands down, our favorite casual restaurant in town. It’s slightly easier to get a reservation here compared to the OG restaurant, since the venue is a little bigger and the bar seats are kept for walk-ins. Kulma has a cool neighborhood feel, dishes at a great price point, and a stellar natural wine list. Every dish was a home run – we adored the focaccia with stracciatella and pesto rosso, the beef tartare with pickled red onion and ramson mavonnaise was one of the best we’ve had, and the deep fried potatoes with za'atar & sumac mayonnaise made us go weak in the knees. Even the veggies turned us on – slap some choron sauce on grilled cabbage and we’ll eat our greens with a smile.

Kaffa Roastery

http://Kaffa%20Roastery
Pursimiehenkatu 29, Helsinki, Finland

Kaffa Roastery is one of our favorite coffee shops in Helsinki. We had the best hand brew of our trip here – a natural Ethiopian with notes of vanilla, bergamot, and strawberry. We also enjoyed the funky and fruity natural Colombian, and the almond croissant was a great sidecar. In the evening, trade your coffee cups in for wine glasses, and enjoy their selection of natural wines.

Forza

http://Forza
Pursimiehenkatu 29, Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki’s best pizzeria is Forza. The wood-fired oven is at the heart of the kitchen, so you can expect top quality Neapolitan pizza – light, fluffy, and with unique toppings. Our favorite was the “Cacio, Pepe, e Gamberi,” with fior di latte, pecorino cheese, and shrimp. If you like it hot, try “La Diavola,” with tomato, spicy aged calabrian salsiccia, spicy olive oil, and burrata. They also serve Roman-style pies for those who like a slightly crispier, crunchier texture.

Bob’s Laundry

http://Bob’s%20Laundry
Merimiehenkatu 40, Helsinki, Finland

We’ll admit it – this is the first time a laundromat has made it to one of our guides, but Bob’s Laundry is not your typical fluff and fold. This working laundromat has a full bar with taptails on draft, created by the “cocktail bastards” from Son of a Punch. We loved the “Made in China” with lychee, rose, and vodka, and their margarita with passion fruit, orange, tequila, and togarashi. If you’re feeling snacky, there’s also a menu of Asian-inspired bites (dumplings, bao buns, kimchi, and rice balls). Best of all? Your laundry is free with purchase. Chores have never been so fun.

Nolita

http://Nolita
Kankurinkatu 6, Helsinki, Finland

The latest venture from the Nolla team is Nolita – a modern European bistro with some Parisian influences. The menu changes about once a month. Some favorites from our visit included a deep-fried pita bread with chanterelles, leeks, and an egg yolk; Spanish turbot with mushrooms, corn, and a salted lemon butter sauce; and their take on Milk Bar’s signature pie, with the addition of apples and ice cream. Nolita also has an in-house bakery, and guests can buy loaves to go.

Canvas Canteen

http://Canvas%20Canteen
Pursimiehenkatu 21, Helsinki, Finland

Less of a restaurant and more of a locals-only lunch spot, Canvas Canteen is a private dining and catering company that serves weekday meals for the neighborhood. The space is so cozy, and the staff is so friendly that you instantly feel at home. The menu is their canvas to do what they want – it’s small, with two daily changing seasonal dishes. On our visit, we enjoyed a mushroom mac and cheese with a creamy lemon sauce, and a salad with trout roe, baked potato, fennel, cucumber, and dill. We also indulged in two house-made desserts: a seabuckthorn tart with torched meringue and, our favorite, a silky panna cotta with cloudberries and timut pepper. If we had an office nearby, we'd be here for lunch daily!

Goose Pastabar

http://Goose%20Pastabar
Eerikinkatu 44, Helsinki, Finland

Some of the best pasta in Helsinki can be found at Goose Pastabar. The chefs make fresh pasta by hand each morning and serve different shapes with creative toppings and flavor combinations. Wild boar might sound like a heavy protein, but in the agnolotti, it feels surprisingly light thanks to the sour, sharp cheese sauce it’s served with. It almost has a pierogi vibe! Goose’s tagliolini cacio e pepe tastes more like a lemon tagliolini; we loved the combination of the thin, slurpable noodles and the fresh acidity from the burnt lemon sauce. But perhaps the most original dish of all was the pappardelle with Jerusalem artichoke, a crumble of almonds and coffee grounds, and spruce oil – beautiful thick ribbons of pasta with a balanced autumnal richness.

Grön

http://Grön
Albertinkatu 36, Helsinki, Finland

If you’re traveling to Helsinki in search of the best food, you’ve got to make a reservation at Grön. This was our favorite meal of our Finland trip, and one of the best meals we’ve had in a long time. Every single bite delivered a flavor explosion in a way that very few meals achieve. From the tomato tartelette to the lobster beignet to the honey fudge-glazed monkfish, we truly wanted seconds of every dish. Grön currently has one Michelin star, but this place strongly deserves a second. Chef Toni Kostian and his team are serving some of the tastiest and most interesting bites in the Nordics.

Nolla

http://Nolla
Fredrikinkatu 22, Helsinki, Finland

Nolla is a sustainable restaurant run by three chefs from Serbia, Portugal, and Spain. The word “nolla” means zero in Finnish, and this name embodies the restaurant’s philosophy to produce zero waste. Nolla aims to show that sustainability and high-quality food can go hand in hand, whether it’s using every part of an animal, or making bread from spent grains from their own beer production. Their mission starts with the seasonal ingredients they serve (from local farmers and fishermen), continues with their in-house composter, and even extends to their dishes and uniforms.

Andante Coffee

http://Andante%20Coffee
Fredrikinkatu 20, Helsinki, Finland

Another of our favorite Helsinki coffee shops is Andante. The café has a charming interior design, with lots of cute accents from the Finnish designer Marimekko. But most importantly, they serve great coffee, featuring specialty roasters like Drop and Standout Coffee from Stockholm, La Cabra from Denmark, and Samples from Helsinki. They have a large menu of hand brews; we tried a gesha from Colombia with notes of rose petals, peach, mango, and a natural Guatemalan with notes of rosehip florals, raspberry, clementine, and lychee. Year-round they offer baked goods to go alongside your java, and in the summer they serve kakigori (Japanese shaved ice).

Bakerika

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Fredrikinkatu 25, Helsinki, Finland

If you’re craving something sweet, we recommend popping in to Bakerika for an afternoon treat. The cupcakes are deliciously moist, with insanely decadent frostings. We loved the lemon poppy seed with house-made lemon curd and buttercream frosting, and the strawberry and buttercream with strawberry jam. But the best bite of all is Bakerika’s chocolate chip cookie, which is the perfect balance of chewy and crispy, with a buttery center, a caramelized edge, and the perfect amount of chocolate. After one bite, we went back to buy more!

Boneless

http://Boneless
Vuorimiehenkatu 12, Helsinki, Finland

Boneless is a fast food chain with ten locations around Finland. As the name implies, they serve boneless fried chicken, but they also serve wings and cheeseburgers. After hearing that Boneless’ burger is the best in town, we had to pay them a visit. We quite enjoyed their double cheese smash burger, which comes with two crispy smashed beef patties, American cheese, pickles, red onions, kewpie mayo, and is served on a Martin’s potato roll. Classic, All-American smash burger vibes!

Aoi

http://Aoi
Neitsytpolku 10, Helsinki, Finland

Aoi is a popular new eatery from Olli Ruotsalainen, Riku Laine and Von Quillao. The menu is short and changes frequently with the seasons, with dishes rotating in and out constantly. We tried every dish, including a couple of extra bites that have become signatures at Aoi, like the rich and salty deer toast – garlic bread topped with braised deer neck, fermented plums, cep mayonnaise, and shoestring fries. But our absolute favorite was Aoi’s famous pancake, cooked in a cast iron, fried in caramel, and served warm. It’s like a Yorkshire pudding meets a cardamom bun, with the rich, buttery flavors balanced by fresh cream, raspberries, and tagetes oil. Yes, we got seconds! With lots of interesting flavors and creativity, Aoi is definitely a restaurant to watch in Helsinki.

Elm

http://Elm
Puistokatu 4, Helsinki, Finland

Elm is a new restaurant from the team behind Nolla, located in a restored house from the 1800s. The historic venue is worth a visit alone, whether you’re just looking for a coffee and a bite of something sweet, an aperitivo, or a full Mediterranean meal. Our favorite dishes were the burrata with blood oranges and breadcrumbs, and the cheese croquettes with lemon tahini.

The Grand Bar & Grill

http://The%20Grand%20Bar%20&%20Grill
Korkeavuorenkatu 21, Helsinki, Finland

The Grand is Sylvester Soisalo’s love letter to meat, and the first restaurant in Helsinki to focus exclusively on Finnish beef. You’re here for the steak, but before you dig in, start with the French onion soup. It’s an homage to Paul Bocuse – a rich, comforting bowl of caramelized onions, truffle, and oxtail, topped with a buttery puff pastry lid. The Grand burger is probably the best in town, made from dry-aged off-cuts with matured cheddar, pickles, red onion, and Japanese mayo on a brioche bun. But, of course, the star of the show is the 30-day dry-aged T-bone steak, featuring sirloin on one side of the bone and tenderloin on the other. Alongside your meat, try a symphony of sauces, from classic béarnaise to chimichurri to “cowboy butter,” with garlic, smoked paprika, and mustard. Our favorite by far was the pepper sauce, made with fermented peppercorn and whiskey.

Goldfish Bar

http://Goldfish%20Bar
Korkeavuorenkatu 21, Helsinki, Finland

After dinner at The Grand, grab a nightcap at their neighboring bar, Goldfish, which has a relaxed, comfortable vibe with rock music playing on the speakers. The Goldfish Martini is the signature drink here, featuring gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, absinthe, cassis, and an edible gold leaf garnish. They also make an excellent Mai Tai with rum, Curaçao, orgeat, house-made falernum, absinthe, and lime. This was exceptionally balanced and very easy to drink – one of the best Mai Tais we’ve had.

Luovuus Kukkii Kaaoksesta

http://Luovuus%20Kukkii%20Kaaoksesta
Pieni Roobertinkatu 13, Helsinki, Finland

Probably the craziest restaurant in Helsinki is Luovuus Kukkii Kaaoksesta, affectionately dubbed “LKK” by locals. The name means “creativity blossoms from chaos,” and that’s exactly what you can expect to find in this wild restaurant space. Creative dishes are served to the beat of a funky playlist in a dining room with bright wall murals, neon signs, and knicknacks, all of which have their own story. The menu consists of small dishes such as milk bread topped with mussels and a bell pepper sauce, a layered potato with horseradish and pil pil sauce, and beef sirloin with oyster mushrooms and a choron sauce. The kitchen closes at midnight, so this is a great option for a late night bite.

Chihuahua Julep

http://Chihuahua%20Julep
Erottajankatu 9, Helsinki, Finland

There are no phones, cameras, or electronics allowed at Chihuahua Julep, but that shouldn’t deter you from visiting this world-class cocktail bar. At first the rules felt restrictive, but we grew to appreciate the opportunity to be fully present and not glued to a screen. Chihuahua Julep has a stylish interior design akin to a fancy French living room, with velvet couches and bartenders in formal attire. It was here we sipped the best cocktails of the trip – our favorite was the “Dixie Land,” with rose quince liqueur, rum, and mandarin juice. We also loved the “Oolong Daiquiri,” with rum, sake, oolong tea, and lime. All of the drinks were perfectly balanced, and incredibly creative. A nightcap here is highly encouraged! (Note: they don’t accept contactless phone payments, so bring a physical credit card or cash.)

Boulevard Bar & Seafood

http://Boulevard
Bulevardi 6, Helsinki, Finland

If you’re a seafood lover, look no further than Boulevard, a fish-focused French bistro. The kitchen is run by Sylvester Soisalo, who was previously the chef de cuisine at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Palace. Here the dishes are just as tasty as ones you’d find in a fine dining restaurant, but served in a more casual, laidback setting. So kick back and relax in one of the gorgeous navy blue velvet booths with a glass of Champagne, or maybe a Ginza highball. Don’t miss the uber fresh lobster cocktail – with citrus fruits, avocado, and vanilla, this is the best version of this dish we’ve ever had. Equally noteworthy is the turbot en croute, a masterpiece wrapped in puff pastry, with mushrooms, cabbage, and a champagne butter sauce.

Savoy

http://Savoy
Eteläesplanadi 14, Helsinki, Finland

Savoy has been a staple in Helsinki since it opened in 1937. The historic dining room, originally designed by Finnish architects Aino and Alvar Aalto, has been host to many an important gathering for both artists and politicians alike. In 2019, the restaurant was renovated and chef Helena Puolakka took over the kitchen, where she crafts “Finnish-French food, with a slight Russian touch.” There are both à la carte and set menus available. The eighth floor dining room extends onto a covered terrace, which offers unparalleled views of the esplanade and the Helsinki skyline.

Café Savoy

http://Café%20Savoy
Eteläesplanadi 14, Helsinki, Finland

The latest opening from the Savoy team is the casual restaurant Café Savoy, located on the ground floor of the same building, directly off the esplanade. The bistro is inspired by the south of France, with dishes like a classic Niçoise salad, “pissaladiere” (caramelized onion tart), and lemon risotto on the prix fixe menu. The modern yet timeless dining room is flooded with natural light, and the sunny yellow booths recall bright summer days even in the heart of winter.

Bistro Bardot

http://Bistro%20Bardot
Kluuvikatu 1, Helsinki, Finland

Bistro Bardot is a modern French bistro and brasserie from chefs Hans Välimäki and Arto Rastas. The decadent snacks here are worth a visit on their own, especially the “Croque Monsieur,” made with butter-soaked brioche, bellota ham, truffle, parmesan, and Mornay sauce. The “Gougères à la Truffe et Comté” (profiteroles filled with Comté cheese and truffle) are equally delightful – light, eggy, and oozing with cheese. For the mains, we recommend the “Gnocchis à la Alsacienne” – lemon gnocchi fried in rosemary butter, served with roasted Jerusalem artichoke, mushrooms, sage, truffle, and parmesan, as well as the “Entrecôte à la 'Bordelaise'” with caramelized shallots, maître d'hôtel butter, red wine sauce, and smoked bone marrow. If it’s on the menu, be sure to order the “Tarte Tatin” which has a buttery pastry crust, vanilla ice cream, and sticky caramel drizzled on top.

Hotel F6

http://Hotel%20F6
Fabianinkatu 6, Helsinki, Finland

Just steps off the esplanade is Hotel F6, a charming and trendy boutique hotel with lots of personality. Inside the beautiful courtyard, you’ll find bikes which are free for guests to borrow. Breakfast is included for all guests, and includes Finnish delicacies like Karelian pies and slow-cooked porridge. We loved the cute design, the comfortable beds, the bath amenities from Rituals, and the spacious fitness center, which is open 24/7. Hotel F6 is also home to craft cocktail bar Runar.

Bar Runar

http://Bar%20Runar
Fabianinkatu 6, Helsinki, Finland

Located inside Hotel F6 is cocktail bar Runar – but this is not your average hotel bar. Runar is worth a visit even if you’re not a hotel guest. The cocktails here are very creative – we tried a carbonated one with blueberry, lemongrass, gin, and vermouth, and their variation on a mojito, with blood orange, rum, mint, and sparkling wine. Of course, they can make classics as well, and they have a nice selection of Finnish gin if you’re looking to sip something local.

Palace

http://Palace
Eteläranta 10, Helsinki, Finland

Opened in 1952, Palace has a long-standing reputation as Helsinki’s top restaurant. It was the first Finnish restaurant to receive a Michelin star in 1987, and holds two stars today. The menu is Nordic, using local ingredients as much as possible, with some inspiration from Japan and France. The seafood dishes were the standouts of our meal, especially the Norwegian langoustine with yellow kosho, and the scallops with chili butter and XO sauce. If you’re looking for the full package fine dining experience for a special occasion, this place is sure to wow. We can see why this restaurant has become an institution in the Helsinki fine dining scene!

Wellamo

http://Wellamo
Laivastokatu 18, Helsinki, Finland

With dried flowers hanging from the ceiling and candles illuminating the tables, Wellamo welcomes guests inside the homiest restaurant in Helsinki. The restaurant is run by Dani Hänninen (a former head chef at Grön) and offers a four- or six-course tasting menu at an accessible price point. Hänninen’s fine dining background is evident, but both the food and the setting are relaxed and comfortable. Wellamo uses 99% Finnish ingredients and is a zero-waste restaurant, with no plastic or single-use products in the kitchen. We love the philosophy here, and it’s well executed, with incredibly creative and delicious food. We’d be regulars here if we lived in Helsinki – it’s a neighborhood gem in Katajanokka.

Kuurna

http://Kuurna
Meritullinkatu 6, Helsinki, Finland

Kuurna is an industry favorite – and not only because they’re one of the few restaurants open on Mondays. This cozy eatery serves a two- or three-course menu, but no matter which one you pick, the pepper steak is the must-order dish here. We also enjoyed a daily special of pierogi-style pork dumplings, served in chicken broth, with cabbage, fried mushrooms, and spring onions.

Café Clé

http://Café%20Clé
Mariankatu 21, Helsinki, Finland

Café Clé is a cozy coffee shop serving espresso-based drinks and filter coffee. They have a small menu with breakfast and lunch items, including pastries, avocado toast, and a breakfast plate with bread, ham, eggs, and cheese. We loved the cheesy croque monsieur, and the affogato which is served like an ice cream sundae with a waffle cone and a cherry on top.

Kahvila Rakastan

http://Kahvila%20Rakastan
Mannerheimintie 13b, Helsinki, Finland

Trying a Karelian pie is a must when in Finland, and we got ours at Kahvila Rakastan, a charming plant-based café in a courtyard next to the National Museum. The family-run, female-operated shop specializes in these traditional pies, selling variations of their Grandma’s classic recipe, though they’ve adapted it to modern times and made it vegan. The pies come with different toppings – we tried the potato and barley pie, where a rye crust is filled with mashed potato and topped with (eggless) egg butter. It was buttery and warm, fresh from the oven, and tasted like an egg salad sando and potato salad hybrid.

Teller

http://Teller
Fredrikinkatu 71, Helsinki, Finland

Teller is a modern bistro serving classic French dishes as well as food inspired by restaurants from around the world. We were happy to spot a dish from one of our favorite New York restaurants on the menu – being able to enjoy Estela’s famous endive salad in Helsinki was a real treat! We also loved Teller’s version of Grön’s signature bread serving, brioche glazed with syrup and topped with fennel flowers. Sticky, sweet, and sinful. Other classic dishes we enjoyed included seared scallops in beurre blanc, mushroom agnolotti, chicken piccata, and steak with pepper sauce.

Levain

http://Levain
Korkeavuorenkatu 21, Helsinki, Finland

Levain is a high-quality bakery chain and eatery, with a handful of cafés in Helsinki. They have a case full of delectable pastries, donuts, and pasteis de nata (Portuguese egg custard tarts). Our favorite was the Danish pastry with fresh rhubarb and cream. In addition to sweet treats, they have a full menu of brunch dishes, sandwiches, and salads for those looking for something a bit more substantial.

Rolling Cheese

http://Rolling%20Cheese
Museokatu 22, Helsinki, Finland

With only one small communal table, Rolling Cheese is more of a cheese shop than a restaurant, but they put their expansive cheese selection to good use in their rotating grilled cheese menu. Past sandwich selections have included the “Kimchi” (with ​​Cantal Jeune hard cheese, Reblochon Fermier soft cheese, and spicy Korean-style kimchi), “Le Normandie” (with Pont L'eveque soft cheese, Salami Lovison, sun-dried tomatoes, and fig chutney), and “Le Chartreux Part Deux (with French alpine cheese, Taleggio, spicy pepper tapenade, and sun-dried tomatoes). Of course, they also serve cheese and charcuterie boards, and wine by the glass.

Elite

http://Elite
Eteläinen Hesperiankatu 22, Helsinki, Finland

This old-school restaurant has been open since 1932, and still serves traditional Finnish dishes today. Elite is an artist hotspot, and has attracted actors, musicians, writers, and dancers for almost a century. The food is more of a trip down memory lane, but if it’s classics you’re after, you’re in the right place. We enjoyed the salmon soup with toasted rye bread, the vorschmack (minced meat and fish), the pan-fried Baltic herrings, and the sirloin steak with creamed onions and potatoes. Wash it all down with a "long drink" – a Finnish classic made with gin and grapefruit.

305

http://305
Toinen linja 3, Helsinki, Finland

Chef/owner Janne Keskevaari worked at Grön for six years before opening his own spot. 305 serves seasonal, natural, and tasty food made with ingredients from local producers. Two highlight dishes were the sweet corn porridge with pickled daikon, chanterelles, shiso, and crispy kombu, and the dry-aged beef tartare with white miso, jalapeño, gochujang, crispy noodles, and onion powder. We also loved the dessert – a blueberry tosca with almond crisps, lavender ice cream, and caramel. Every dish was absolutely bursting with flavor. 305 also serves lots of our favorite natural wine producers, as well as cocktails made by The Firm. With exceptional service, great music playing, cozy candlelit vibe, and banging food, 305 has all the ingredients for a perfect night out in Helsinki. We can't recommend 305 any higher – it’s one of our favorite restaurants in the city.

HogoHuone

http://HogoHuone
Viides linja 7, Helsinki, Finland

HogoHuone is an intimate rum bar in Kallio. The vibe, fittingly, feels a bit like a pirate ship, with antique wooden furniture and funky, colorful lights. Our favorite drink here was the Waqi Daqi, their version of a daiquiri made with a couple of types of rum, falernum, orgeat, and lime. The Harvey Walnutter, with gin, Galliano Vanilla, passion fruit, orgeat, orange, lemon, and black walnut bitters, was also interesting.

Way Bakery

http://Way%20Bakery
Agricolankatu 9, Helsinki, Finland

A perfect day for us in Helsinki would start at Way Bakery, sitting outside in the sun with a table full of treats and coffee. Way serves our favorite baked goods in town – we feasted on lemon sugar donuts (sprinkled with salt and pepper for a savory kick), canelés, cookies, and all kinds of cakes. In the afternoon, they also serve delicious pasta and natural wine. Our favorite was the rigatoni with pumpkin and spicy sausage, but the gnocchi with gorgonzola and walnuts was also really tasty.

Maukku

http://Maukku
Hämeentie 26, Helsinki, Finland

With music playing on a cassette player and a cellar stocked with natural wines, Maukku (the sister restaurant to Way Bakery), fits right into the hip Kallio neighborhood. The menu and vibe channel the spirit of modern French bistros, featuring lots of veggie-forward, creative small plates. One standout is their twist on the classic oeuf mayonnaise, enhanced with a punchy kick of gochujang (Korean chili paste). Another highlight is their local take on a Maine lobster roll, where a butter-toasted bun is filled with fresh, creamy Finnish crayfish, served alongside highly addictive house-made potato chips and an ice-cold rice lager.

Blondie

http://Blondie
Vaasankatu 8, Helsinki, Finland

Blondie is the best of all worlds when it comes to pizza, offering big New York-style slices with a crispy, crunchy dough inspired by crusty French country bread. There’s a variety of exciting toppings made with the best ingredients from Finland and Italy. One of our favorite slices was the signature “Blondie,” topped with mozzarella, provolone, Calabrian chili, garlic, Aleppo pepper, and Grana Padano. We added a drizzle of hot honey for a sweet and spicy kick. We also loved the “Rosso,” with tomato, garlic, oregano, and sourdough breadcrumbs. This slice comes without cheese, but we added creamy stracciatella on top, which we highly recommend. Another highlight was the seasonal white pizza with kale, chanterelles, and béchamel. Don’t forget to get some Parmesan mayo on the side for crust dipping!

The Firm

http://The%20Firm
Pääskylänrinne 2, Helsinki, Finland

Some of the best cocktails we had in Helsinki came from The Firm, the cocktail bar and little sister of The Bull and the Firm restaurant. Don’t be fooled by the motorbikes parked outside or the Finnish rap music blaring inside – this is a top level craft cocktail bar. One of our favorite drinks combined coconut, pandan, rum, and umeshu (salted plum), while another mixed passion fruit, shiso, and gin. All of the drinks were tart and fresh (just how we like them!) and utilized unique ingredients to craft winning flavor combinations. In addition to cocktails, they also serve natural wines and some snacks.

Sörkan Rinkula

http://Sörkan%20Rinkula
Vilhonvuorenkatu 10, Helsinki, Finland

Although we are frequently disappointed by bagels outside of New York, we were pleasantly surprised by the soft and squishy bagels at Sörkan Rinkula. You can get a plain bagel with cream cheese here, but we were more impressed by their bagel sandwiches. Our favorite is the Kinkku Melt, a ham and cheese melt on a poppy seed bagel, with local ham, mayo, yellow mustard, tomato, cheddar, and oregano. This hit the spot on a Sunday morning!