The Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Helsinki

Had a brilliant meal here, one of my highlights in Helsinki. An up-and-down, back-and-forth, left-to-right, twisty-turny exploration across Finland’s picked and pulled, all the uprooted goodies from the soil, forming an almost exclusively plant-led tasting menu (they have two stars, one Michelin red, and another of the green and eco variety). Every dish was colourful and vivid, dotted with small leaves, flowers, micro-herbs and, on occasion, caviar, for a sense of inflated luxe. The small, stark and industrial restaurant space is warm and full of contented chatter from guests, each deliberating and discussing recipes and the dishes before them. The kitchen is open, so you can peek in while a young team meticulously fiddle and plate - it really did appear to be a very young and talented team, making the kitchen output all the more impressive.

Established in 1952, Palace has always been a pioneer of Finnish gastronomy. Located by the waters edge, there are magical views over Helsinki harbour and across the Baltic Sea. A meal here is a luxury experience, from the kitchen to the front of house in what is Finland’s only two-star restaurant.

Small and cosey Helsinki restaurant with a tight-knit menu, usually a main course centred around fish and the catch of the day. Chefs are Ilpo Vainonen and Eeli Kaasinen. Set course suggested with extras and cheese available. Plus lots of Nordic berries. Excellent wine list, complied by the sommelier Johan Borgar, with good natural wines and a very affordable and competitively priced champagne list.

Sophisticated, high-end dining option executing both French and Finnish cuisine in an iconic locale featuring city views overlooking the Esplanade Park. One of Helsinki’s legendary dining destinations. The wine matches are first class. Chef-patron Helena Puolakka, whose contemporary take on Finnish cuisine was refined during a high-profile career in in London, has lifted the menu offering here to something greater. Expect vorschmack with oven-baked potato, beetroot, pickles and sour cream, while Arctic char, venison, pike and elk are never far away. The highlight is a visit during crayfish season.

Beatiful Classical fine diningOne of my must visit places when visiting Finland. Delicious food, classic wines and warm service. The owners are always there which makes it feel like going back home every time.

A Helsinki Michelin-star-classic with an understated bohemian contemporary cool ambiance. (Only) tasting menus with a creative modern French tone. Excellent wine list and pairing choices.

Seasonal food from the best local ingredients.At Restaurant Nokka, you are guaranteed to get the highest quality of seasonal ingredients on your plate. Super skilled Chef Ari Ruoho has many years of kitchen experience and it's no wonder that Nokka has stayed in the same location with the same concept for so long. The location and interior is warm and welcoming, the service is professional and gentle. The food is prepared carefully of Finnish local ingredients. Simple and pure flavours. The wines are great, too.

Fresh take on Nordic cooking in an exceptionally cozy setting.Wellamo is a legendary artist restaurant in a quiet corner of Katajanokka area in Helsinki, founded already in 1975. A few years ago, it was taken over by chef Dani Hänninen and the team behind the small cult restaurant Bull & The Firm. The result is a superb combination of the traditional and the fresh. The space is as hygge as it gets, one of the most romantic in the city. The cuisine follows the seasons and is based solely on Nordic ingredients, sourced from small producers. The dishes have a nice balance between comfort and innovation (grilled carrots with frozen sour cream, tartar with fermented rhubarb, canard with asparagus, grilled strawberries, black pepper, and milk). The wine list is well curated for both traditionalists and natural wine lovers. It is difficult to see someone not liking this gem.

A modern Scandinavian seafood restaurant where every dish is an ode to ingredients, especially during the crayfish season when they are piled high and often. The menu consists of fresh and organic seafood, with all dishes prepared in accordance with classical cooking methods. The passion and experience of the two chef-owners is evident in all areas of this likeable restaurant, and the quality of the fish and shellfish really comes through, thanks to the classic techniques used.