Helsinki Restaurant Round-Up: A Local's Perspective

Pizzeria Via Tribunali

Hands down the best pizza in Helsinki, this traditional Neapolitan pizzeria will leave you wanting another slice.. Pro tip: they don't take reservations, but due to their increasing demand they've also scaled and now own multiple locations around Helsinki.

Farang

Farang is a special-occasion restaurant headed up by award-winning Finnish chef Tomi Björck. Although Tomi owns a handful of restaurants in Finland, Sweden & Australia, this one is a favorite of mine for its nod to South-East Asian flavors. Refined and consistent, their food and cocktails pack a flavor-punch, but definitely don’t leave your wallet at home!

Vinkkeli

An upscale restaurant serving a modern take on traditional Nordic cuisine, this restaurant’s wine list is reason enough to go. Vinkkeli strives to provide high-quality ingredients and incorporates seasonality into their menu. Highly recommend treating yourself to the wine pairing to go with the tasting menu, as it’s sure not to disappoint.

Madonna

Madonna serves incredible Italian food at a better price-point than some other similar offerings around Helsinki. From their pizzas to their gnocchi al tartufo, it’s all **chef’s kiss**. When the weather is nice, opt to sit outside on their patio with a limoncello spritz and people-watch in the captivating neighborhood of Kallio.

Lie Mi

Lie Mi is an amazing Vietnamese restaurant at a great price point. For lunch or dinner, and with multiple locations around Helsinki, this was a place I visited frequently. While the pho is wonderful, their visiting menu offers some of their most popular dishes. Get the Shanghai tacos and thank me later.

Bull & The Firm

A cute and welcoming place to go on a date or with your besties, this Finnish cuisine restaurant serves up a great tasting menu with an eclectic array of natural wines. The beef tartar, a staple on their menu, is the best in Helsinki. Always opt to add the risotto to your tasting menu. It never fails either.

B-Smokery

Growing up in the South, I never expected this bbq joint to taste like home, but it does a pretty good job of standing up to my favorites! Opening up to an outdoor patio and large seating area, this place is a great go-to in the summer with a group. If you like bourbon, there's a bar across the restaurant called B-Side Bar. It has one of the biggest and most unique collections of Kentucky bourbon in Helsinki.

Löyly

The word löyly in Finnish means the act of pouring water on the sauna stove. This may give you a hint that this bar and restaurant also operates as a sauna. Go for brunch on the weekends or dinner, reserve a sauna time, and relax with an award-winning Kyrö gin & tonic in your hand on their large patio. This is what Helsinki's summer dreams are made of.

Goldfish

This upscale bar also happens to be owned by Finnish restaurateur Tomi Björck. Serving high-quality cocktails in a cozy, sophisticated lounge, warm yourself up on a cold winter night with their old fashioned.

Liberty or Death

Although a tough bar to get into, offers an extensive cocktail list with quality service to back it up. Innovating on the familiar cocktails you know and love is their specialty.