Flavours from the north and around the world – these are Rovaniemi’s best restaurants

What is it? A stylish restaurant serving distinctive flavour pairings. The food feels familiar and, at the same time, like nothing you’ve had in ages, if ever. 

Why we love it? I’ve eaten some of the best dishes of my life at Gustav. The combinations aren’t the most traditional, but they’re all the more surprising and successful: grapes with whitefish mousse, honey parfait with melt-in-the-mouth crumbled cheese. Plates are also made truly beautiful with edible flowers. The short menu is completely refreshed a few times a year. Come specifically for dinner. Lunch doesn’t reach the heights of the evening menu.

Time Out tip: Gustav runs regular offers when you can get a cold starter, main and dessert for €39.

Address: Koskikatu 12

Opening hours: Tue–Fri lunch 11.00–14.00; à la carte Tue–Thu 16.00–21.00, Fri 16.00–22.00, Sat 14.00–22.00

Expect to pay: Starters and mains €15–19, desserts €10–13

What is it? A fine-dining view restaurant on the top of Ounasvaara hill serving northern flavours. Sky Kitchen & View has been voted among Finland’s best restaurants several times.

Why we love it? Atmosphere, views and beauty – there’s plenty of all three here. It’s elegant and impressive. Drum-driven music with throat singing plays in the background, lulling you into a near-trance during dinner. The dinner list comprises seasonal dishes, plus surprise menus. The food is a captivating mix of the familiar and the unexpected: how about cured fish in jalapeño broth with currants? Carefully chosen drink pairings complete the experience, with wines in particular making excellent partners for the plates.

Time Out tip: Try the charming mascarpone mocktail. It tastes almost like cheesecake.

Address: Juhannuskalliontie

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 17.00–22.00, Fri–Sat 17.00–23.00

Expect to pay: Tasting menu with drinks pairing around €130–160 per person

What is it? Glass Resort and its main restaurant, Gallis, are located on the edge of Pajakylä, right by the forest, in peaceful surroundings of their own. The restaurant sits among the glass cabins, by the tallest windows at the heart of the resort. First impressions are elegant and considered, with quality rooted in an appreciation of craftsmanship and natural flavours. There’s an in-house bakery and a calm, unhurried atmosphere. The menu charms in many ways and even includes some curiosities: caviar, roe and seaweed can be ordered by the gram. The playful word ‘gallis’ (fun way of saying expensive) describes the restaurant well: refined, but by no means stiff. You’ll need a slightly thicker wallet, but you won’t go bankrupt here.

Why we love it? Perfect romantic date material – yes please! It’s a wonderful escape from the heady atmosphere of Pajakylä, where time seems to slow down. The staff share the same relaxed vibe. The slanted window above brings the starry sky right to your table and sets the mood all the way across the dining room. You get excellent value for money: the dishes aren’t tiny bites but beautiful, generous plates of genuinely delicious food. Three courses will comfortably see off any hunger. There’s also a good selection of vegetarian dishes, clearly designed with care. The celeriac schnitzel was particularly interesting and made it into the ranks of the best vegetarian dishes I’ve eaten in a restaurant. In terms of interiors, Gallis became my favourite in the whole city. Dark walls, touches of pine-forest green and warm lighting are a dream for anyone who loves moody tones.

Time Out tip: Why not drink your way through the entire Lapland-inspired mocktail list? Birch and Lingonberry were both especially memorable. The restaurant also has a food trailer by the roadside in Pajakylä called Köök by Gallis, where you can buy hot drinks, rice porridge and even the king crab soup from the à la carte menu.

Address: Tähtikuja 16

Opening hours: Daily 17–23. Last seating at 21.30.

Expect to pay: Four-course menu €79, main courses from €28.

What is it? A small Korean restaurant less than a ten-minute walk from Lordi’s Square. A short stroll out of the very centre is rewarded with a great-value taste trip to Asia.

Why we love it? If you’re going to eat at just one Asian restaurant in Rovaniemi, make it Hanki. The value is excellent: starters are nicely small appetite-teasers and the hearty mains will fill you up. With luck you’ll have room for dessert, especially if it’s delicious, toasty-tasting dalgona ice cream. The Korean classic bibimbap knocks out hunger in both meat and veggie versions. There are only about ten tables, but somehow you always seem to fit in.

Time Out tip: The lunchtime fried tofu is plant-based royalty: I swear you won’t often have had tofu this crisp and flavourful.

Address: Korkalonkatu 2

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 11.00–20.00, Sat 12.00–20.00

Expect to pay: Main courses around €18–20

What is it? A rough-and-ready, laid-back spot that’s been going for almost two decades, serving tasty burgers, salads and pizzas in a unique old building.

Why we love it? People come to Kauppayhtiö above all for the burgers (they’ve won awards a couple of times), though the Neapolitan-style pizzas are tasty too. The vibe is pleasantly relaxed and suits many kinds of diners, from hipsters to families, workmates and retirees. The menu has classics and local twists: you can, of course, get reindeer in your burger. Every burger can be made with a very good veggie patty that’s tasty and moist rather than the typical dry fluff.

Time Out tip: Fallen for Kauppayhtiö’s quirky, retro décor? Buy it – everything from furniture to ornaments is for sale.

Address: Valtakatu 24

Opening hours: Pure Burger Tue–Fri 11.00–22.00, Sat 13.00–22.00, Sun 13.00–21.00; Pure Pizza Tue–Thu 16.00–22.00, Fri 11.00–22.00, Sat 13.00–22.00, Sun 13.00–21.00

Expect to pay: Burgers €13–20, pizzas €14–21

What is it? Cafe & Bar 21 has possibly been the town’s favourite and certainly its most recommended spot since 2012. Depending on what you’re after, it works as a café, bar or restaurant, with a sweet interior full of Instagrammable walls, corners and details that create an international feel. The menu features salad bowls, waffles and seasonally changing specials. This winter, breakfast is a new addition, with options ranging from classic to creative. I can guarantee your morning starts better when you spoon up a suitably indulgent portion of Kaksykkönen’s caramelised rice pudding alongside your coffee.

Why we love it? If there’s one thing you can rely on, it’s the quality these entrepreneurs bring to the cityscape. Kaksykkönen is part of the same family as Gustav, Yuca and Alfred in Oulu. All of them are regular go-to recommendations of mine when people ask where to eat. The menu is refreshed regularly, but the core concept has never been turned upside down. Since the very beginning, the backbone has been dependable lunch favourites that work just as well for catching up with friends over a glass of wine. Special dietary requirements are handled exceptionally well here, which is why my dairy-free and gluten-free family members almost always want to eat here when visiting Rovaniemi. As a bonus, the waffles are gluten-free by default.

Time Out tip: Whatever you do, don’t just walk past the display counter. The dessert waffles are delicious, of course, but the cabinet itself is a feast for the eyes, offering perfect gelato flavours, photogenic cakes and macarons served on cute little plates.

Address: Rovakatu 21

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 8–22, Fri–Sat 8–23 and Sun 8–22

Expect to pay: Main courses from €17

What is it? Piparina feels like a cluster of delicious-looking gingerbread cottages that have popped straight out of a fairytale into the middle of Pajakylä. These charming, daytime-use spaces are rented by the hour and hit the sweet spot especially for families with children in need of a rest, and why not for companies hosting a team day, too. Don’t be fooled by the playful, joyful looks though: Piparina is also a restaurant to be taken seriously. In addition to the dining room set up in the former Santamus premises, small plates can be ordered directly to your own cottage. The menu is divided into cold, hot and sweet dishes. Three plates give you a good taste, five will leave you full. There’s a wide range of flavours on offer, many of them instant hits. The only explicitly Christmassy flavour on the menu comes in the form of a gingerbread sandwich.

Why we love it? When the theme is already festive, the menu doesn’t need to be. It’s also not built around meat, with plenty of inventive vegetable and fish dishes to choose from. Beetroot with tar hummus was my clear favourite, but I’d happily revisit the carrot and nut dish, too. Friends of mine gave special mentions to the beautifully tender reindeer and the Lappish take on fish and chips.

Time Out tip: Bring a group of friends and work your way through the entire menu together.

Address: Santa Claus Village, Joulumaantie 8

Opening hours: Gingerbread cottages bookable 8–22, restaurant services 12–22 (kitchen closes at 21)

Expect to pay: €14 per dish

What is it? A small, atmospheric Mexican restaurant serving bright, fresh flavours. It’s part of the same restaurant family as Gustav that was mentioned above.

Why we love it? Yuca is a great shout when you want something fresh, tasty and light on the stomach. Zingy bowls, hefty burritos and delicious quesadillas are the three cornerstones of the lunch menu. In the evening there are tacos and various Mexican starters too. The compact space fills fast at lunchtime. Yuca is ideal when you want guaranteed simple, good, tasty food. Everything is made fresh in-house, and you can see and taste it. Smoked salmon is a surprising ingredient that works playfully with Mexican flavours. For vegetarians, the ‘vegechorizo’ is an excellent, deliciously spiced crumble.

Time Out tip: Taco Tuesday runs every week, when two tacos are €7 from 14:00–21:00. Try adding the house sauces – they’re heavenly.

Address: Rovakatu 21

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11.00–21.00, Fri 11.00–22.00, Sat 14.00–22.00

Expect to pay: Starters and mains €7–17, drinks €5–10

What is it? Taiga is a Lappish restaurant with a real sense of personality and atmosphere. The menu is full of traditional Lapland flavours, from reindeer stew to salmon soup and berry-led dishes.

Why we love it? This is an authentic Lappish restaurant where you can really feel the character and the mood. The service is relaxed and friendly, and the menu features clear hits that are well worth ordering. The Jerusalem artichoke soup worked beautifully, and I also really enjoyed the mushroom risotto. Taiga is particularly known for its reindeer dishes. The reindeer sausage with sides on the sharing starter board was such a hit with my dining companions that we immediately had to find out where it came from. The owner explained that his father produces the sausages in Inari. On the sweeter side, the French toast and blueberry sorbet shared first place among the desserts. The restaurant makes its own sweet woodruff and cloudberry jam for the French toast, and it was polished off from the plate with three spoons. Even a local can get carried away over berry jam now and then!

Time Out tip: Arrive right when the doors open if you don’t want to be turned away. The restaurant fills up fast, and for very good reason. If you’re only planning a low-key date with a few bites, I’d recommend sharing just the starter board and desserts.

Address: Valtakatu 33

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 17–22, Fri–Sat 17–23

Expect to pay: Three-course menu €59–68, main courses from €29

What is it? A moody spot for cocktails, pasta, pinsa and tasting plates – one of Rovaniemi’s newest arrivals. Opened in 2024, it’s known especially for its own signature drinks.

Why we love it? Haarikka is perfect when you want to go for drinks and eat something good at the same time. The dark décor and calm vibe suggest ‘a bit fancy’, though it isn’t a smart restaurant, it’s primarily a cocktail bar. Come in jeans and a jumper or a dress and heels – it’s all about the attitude. On the food side there are small plates so you can graze through the evening. For €5 a portion you can get a little bowl of olives or nuts, pasta crisps with mayo or excellent fried courgette. There are also cheese and charcuterie boards, nicely sized pastas and pinsa breads in two sizes. It’s easy to while away hours here chatting, tasting and even playing board games.

Time Out tip: Haarikka is popular enough that on weekend evenings you may have to wait for your drinks and especially food. Order small plates steadily rather than everything at once.

Address: Korkalonkatu 27

Opening hours: Wed–Thu 16.00–00.00, Fri–Sat 16.00–02.00

Expect to pay: Small plates €5 each; pastas and pinsa breads €15–20

What is it? Monte Rosa is a restaurant attached to the Arctic City Hotel in the heart of Rovaniemi that advertises the city’s best steaks.

Why we love it? The steaks tempt even those who rarely eat meat. The list also features Japanese wagyu, often called the world’s finest beef. When you order a steak you also choose your side and sauce to taste. A safe bet for the side is the shockingly good fries. The atmosphere is inviting – both refined and relaxed – the kind of place you can walk into in your snow boots.

Time Out tip: With a three-course dinner you’ll manage fine without an extra side for the main. Meat portions are around 200 grams.

Address: Maakuntakatu 25

Opening hours: Tue–Sat 17.00–22.00

Expect to pay: A full steak dinner with starter and dessert around €60–70 per person

What is it? Street food from fish and chips to burger-ish sarnies, plus bistro dishes from risottos to salmon soup. A tiny spot with around 20 seats that ranks among Rovaniemi’s finest in user reviews.

Why we love it? Everyone knows the moment when the group gets hungry but you can’t agree on what to eat. Roka is the fix. The menu splits into street food and bistro. The street side is dominated by sarnies that are essentially burgers. From the bistro side you can order, for example, juicy risotto, a grilled steak and (of course) reindeer. The food is tasty and portions generous – the salmon risotto, for instance, will sort out even a serious hunger. In peak season a reservation is essential. With so few tables the room fills in a flash. For sudden group hunger it may not be ideal after all – walking in is a fifty–fifty.

Time Out tip: Pets are welcome at Roka too. Use judgement, though: at the busiest times it might be wiser to leave your furry friend at home.

Address: Ainonkatu 3 Lh 2

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11.00–21.00, Fri 11.00–22.00, Sat 12.00–22.00, Sun 12.00–21.00

Expect to pay: Street food dishes €12–15, bistro menu dishes €20–35