| Chez Dominique |
$$$$$ | French |
Pride of Helsinki's very worthy cuisine scene is the Michelin
starred restaurant, Chez Dominique, imbued with elegance through
and through, from the inventive signature dishes to the minimalist
décor. The ever-changing menu blends traditional
Scandinavian with French gourmet touches to produce items like
pigeon stuffed with foie gras or roasted lamb from the Pyrenees.
The beautifully prepared dishes are prepared under the direction of
top Finnish chef, Hans Välimäki. Open for dinner Monday
to Saturday, and lunch Tuesday to Friday.
Address: Rikhardinkatu 4
E-mail: info@chezdominique.fi
Telephone: (0)9 612 7393
For many years Sundmans has set the standard for Helsinki fine
dining and can be consistently relied on for high-class cuisine, a
beautiful setting and elegant atmosphere, top class service and the
best desserts in Finland. The landmark restaurant is housed in five
rooms in a 19th-century empire house designed by Finnish architect
Carl Ludwig Engel, offering a view across the Market Square. Only
the finest ingredients are used to create the dishes on the menu,
which are modernised Finnish. Another plus for this restaurant is
its extensive wine cellar, the selection housed in a magnificent
vaulted chamber, which can be hired for private functions. Open for
dinner Monday to Friday. The wine cellar is open Monday to Friday
from 11.30am and Saturday from 6pm. Closed Sundays. Reservations
are essential.
Address: Eteläranta 16
E-mail: myyntipalvelu@royalravintolat.com
Telephone: (0)9 622 6410
Helsinki is renowned for its Russian restaurants, and probably
the best of the bunch is Bellevue, which is reputedly the oldest
Russian restaurant outside of Russia. It also claims to produce
Russian favourites that are better than you will taste in the home
country, and gourmets tend to agree. Characteristics of Russian
cooking are soups, black bread, pastries, caviar and fish dishes.
Bellevue's menu contains all these, for example a set menu
featuring beetroot soup, Chicken Kiev and Baked Alaska, or try post
roast bear steak or roast fillet of reindeer off the à la
carte menu. The ambience is pleasant, the décor
unpretentious but classy, and the service friendly and efficient.
Open Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner, and Saturday for dinner
only.
Address: Rahapajankatu 3
E-mail: info@restaurantbellevue.com
Telephone: (0)9 179 560
For a taste of traditional Lapland in the heart of Helsinki,
Lappi should be a definite dining experience on any visitor's
itinerary. Finnish dishes, including reindeer of course, are served
up on the rustic wooden tables in a warm, friendly 'log cabin'
atmosphere. If you want to just pop in for a drink the attached
Kelonkolo bar will give a sample of the ambience to be enjoyed in
the restaurant itself, where specialities include dishes like
reindeer tongue and liver, grilled breast of snow grouse, or
grilled fillet of elk with turnip and red wine sauce. Reservations
are essential at Lappi, so popular with tourists that its menu is
printed in eleven languages. The restaurant opens daily for lunch
and dinner.
Address: Annankatu 22
Telephone: (0)9 645 550
| Kynsilaukka Garlic Restaurant |
$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic |
If a pervasive scent of garlic tickles your taste buds,
Kynsilaukka Restaurant in Helsinki is a must, particularly in a
country where this renowned root is a rarity in local cuisine. The
atmosphere is intimate, and the quality of the fascinating dishes
excellent. The menu includes items like hot goat's cheese as a
starter, loaf of salmon, lamb stew or noisettes of pork as a main,
all imbued with garlic. Side items like garlic jam and garlic beer
spice up the experience. Snails sizzling in garlic sauce are, of
course, a hot favourite. The restaurant opens at 11am on weekdays
and 1pm on weekends.
Address: Fredrikinkatu 22
E-mail: jan.berg@kolumbus.fi
Telephone: (0)9 651 939
| Papa Giovanni |
$$$$$ | Italian |
The far north has not been left out of the worldwide penchant
for Italian cooking, and Helsinki boasts its fair share of Italian
restaurants, from fast-food pizzerias to top-notch gourmet
establishments. Papa Giovanni's in the city's World Trade Centre is
rated one of the latter. This is not a spot for the ubiquitous
pizza, but the small, quality menu does offer several meat and fish
dishes, and various pastas, at a comparatively reasonable price.
The restaurant is very proud of its lobster pool from which diners
can pick out their chosen lobster for immediate preparation. A
handy touch is that each item on the menu is listed with a
recommended wine. The restaurant opens Monday to Saturday until
late, and for lunch on weekdays.
Address: World Trade Centre, Keskuskatu 7
E-mail: myynti@papagiovanni.fi
Telephone: (0)10 766 4080
Extremely popular because of its casual ambience, vast menu,
reasonable prices and child-friendly attitude, Omenapuu has earned
a well-deserved reputation in Helsinki for offering value for
money. This family restaurant has a play area for children, but
this does not impact on the comfortable brasserie style
décor or the pleasant dining conditions. The menu offers
something for everyone and spans the entire gamut of international
cuisine. Some examples are burgers; reindeer fillet; fish dishes;
and an array of pizzas. A good value Sunday set brunch, with live
jazz music, is offered during autumn and winter. Open Monday to
Friday from 11am and Saturday 12pm.
Address: Keskuskatu 6
E-mail: omenapuu@center-inn.fi
Telephone: (0)9 856 856 40
The décor, clientele and menu at Nuevo Restaurant and bar
are upmarket and trendy, but fortunately the prices, along with the
setting in an alleyway off Helsinki's Market Square, remain more
historic. This restaurant is particularly attractive in summertime
when diners can sit on the sidewalk terrace with a view of the
harbour. Inside, stainless steel and glassware gleams as guests
enjoy a varied menu and affordable wine list. Fish dishes are the
favourite here, but the menu includes some eclectic meaty offerings
like almond roasted lamb, or beef fillet. Open daily for lunch and
dinner (from 2pm on Sundays).
Address: Sofiankatu 4
E-mail: myyntipalvelu@royalravintolat.com
Telephone: (0)9 677 101
Intrepid Travel is one of the world's leading suppliers of small
group adventures focused on getting off the beaten track and having
real life experiences in Finland.