Finland, a Nordic country surrounded by forests and lakes, has a food culture as unique and charming as its natural scenery. Finnish cuisine is deeply influenced by the rich local natural resources and is famous for its fresh ingredients, simple cooking methods and respect for natural flavors. The cuisine here often combines berries and wild mushrooms in the forest, fresh fish from lakes and oceans, and grains and vegetables in the fields. Every dish is like a tribute to nature.
Finnish cuisine is not only a taste enjoyment, but also an expression of culture. In the fusion of tradition and modernity, Finnish restaurants are constantly innovating and bringing diners a unique dining experience. Next, let us walk into the five best restaurants in Finland, explore their unique charm, and taste the essence of Finnish cuisine.
1.Restaurant Palace
Restaurant Palace is located in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Since the 1952 Olympic Games, it has become one of the landmarks of the city, carrying the historical and cultural memory of Finland. Its unique architectural style is often regarded as a business card of the Finnish design industry, highlighting Finland’s unique design aesthetics. In 1987, Restaurant Palace was awarded Finland’s first Michelin star, which was not only a high recognition of its food quality, but also an important milestone in the history of Finnish cuisine and a trendsetter in Finnish cuisine. In 2022, on the occasion of the restaurant’s 70th anniversary, it was successfully promoted to a two-star Michelin restaurant, once again proving its outstanding position in the Finnish and global food industry.
Restaurant Palace, led by chef Eero Vottonen, is committed to creating an innovative and exquisite Nordic dining experience for diners. The restaurant offers a tasting menu of more than ten dishes, each of which is carefully designed to cleverly combine traditional Nordic ingredients with modern cooking techniques, showing Finland’s rich natural resources and unique food culture.
Here, dining is not just about tasting food, but also a feast for the eyes and taste. The chef will complete the last step of the cooking at the table. This unique service method allows diners to experience the food production process up close, which increases the interactivity and fun of dining. For example, a dish of raw shrimp, tomatoes and roasted Mexican peppers, served with special caviar, sweet peas and organic eggs, impressed the Michelin inspectors with its unique combination of ingredients and exquisite cooking skills.
In addition, the restaurant’s environment is elegant and refined, and the service is thoughtful and meticulous. From the moment you step into the restaurant, diners can feel an unparalleled noble experience. Whether it is the restaurant’s decoration style or the choice of tableware, it reflects Finland’s design concept and pursuit of quality, creating a comfortable and cozy dining environment for diners.
2.Baskeri & Basso Bistro
Baskeri & Basso Bistro stands out in the Finnish food industry for its excellent service and pleasant environment, and won the honors of the best service restaurant and the best environment restaurant in 2022. When you enter this restaurant, the first thing that catches your eye is its carefully created comfortable environment. The interior decoration style is simple but elegant, cleverly combining modern and Nordic traditional elements to create a warm and cozy dining atmosphere. The layout of the restaurant is reasonable, and the seats are spacious and comfortable. Whether it is a small gathering with friends or a dinner with family, people can feel at home.
In terms of service, the staff of Baskeri & Basso Bistro are warm and thoughtful, and have extremely high professional quality. They care about every customer, from the warm welcome at the door, to the attentive service during the meal, to the sincere farewell when leaving, every detail is handled just right. The waiters are not only familiar with the characteristics and ingredients of the dishes, but also can provide thoughtful suggestions according to the tastes and needs of the customers, so that people can feel the meticulous care while enjoying the food.
The food of Baskeri & Basso Bistro is also unforgettable. The restaurant offers a rich and diverse range of food, covering traditional Finnish dishes and international cuisine to meet the taste needs of different customers. The dishes here focus on the freshness and quality of the ingredients, using local fresh ingredients and combining unique cooking methods, so that every dish exudes an attractive aroma.
The signature dish “Smoked salmon with creamy mashed potatoes” is a unique smoked salmon with a delicate taste and a light smoked aroma. It is paired with delicate and dense creamy mashed potatoes, and some fresh vegetables are added as embellishments. The rich taste layers are unforgettable. There is also “Grilled venison steak with lingonberry sauce”. The venison steak is grilled to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sweet and sour taste of the lingonberry sauce cleverly neutralizes the greasy feeling of the venison, adding a unique flavor to this dish, allowing people to fully appreciate the charm of Finnish specialties.
3.Restaurant Savoy
Restaurant Savoy is located in Helsinki. Its interior was designed by the legendary Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. The unique environment brings diners a unique dining atmosphere. It was named the best classic restaurant of 2022, and this honor is well deserved. Restaurant Savoy has been committed to inheriting Finland’s classic food culture, combining traditional Finnish cooking techniques with modern dietary concepts, so that ancient food can be revitalized in modern society.
The restaurant is extremely strict in the selection of ingredients, insisting on using local fresh and seasonal ingredients, most of which come from Finland’s forests, lakes and fields, ensuring the original flavor and high quality of the dishes. In the cooking process, the chefs respect the traditional cooking methods, retain the essence of Finnish cuisine, and cleverly incorporate some innovative elements, making each dish both classic and innovative.
The restaurant’s classic dishes are rich and varied, among which “Smoked White Fish with Potato Salad” is a must-try. Fresh white fish from Finnish lakes is selected and processed through a unique smoking process. The skin of the white fish is slightly golden and exudes a strong smoky aroma. The fish is tender and juicy, melting in the mouth, and the potato salad is delicate, soft, glutinous and sweet. The two complement each other, and some special sauces are added to the whole dish. A rich sense of layering.
“Reindeer Stew” is also one of Restaurant Savoy’s signature dishes. Finland has vast forests, and reindeer grow freely on this land. The meat is tender and nutritious. This stew stews reindeer meat with vegetables such as carrots, onions, and potatoes. The slow cooking allows the aroma of reindeer meat to be fully integrated into the soup, which is rich and mellow, and full of meat aroma. The vegetables absorb the deliciousness of the meat, becoming more delicious and tasty, allowing people to taste the unique charm of traditional Finnish stews.
4.Alexanderplats Brasserie & Pub
Alexanderplats Brasserie & Pub exudes a unique charm. The restaurant’s decoration style combines Nordic simplicity and traditional elements. Wooden tables, chairs and floors, with warm-toned lighting, create a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Art paintings with Finnish characteristics are hung on the walls, showing the culture and history of Finland, allowing people to feel the strong artistic atmosphere while tasting delicious food.
The restaurant’s spatial layout is spacious and reasonable, with indoor and outdoor dining areas. The indoor seats are comfortable and the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, suitable for gatherings with friends or family dinners; the outdoor area allows diners to enjoy the surrounding scenery and feel the beauty of nature while enjoying the food. The service staff here are warm and friendly, providing customers with thoughtful service, so that every customer can spend a pleasant dining time here.
Alexanderplats Brasserie & Pub has a variety of signature dishes, among which the “Finnish Traditional Meatballs” are very popular. These meatballs are made from a mixture of fresh beef and pork, and are tender and juicy with a fragrant aroma. Paired with rich gravy and sweet and sour lingonberry sauce, plus mashed potatoes and vegetables, it constitutes a delicious and nutritious classic dish that makes people linger.
“Grilled salmon with creamy mushroom sauce” is also a signature dish of the restaurant. After the fresh salmon is grilled, the skin is golden and crispy, and the fish meat inside is tender and smooth, retaining the original flavor of the salmon. Paired with the fragrant cream mushroom sauce, the aroma of mushrooms and the richness of cream blend perfectly, adding a rich taste to the salmon. Every bite is full of the wonderful combination of ocean and land, which is deeply loved by diners.
5.Grön
Grön Restaurant is located in Finland. Its name shows its persistent pursuit of green food. It focuses on high-quality vegetable dishes and is a model of the perfect fusion of food and nature. The restaurant is based on seasonal, organic and wild ingredients to create a series of unique dishes, which are deeply loved by diners, especially vegetarians.
Grön Restaurant is extremely strict in selecting ingredients and always insists on using fresh ingredients of the season. Most of these ingredients come from local organic farms in Finland and the surrounding natural environment. The restaurant has established long-term and stable cooperative relationships with many local suppliers to ensure the freshness and quality of the ingredients. For example, in summer, the restaurant will use fresh berries such as strawberries and blueberries, as well as various tender green vegetables; in autumn, wild mushrooms, apples and other ingredients become the protagonists on the table. This use of seasonal ingredients not only ensures the taste and nutrition of the dishes, but also reflects the restaurant’s respect for nature and commitment to sustainable development.
At the same time, Grön restaurant actively promotes Scandinavian flavors and incorporates local food culture characteristics into every dish. The unique climate and geographical environment of Scandinavia have nurtured a rich variety of ingredients. Grön restaurant cleverly uses these ingredients to create food with strong regional characteristics, allowing diners to feel the cultural charm of Scandinavia while tasting the food.
Grön restaurant’s dishes are full of creativity, and each dish is like a work of art, bringing diners a unique taste experience. “Matsutake Tacos with Beans and Pickled Finnish Burgundy Truffles” combines the precious ingredients of matsutake from the forest with traditional Mexican tacos, paired with fresh beans and carefully pickled Finnish Burgundy truffles, with a rich and diverse taste. The crispness of corn tortillas, the freshness of matsutake mushrooms, the softness of beans and the unique aroma of truffles blend together to bring unexpected surprises.
“Steamed celery with vegetarian ‘white sauce’ made of leeks and shallots” is also unique. The steamed celery retains its original tender taste and fresh flavor, while the vegetarian “white sauce” made of leeks and shallots adds a rich flavor to the dish. This innovative sauce replaces the animal ingredients in traditional French white sauce, which not only conforms to the restaurant’s green concept, but also satisfies diners’ pursuit of deliciousness, allowing vegetarians to enjoy a rich and mellow taste.
Conclusion
These five restaurants have their own characteristics, from the innovative Nordic cuisine of the Michelin-starred Restaurant Palace, to the excellent service and delicious food of Baskeri & Basso Bistro, to the inheritance of classic Finnish cuisine at Restaurant Savoy, the unique style and signature food of Alexanderplats Brasserie & Pub, and the focus and creativity of Grön on green food. Together, they constitute the diverse style of Finnish cuisine. Each restaurant is not just a place to provide food, but also a vivid embodiment of Finnish food culture, showing the Finns’ respect for ingredients, passion for cooking and love for life.
If you have the opportunity to set foot on this magical land of Finland, don’t miss the opportunity to dine in these restaurants. Go and experience the unique charm of Finnish cuisine, taste the stories behind each dish, and let your taste buds bloom in the food journey of Finland.
