Restaurant & wine reviews

Restaurant review: The Glass

Restaurant The Glass was established in August 2020 when 2nd wave of Covid19 was knocking the doors. It is located on the K1 floor of Kämp Gallery with The Finnish Museum of Photography K1 exhibition space. Entrepreneurs are Jarkko Myllymäki and Ykä Raitanen. The restaurant, café and rum bar, spiced with photographic art, create a completely new kind of experience in the restaurant scene in the…

Restaurant review: Atelje Finne

Restaurant Ateljé Finne is located near Temple Square Church. It is a classic bistro-style restaurant which uses only Finnish ingredients and products. The name of the restaurant comes from the space restaurant is situated, which formerly was the studio of a famous Finnish sculptor Gunnar Finne (1886 – 1952). Since the 1960s, this place has been operating as a restaurant. Visited restaurant one…

Michelin star restaurants in Helsinki 2021 – 7 restaurants awarded with star

Michelin Guide announced new list of Michelin starred restaurants in Finland on the 13th of September in Sweden. One new restaurant got it’s first Michelin star, Finnjävel. Restaurant is owned by chef’s Tommi Tuominen and Henri Alen. As restaurant Demo is owned by Tommi Tuominen, he has two restaurants with Michelin stars. Six restaurants kept 1 Michelin star, all in Helsinki.  It seems that…

Home delivery by restaurants during Covid19 – SPIS and Jord as examples

Who was thinking about the possibility restaurants would be closed some day because of pandemic? At least not me at the beginning of year 2020.

Seeing how difficult period we are going through especially when it comes to small businesses relying on customer visits and on-site spending, it makes me think who I can help. Fine dining restaurants changing their business model from table serving to…

Restaurant Magu was established in November 2018 to Kallio neighborhood. Year after it moved to Kaartinkaupunki in Kasarmikatu. Magu serves plant-based vegan food but you do not see vegan mentioned on their web-pages. Ecological approach can be seen in the restaurant interiors. All furniture, plates, glasses, cutlery, textile and kitchen equipment has been bought second-hand.

You can order dishes…

Lebanese restaurant Farouge was originally established in 1995 in Helsinki. When building, it was located, was renovated, it closed its doors. Some time later it opened street food bar at Stockmann department store at 1st floor. New restaurant Farouge re-opened its doors in August 2018 in recently renovated Aurinkotalo.

150 seats and two dining areas make Farouge one of the biggest restaurants in…

Restaurant review: Lucy in the Sky

Restaurant Lucy in the Sky sits on top of Accountor Tower, the historical landmark building towering over the area of Keilaniemi in Espoo. Restaurant was opened in January 2020 by same owners as Pastor, which was closed few months earlier.

Lucy’sglass walls provide views to all directions showcasing the best of the Helsinki-Espoo region. Lucy serves lunch, dinner and brunch to both the tenants of…

Restaurant review: SPIS – hidden gem in Kasarmikatu

Restaurant SPIS is small 18-seat Nordic restaurant in Kasarminkatu, Helsinki. SPIS serves pure Nordic food, therefore it is excellent place to dine, if want to get familiar with local dishes. Visited first time SPIS already in 2015 when it was selected as restaurant of the year. Since then it has been able to keep high standards when it comes to cuisine and service.

Enjoyed Short Tasting Menubeca…

Restaurant review: The Souk

Restaurant The Souk was opened in October 2019 in Kortteli at 5th floor in Kamppi Shopping Center. Before The Souk restaurant Jord was at the same location, but it moved to Kruunuhaka. Restaurant still had empty tables on Friday afternoon although almost all other restaurants in Kortteli were already very busy. The Souk does not yet have web pages either it is listed on Kamppi pages when writing…

Restaurant review – Penelope

PLATO PEQUEÑO, GRAN SABOR

Restaurant Penelope was opened late 2018 by celebrity chef’s Hans Välimäki and Arto Rastas. Modern fine dining tapas kind of bistro serves well desingned and tasteful dishes. Restaurant has 60 seats but you can also dine by the bar desk as we did at the first time or in the summer time at the terrace.

Had 8 course dinner when eating first time. This time let you enjoy…

Restaurant review: Frida’s

Frida’s – modern mexican restaurant & garden bar was opened almost at the same time as El Rey. Owners are the same who used to run Patrona before selling it. They also have Italian restaurant Bastardo in Kamppi shopping center, but as roots are in Mexico, quite natural to make a come back.

However, Frida’sis closer to Patrona than genuine Mexican restaurant. Decor is international, music is…

Taqueria El Rey opened it’s big brother (or sister) in Annankatu in March 2019. First El Rey is small taqueria which earned title “Best tacos in Helsinki” few years ago. New spot is in the same place where one of the first genuine Mexican restaurants Patrona located. With new owners Patrona was later ruined and it closed it doors 2018. So, what would be the better location to continue real…

Cevicheria is small Peruvian restaurant and Pisco bar in newly opened dining area in so called Autotalo. Office building does not invite customers to step in to that area, but when you are there you can see sushi restaurant, Nepalese restaurant and couple of other different style dining spots.

Cevicheria claims to be first cevicheria in Finland. Maybe, but Pastorhas served Peruvian fusion food…

Restaurant Vinkkeli is located in the heart of the Kaartinkaupunki neighborhood, at the intersection of Korkeavuorenkatu and Pieni Roobertinkinkatu. Vinkkeli can be described as a food and wine restaurant, presenting a friendly, honest, and uncomplicated take on classic cuisine, where the wine and drink selection is given the same devotion as the selection of ingredients in the kitchen. 2019…

Michelin star restaurants in Helsinki 2019 – sixth restaurant awarded with star

Michelin Guide announced new list of Michelin starred restaurants in Finland today, again one new restaurant got it’s first Michelin star, Palace. This may not be surprise because restaurant was established by two famous chef’s Eero Vottonen and Hans Välimäki. In the past Välimäki’s restaurant had 2 Michelin stars. Vottonen was 2018 Finland’s representative in Bocuse d’Or competion. Today…

Restaurant review: Pobre – Filipino kitchen with a twist

Pobre opened in January 2018 and it serves New Filipino food. Background for Pobre can be found from the times Restaurant Day still officially existed. Restaurant delivers dishes that vibrate the flavors of the Philippines. In Filipino culture, food is always a centerpiece of any gathering. Cooking is a way to bring a family together and the value of a memorable dining experience is at the very…

Restaurant Ragu opened its doors April 15, 2014, respecting the history of renovated Neo-Renaissance house in the 1890s. Restaurant has several dining rooms due to old building, but it makes the spaces more private although one could call the area open concept. Success has continued since opening and Ragu was fully booked when we dined there on nice October Saturday. Although restaurant promotes…