World of Mouth provides those passionate about food with a dynamic restaurant guide without the fluff, compiled by some of the world's leading names in food and drink.
Born out of a passion for connecting people with great places to eat and drink globally, in every category and at every price point, World of Mouth has brought together a group of seasoned and meticulous experts to curate the world's most reliable restaurant guide.
From the best place to grab a slice of pizza to a tip off on the latest must-visit new opening by a wunderkind chef, World of Mouth has it all. We focus on places you would recommend to a good friend.
This guide has been curated in collaboration with the World of Mouth, an independent restaurant guide powered by a global community of experts, including some of the world’s best chefs and food writers. Discover recommendations by some of Helsinki’s most knowledgeable experts, who share their local favorites, classic institutions, and hidden gems. Culinary Helsinki offers a colorful smorgasbord of street food, Nordic and Asian flavors, fine dining, wine bars, coffee shops, bakeries, and bistros. Thanks to its compact size, Helsinki is easy to explore, and there is always an inspiring food destination around the corner.
Helsinki is a fairly small seaside city surrounded by water in many parts of town. Most restaurants in town are located in the central and southern districts, but also the northern district of Kallio has an active restaurant scene. Much of the eating is within a walking distance of 20 minutes from the city centre, but for greater mobility take the tram, metro, city bikes or electric scooters. The old Helsinki can still be experienced in the districts of Katajannokka, Kruununhaka, Ullanlinna and Töölö with plenty of old residential blocks, beautiful architecture, local street side shops, cafés and restaurants and a village-like atmosphere. To meet the creative and younger crowd, go for the Kallio or Punavuori districts that are full of small boutiques, design shops and galleries as well as cozy cafés, bars and restaurants. In the summer, the small islands dotting the sea are accessible by ferries from the mainland - many of them offering nice restaurants. In the wintertime, when conditions are good, follow the footsteps in the snow of locals for some island hopping on the ice of the frozen Gulf of Finland and enjoy a mug of hot chocolate or mulled wine in the crisp cold.
Here’s a list of a must eat dishes and drinks and where to try them.
Try it at Kosmos or Savoy
Try it at Ekberg, Rams Roasters or St George Bakery
Try it at Konditoria Hopia
Try it at Savoy, Kosmos or Sea Horse
Try it at Seahorse
Try it at Eromanga Café or at the Central Market Square
Try it at in most bars and restaurants on tap, in cans or bottles
Helsinki has three old food market halls: The centrally located Old Market Hall (Vanha Kauppahalli), the Hakaniemi Market Hall in Hakaniemi and the Hietalahti Market Hall. The first two of these have both fresh food merchants and cafés and restaurants and they also have open-air markets selling produce like vegetables and fruit. Hietalahti Market Hall is a food court with many restaurant options within the building.
Kalevankatu 17
Pursimiehenkatu 29
Eerikinkatu 20
Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 6
Pieni Roobertinkatu 13
Toinen linja 3
Eteläesplanadi 22
Puistokatu 4
Agricolankatu 9
Fleminginkatu 11
Kalevankatu 3
Laivastokatu 18
Katajanokanlaituri 1
Meritullinkatu 6
Vironkatu 8
Vironkatu 11
Mariankatu 21
Tehtaankatu 27-29 (sisäpiha)
Uudenmaankatu 9-11
Iso Roobertinkatu 1
Fredrikinkatu 22
Lönnrotinkatu 14
Telakkakadun kulma, Tehtaankatu 27-29
Bulevardi 6
Eteläesplanadi 14
Bulevardi 9
Yrjönkatu 13
Eteläesplanadi 14
Pursimiehenkatu 21
Bulevardi 32
Kankurinkatu 6
Eteläranta 10
Pursimiehenkatu 5
Pursimiehenkatu 12
Pohjoinen Hesperiankatu 9
Cygnaeuksenkatu 6
Fredrikinkatu 71
Kapteeninkatu 11
Neitsytpolku 10
Korkeavuorenkatu 21
Suvannontie 18
Toni Toivanen is a chef with an exceptionally long working experience at Noma in Copenhagen. Before Noma, Toivanen was a sous chef at chef Hans Välimäki's two star restaurant Chez Dominique in Helsinki.
01 Ravintola Palace
02 Eromanga Oy
03 Ravintola Vinkkeli
Kenneth Nars is a food writer and creative director & co-founder of World of Mouth. Nars lives and works in Helsinki, he's the Nordic and Baltic Academy chair of The 50 Best Restaurants and has a track record as a food writer involved in several magazines, cookbooks and international TV-productions.
01 Restaurant Bona Fide
02 Ravintola Palace
03 Kosmos
04 Way Bakery
05 Restaurant Savoy
Helena Puolakka is the Chef Patron of Savoy, an iconic Helsinki restaurant opened in 1937. Puolakka is one of the most recognized Finnish chefs, leading Savoy with a vision of balancing the rich history of the restaurant with the present. Before returning to Finland in 2019, Puolakka worked abroad for over 20 years, including three Michelin star restaurants: as Chef de Cuisine in Pierre Koffmann’s La Tante Claire in London and with Pierre Gagnaire in Hotel Balzac in Paris.
01 Ravintola Nolla
02 Way Bakery
03 Boulevard Bar & Seafood
04 Ateljé Finne
05 Restaurant Sea Horse
Ina Niiniketo is a Finnish chef and cookbook author. Working as a chef since the age of 16, Niiniketo graduated from Culinary College in 2011. With a background ranging from bistros to Michelin-starred establishments, Ina is passionate about intense flavours and using the best possible ingredients in season. Her unique dishes stem from a love of timeless Parisian elegance and Japanese and Nordic minimalism.
After working in Michelin-starred restaurants in Helsinki, she moved to Stockholm at the age of 22, eager to expand her knowledge. Most recently, she worked as head chef at Mathias Dahlgren's French Bistro at the Sparrow Hotel in Stockholm.
In September 2021, she moved back home to Helsinki and is currently the owner and chef of the lunch bistro Canvas Canteen together with her husband Roni Kerttula.
01 Café Clé
02 Palace
03 Restaurant Elm
04 Luovuus Kukkii Kaaoksesta
05 Restaurant Kuurna
Kalevankatu 17
Pursimiehenkatu 29
Eerikinkatu 20
Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 6
Pieni Roobertinkatu 13
Toinen linja 3
Eteläesplanadi 22
Puistokatu 4
Agricolankatu 9
Fleminginkatu 11
Kalevankatu 3
Laivastokatu 18
Katajanokanlaituri 1
Meritullinkatu 6
Vironkatu 8
Vironkatu 11
Mariankatu 21
Tehtaankatu 27-29 (sisäpiha)
Uudenmaankatu 9-11
Iso Roobertinkatu 1
Fredrikinkatu 22
Lönnrotinkatu 14
Telakkakadun kulma, Tehtaankatu 27-29
Bulevardi 6
Eteläesplanadi 14
Bulevardi 9
Yrjönkatu 13
Eteläesplanadi 14
Pursimiehenkatu 21
Bulevardi 32
Kankurinkatu 6
Eteläranta 10
Pursimiehenkatu 5
Pursimiehenkatu 12
Pohjoinen Hesperiankatu 9
Cygnaeuksenkatu 6
Fredrikinkatu 71
Kapteeninkatu 11
Neitsytpolku 10