Restaurant & Bistro Guide Nordics 2026: The Best Restaurants in Finland

Palace, Finland’s only two-star restaurant, blends French and Nordic techniques with Japonism under chef Eero Vottonen. Helsinki’s finest wine list, stunning views, and informal yet dignified service are offered.

Toni Kostian’s one Michelin-starred Grön celebrates creativity and sustainability, showcasing seasonal Finnish and Nordic produce with a menu that follows and honors the natural cycle of the seasons.

Savoy is a true icon of Helsinki. Led by chef Helena Puolakka, it offers refined haute French cuisine with Finnish inspiration, complemented by one of the city’s most impressive wine lists.

Kaskis, the pride of Turku, has been full for 10 years. Chefs Erik Mansikka and Simo Raisio serve game, fish, wild herbs, mushrooms, and berries in playful, refined new Finnish fine dining.

Demo has held its Michelin star since 2007, the longest streak in Helsinki's history. Demo serves a daily changing, creative tasting menu, complemented by a wine cellar featuring over 400 listings.

The focus is on local, seasonal ingredients sourced from small producers. Chef Ari Ruoho personally fishes and hunts. The menu also features berries, mushrooms, wild herbs, and in-house made drinks.

Now led by Mikko Pakola, Olo has retained its one Michelin star since 2011. The restaurant blends Nordic minimalism, refined Scandinavian gastronomy, and a deep respect for high-quality ingredients.

Shii is an ambitious 15-seat omakase and otsumami restaurant in downtown Helsinki, tucked away for privacy. It pairs delicate Japanese-inspired dishes with carefully curated wine and sake selections.

Bona Fide, a new-wave restaurant in Helsinki’s Kruununhaka, is bold, surprising, and internationally recognized. Offering excellent value, it brings fresh, youthful energy to the Finnish dining scene.

Boreal in Helsinki, led by chef Pasha Demin, serves modern Nordic cuisine inspired by nature, with seasonal foraged ingredients, responsibly sourced game, and thoughtful wine and drink pairings.

Finnjävel celebrates Finnish food culture, transforming traditional recipes into fine dining. Familiar flavors are reimagined as new experiences, complemented by an excellent selection of wines.

Kajo serves bold, playful cuisine inspired by nature and local ingredients, highlighting fire, smoke, fermentation, and local forest ingredients, paired with a thoughtful selection of wines.

Less than an hour from Helsinki, Utter is an intimate eight-seat restaurant built around a single chef and stove, showcasing the best local seasonal ingredients, with wines from Mikko’s own cellar.

Michelin-starred fine-dining destination in Porvoo. Vår has a strong local identity and celebrates seasonal Finnish ingredients from land and sea, crafted with precision and sustainability at its core.

Café Savoy offers robust, rustic yet elegant, heartwarming dishes inspired by Southern France, all in a bright space designed by Joanna Laajisto, and a wide range of excellent wines, also by the glass.

Katajanokka’s small, atmospheric restaurant pays tribute to Nordic cuisine with seasonal dishes made from local produce. Inventive plates follow sustainable principles, paired with thoughtful wines.

There is a saying in Helsinki: “Ice melts in the spring, the government always betrays, but BasBas never disappoints.” BasBas offers affordable, well-crafted cuisine and one of the city's best wine lists.

Smör is now led by young, celebrated chef Aleksi Lukka. The ethos consists of Nordic purity, and local ingredients—from their garden and producers—are paired thoughtfully with fine wines.

Vinkkeli in Helsinki serves classic French-Scandinavian cuisine in a refined white-tablecloth setting, with caring service, a curated wine list, and one of the city’s best three-course lunches.

Ravintola Jason in Helsinki, led by Michelin-starred chef Jari Vesivalo, offers celebrated Nordic dishes with subtle Asian touches, from seasonal seafood and game to inventive, finely crafted dishes.

Next to Porvoo Cathedral, SicaPelle, created by an ambitious couple, offers playful modern Scandi-European cuisine. Its nine-course menu blends fine dining with bistro charm, paired with playful wines.

Alexanderplats is a brasserie-style restaurant located on Eteläesplanadi. The menu features dishes inspired by Europe’s classic kitchens, an approach reflected throughout the curated wine list.

Bardot is both a bistro and brasserie, offering a lively, informal neighborhood atmosphere. The extensive à la carte menu features brasserie staples, complemented by an easy-going wine list.

Zero-waste restaurant in its own genre. Seasonal, sustainable European cuisine with a Nordic twist delights the palate, complemented by warm service and beers from their in-house microbrewery.

“Creativity blooms from chaos” offers a bold experience where service, music, and a neo-bistro atmosphere come together. Part art performance, part restaurant, the vibe is as essential as the cuisine.

The rustic bistro in Vallila’s wood house area straightens out the flavors, but with unique combinations using seasonal ingredients. The same ideology fills the glasses with natural wines.

Studio is the newest and smallest member of the BasBas family, open for intimate dinners, theme nights, and pop-ups. Its concepts change with ingredient availability, micro-seasons, and macro-trends.

Laivakoira combines classic cooking with a modern approach and a relaxed atmosphere. The team of friends and top hospitality professionals share one principle: serving food and wine with pure hedonism.

Latitude 25 is Finland’s first omakase restaurant, serving sought-after uni, toro, fresh ebi, hand-grated wasabi, and distinctive aka shari, offering an authentic omakase experience.

Natura is a pioneer in sustainable gastronomy, blending northern flavors with French, Basque, and Spanish influences. Its garden and 30 local producers ensure peak seasonal freshness.

This intimate 12-seat izakaya offers a wide range of small, flavorful plates and an impressive selection of artisan sake. Guests can stop by for a few bites and drinks, or the seven-course menu.

Villit ja Viinit in Tampere is a relaxed, “wild” wine bar. Almost every bottle is available by the glass, and guests can enjoy the small and tasty set menu in a lively, informal atmosphere.

Muru is a true bistro classic in Helsinki. Muru’s long-lasting popularity stems from its affordable four-course menu, paired with one of the largest wine lists in Helsinki and a joyful ambiance.

Aoi serves thoughtful yet relaxed contemporary cuisine in Ullanlinna. The food reflects the team’s personal and professional backgrounds and is showcased in an affordable four-course menu.

At Brasa, open flames and smoke infuse every dish with flavor, while meat and fish are aged in dry cabinets. The wine list combines classic old-world selections with modern natural wines.

Huber is a pioneer of dry-aged meats and open-fire charcoal grilling. Cuts follow classic culinary traditions, often using Finnish dairy beef, complemented by grilled fish and a strong beer list.

Young Hearts presents a thoughtful seasonal menu focused solely on Finnish produce. Each dish is layered and precise, with clever storytelling, complemented by natural wines from small producers.

Bouchon Carême is inspired by classic Lyon bouchons. True to tradition, it is a meat-centric restaurant serving rustic French bistro cuisine, complemented by a bar perfect for aperitifs and snacks.

At Skörd, chefs Anton von Troil and Jon Bäckman craft a seven-course dinner using only Finnish seasonal ingredients. Expect to find game, freshwater fish, wild herbs, mushrooms, berries, and root vegetables.

Dining 26 by Arto Rastas explores Mediterranean flavors with a modern twist. Beyond Spain, France, Italy, and Greece, the menu ventures south to Morocco and Lebanon, offering bold and diverse dishes.

Farang, a pioneer of Southeast Asian cuisine in Finland since 2009, serves shared dishes balancing spicy, sour, salty, and sweet flavors, with a cocktail and wine list that complements the dishes.

Ravintola Kielo offers a nine-course tasting menu that changes six times a year. The kitchen does not follow a set style but creates dishes freely, inspired by diverse ideas and seasonal ingredients.

Osteria dei Mancini is inspired by the vibrant flavors of southern Italy, with seaside charm. The menu features dishes such as truffle pasta, lobster ravioli, saffron risotto, and grilled seafood.

305 in Hakaniemi is divided into a bistro, bar, and Chef's Table, offering bold flavors and playful takes. Alongside individual dishes, it serves an affordable, expertly crafted five-course menu.

Ateljé Finne, named after sculptor Gunnar Finne, whose works remain on display, serves modern Finnish dishes made from quality ingredients, complemented by a carefully curated wine list.

Le Coucou Vert, on the Boulevard, brings the heart and flavors of a French bistro. Enjoy classic dishes, drinks, snacks, and a dinner with carefully selected French-focused wines and sparkling wines.

Restaurant Solitary in Kuru offers a fine dining experience with seasonal ingredients, from fish and game to berries and mushrooms, crafted with precision and paired with carefully selected wines.

Ravintola Bronda in Helsinki offers a lively, stylish setting paired with a bar known for polished cocktails. The well-executed, Mediterranean-inspired menu is anchored by its renowned burger.

Tiiliholvi is a Tampere institution beneath the vaulted cellar of a Jugend building, quietly serving refined French-Nordic cooking since the late 1970s—a go-to for Tampere’s culinary heritage.

À La Kämp is a classic brasserie in Helsinki's most luxurious hotel, offering Kämp classics and a seasonal menu. Perfect for refined business dining, it operates alongside the lively Kämp Bar.