Helsinki

Ateljee Baari

Despite the name it's more like a cafe, located on top of Hotel Torni, Finland's first high-rise. Excellent views over Helsinki's downtown. You even have a view from the (famous) toilets. Highly recommended. Find the elevator close to the lobby to get there, but be prepared for expensive drinks. If you're on a tight budget, you can just enjoy the view on the elevator level.

Cafe Engel

Where the locals go for tea and snacks. Very relaxed, lovely courtyard out the back with films projected late into summer evenings.

Cafe Mutteri

Lovely small café in an octagonal old wooden building just at the Lauttasaari bridge. Its name translates to café "nut" as something you use with a bolt. Coffee, pies, pastries and ice cream are on offer. You can enjoy a slightly nostalgic atmosphere of the place, or just get pleasantly cosy on a freezing day.

Mon-Fri 06:00-19:00, Sat Sun 10:00-16:00

Cafe Samovarbar

Lovely cafe in the toy museum with proper espresso, ice cream, local snacks and wines, with a terrace overlooking the sea.

11:00–17:00

Cafe Succès

This traditional cafe serves excellent delicacies. Famous for their enormous cinnamon rolls (korvapuusti), also available in Cafe Esplanad.

Café Ekberg

One of the classic Helsinki cafés and a Bulevardi institution, which was founded in 1852. Was renovated in 2017 and at that lost some of its old flair. Ekberg has two premises right next to each other, with separate entraces. One of them is the main café which also functions as a lunch restaurant, the other is a bakery shop.

Mon–Fri 07:30–19:00, Weekend 09:00–18:00

Café Regatta

A pleasant little café located at the seashore in western Töölö. Serves good coffee and pastries. In summertime, the café tends to be absolutely packed with locals and tourists. You're better off sitting at the terrace rather than inside the café. Coffee costs EUR 2, but if you have an additional cup, the café actually gives you 5 cents back instead of charging you.

10:00–23:00

DTM

Formerly "Don't Tell Mama", DTM is the largest combination of gay cafe, bar, disco and nightclub in Scandinavia, with 2 dance floors and 3 bars. Popular among younger, trendy people and some celebrities. Straights usually welcome, too, as long as they don't "take over" the place. Entrance Su-Th €2.50, F €5, Sa €8 (on special nights fees may vary).

Daily 21:00-04:00

Espresso Edge

A cosy bohemian café with a South American vibe, popular among the artsy types of the Kruununhaka neighbourhood, and Faculty of Social Science students from across the street.

Gran Delicato

A very cosy cafe serving Mediterranean salads and paninis, and a variety of coffees. The Greek owner is a showman, usually around to amuse customers.

Mon-Fri 08:00-22:00, Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun closed·Coffees €2-4, salads €7-9, pastas and soups €7-9

Hakaniemi Market Hall and Open-Air Market

Hakaniemen kauppahalli, Hakaniemen tori

A busy indoor market hall and outdoor market square frequented by locals, this is where you can find fresh produce and specialities or have a cup of coffee or a small meal. The open-air market offers fresh vegetables and seasonal products, and a flea market on the first Sunday each month at which point there will be a much greater number of food and goods vendors from all over Finland. Walking up Hämeentie from Hakaniemi market, you'll find several African, Middle Eastern, Indian and Asian grocery stores.

Halikarnas

One of the most famous Turkish restaurants in Helsinki. Famous for its Mediterranean-style buffet, served not only on working days but on weekends also (it's a bit more expensive on weekends though), but also serves quality Turkish à la carte dishes. The coffee, although served from a nondescript thermos can, is one of the best coffees available in Helsinki. Spacious with stylish Turkish decor, with artwork depicting ancient Mediterranean cities on the walls.

11:00-23:00 mostly·Buffet around €10, à la carte dishes €14–22

Kaffecentralen

This little shop concentrates on selling espresso paraphernalia, and also serves excellent cappuccino.

Kahvila Sävy

Small, retro style café with excellent coffee from a Finnish roastery. There are only a few seats in the former barbershop, next to the Sörnäinen metro. Also peculiar percolators for sale.

Kaivopuisto

A beautiful park by the sea in the southernmost part of the city. In summer you might want to sit down for a cup of coffee in one of the seaside cafes and enjoy the view of sailboats and the people on the promenade. Housing surrounding this area is the most expensive in Helsinki.

Kakkugalleria

French-type cafe in the Design Forum. Try the lovely Sacher cake. Take away is cheaper.

Karhusaaren kauppa Winberg & Winberg

Kauppalaiva Christina Butiksbåten

A shop offering daily goods, with a cafe in connection with it, which welcomes islanders and vacationers arriving by land and by boat. In the summer, the merchant ship Christina offers all groceries, food, drinks, gases, soils and, if necessary, also custom products, such as small quantities of building materials.

Kipsari

Student cafe at the University of Art and Industrial Design in Arabia. Relaxed atmosphere with live music and DJs at times. Not open during summer when the school's out.

Plootu Furniture

The café and furniture shop Plootu offers a great tea selection (served in a 600ml/1000ml presso pan), smoothies, salads, coffee and pho soup. An atmospheric and fun little coffee shop where everything you dine or drink coffee on is on sale.

Pronto Central Station

A little, cosy Italian-style restaurant and café located at the Helsinki Central railway station. Pronto is the "little sister" of the larger restaurant Olivia located right next to it. Serves pizza al taglio, focaccia and Italian-style coffee. Not to be confused with restaurant Pronto Pizzeria in Sörnäinen.

08:00 to 19:00 mostly·About 8 €

Queen Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant

Enjoy Ethiopian cuisine, hot and spicy; injera as the heart of a meal, a large, soft, sourdough crepe. It is believed that coffee originates in the Kaffa province in Ethiopia. Ethiopian coffee is strong, rich and soft – just like good coffee should be. The Ethiopian coffee ceremony with its aroma and taste is worth experiencing. Table reservation recommended.

Sinisen huvilan kahvila

The "Café of the Blue Villa" is an outdoors café with fantastic views over the Töölönlahti bay.

10:00–22:00 during summertime·Small coffee €1.50

Strindberg

One of the oldest and most historic cafés of Helsinki. Great terrace on the posh Pohjoisesplanadi with views of the Esplanadi park, restaurant on the 2nd floor. Also high-quality pastries and modern Nordic food and drink. Very popular among locals.

Restaurant: Mon–Fri 11:30–23:00, Sat 13:00–23:00; café: Mon–Thu 09:00–20:00, Fri 09:00–21:00, Sat 10:00–21:00, Sun 12:00–19:00·Lunch €12–29; main courses €24–38; café €15–18

Tennispalatsi

The Tennispalatsi ("Tennis palace") was built to house tennis events for the 1940 and 1952 Olympics. Nowadays, it retains no trace of its Olympic past. Instead, it functions primarily as Helsinki's biggest movie theatre, with more than ten halls on two floors, showing movies both from Finland and abroad. As well as functioning as a movie theatre, Tennispalatsi also houses cultural exhibitions, small stores, restaurants (including Pizza Hut and Hesburger) and cafés.

The Good Coffee Company

A quaint Austrian-style café in Kamppi. Serves Austrian coffee, Austrian beer and Austrian delicacies.

Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00

Helsinki-päivä

Helsinki Day

This is the birthday of the city. It traditionally starts with the mayor's morning coffee and is celebrated throughout the day with a variety of concerts, performances, exhibitions and guided tours around the city. Nowadays special event program even for several days.

Closed

Banu Café

A Persian fusion coffee shop with cozy bakery.

Hoplop activity hall for kids

8-meter-tall adventure maze, slides, cafe.

Meli Cafe and Bakery

CaffeMeli

Helsinginkatu 11

Urbine

A living room style cafe-restaurant.