Snacks

Carusel “the house by the sea” is a cool café & restaurant in Kaivopuisto. Its round shape and the windows that are all the way from the ceiling to the floor guarantee that you will get a good view from where ever you sit. The place has a chilled out feeling.

In winter I go there for hot chocolate. I sit by the fire place inside and watch the snow falling outside. In summer I sit in one of the wooden couches outside and drink ice tea. The place changes a lot during the season, thanks to the big windows. It is, as the rest of Finland is, the best in summer time though!

There are concerts and other happenings around the year. They serve good breakfast, lunch, café and drinks, but I think the best thing you can eat there is their pizza!

All the really cool, posh city-goers have their breakfast or lunch at Café Succes and no wonder why: the croissants, bread, jam and coffee are delicious! It is actually very famous for its cinnamon rolls (called “korvapuusti”). I know people coming all the way from Espoo (the next city) to buy them. For lunch they serve soups, sandwiches and salads for a reasonable price.

The café is old and definitely Finnish, but it looks like it could be somewhere in Paris. White walls, red leather couches and wooden chairs around small round tables make it cozy yet chic! Most of its customers are just locals having their breakfast and reading their daily paper. Not that many tourists know about, which means you will get a more authentic experience. The service is good and even better if you talk in Swedish.

Thanks to the big windows you can watch stylish people passing by. Personally I think Café Succes is the most romantic café in the city!

Maatilatori (freely translated: The farmer’s shop) sells organic food from Nordic countries, but mainly from Finland. The shop, that is located in the very heart of the city, is adorable: there are wooden boxes with eggs in them, they sell nougat lollipops, special cheeses, cider, jam in class jars, organic poultry, fresh vegetables, fruits and other organic food. They also sell healthy juices made from the Nordic berries, like cloudberries and sea buckthorn berry. Everything is produced close by and the fresh stuff is seasonal.

The shop has a bunch of loyal customers, consumers who are worried about environmental issues and who want to eat as pure, clean and organic food as possible. Some of the products are pricier than in a super market, but many of the customers are willing to pay the price, because they want to eat healthier.

For a foreigner this little shop is an excellent way to taste Finnish food and buy these odd, but good flavors to take home to.

There is a cafe where you can have a lunch too.

Mbar is a wonderful place in the summer and rather “famous” for its great terrace – which now is finally open again! The location is so central that it makes for a very convenient place to meet up with friends, have a nice chat and a glass of wine – or a Café Latte, depending on the time of day – and enjoy some laid-back atmosphere and music (and sun!).

This bar combines everything: they have a nice selection of snacks and drinks, they offer free WiFi (and some PC stations, those aren’t free to use though) and during the night, mbar becomes the place for social get-togethers, make sure to check their website for the programme if you’re interested in their DJs and live acts!

…not only is cafe Fanny a nice place for a good Sunday brunch, but it’s generally a really nice spot to sit outside and enjoy the warm days in the sun on their terrace, if you don’t feel like sitting on the grass. It’s located right at the entrance to Koff Park, which is a very popular place to hang out.

Their Sunday brunch is frequently busy and a great place to meet Helsinki locals. They also offer a nice lunch menu at reasonable prices! The café also has a really cool arty interior with interesting pictures and photos up there. So if you just want to spend some relaxing time with a hot chocolate or stop by for a snack after your visit to Sinebrychoff Art Museum, you’re just right!