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? 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? 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 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? 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? A family-run restaurant serving northern flavours with almost a theme-park-like dive into Lapland ambience. Expect distinctly local tastes: game, fish, berries. Ingredients come from local producers.

Why we love it? Nili is Laplandness distilled into a single restaurant. Step inside and you’re greeted by wood, hides and reindeer antlers coloured by aurora-like lights. Portions are balanced and well sized: you won’t leave hungry, but you won’t overdo it either. The food and setting are clearly geared towards visitors. For Finns and especially locals the flavours are familiar, but for travellers from further afield reindeer tartare or a cloudberry fizz can be big culinary experiences. Service is quick and friendly, especially on weekdays soon after opening. Plates also score for presentation: they’re truly beautiful. Nili is easy to recommend to anyone keen to sample the local palate in full Lapland atmosphere.

Time Out tip: Even mid-week there’s a steady flow of diners. The calmest time is right at 16:00 when it opens. Book to be safe.

Address: Valtakatu 20

Opening hours: Tue–Fri 16.00–23.00, Sat 14.00–23.00

Expect to pay: Dinner with drinks around €100 per person

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? Opened in early October 2025 in Santa Claus Village, Stella Nova serves Nordic food in a stylish setting. The restaurant operates alongside the Nova Skyland Hotel, right by reception, which can at times mean a bit of noise.

Why we love it? A good choice when you want to eat a little more smartly in Santa Claus Village. The room is truly beautiful and stylish with its wood-forward interior. The food is pretty and tasty. The menu descriptions are clear, yet the dishes still surprise when they land on the table. For example, reindeer is served with the bone, the tender meat practically slipping onto the plate at a touch. Flowers and fruit garnish food and drinks, making them even more appealing. The flavour world, however, is on the familiar side. A special mention for the chocolatey dessert where caramel mousse and chocolate ganache pair perfectly with a crisp biscuit and refreshing sorbet. Thankfully the elegant setting keeps any urge to lick the plate in check.

Time Out tip: The restaurant also doubles as an art gallery, with works on display from Galleria Nava.

Osoite: Joulupukin Pajakylä, Tähtikuja 6

Avoinna: päivittäin klo 17–22

Varaudu maksamaan: kolmen ruokalajin menusta noin 70 euroa

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

What is it? A small Vietnamese restaurant whose menu features various rolls, noodles and soups made from heirloom recipes. The young trio of founders moved to Rovaniemi to study at Lapland University of Applied Sciences, and ended up opening a Vietnamese restaurant too.

Why we love it? Saigon Noodle Bar is small and sweet, and the women behind it are utterly lovely. Expect tasty Asian food where the homemade quality really comes through. It’s a top choice for when you want genuinely delicious, fresh food that both stomach and soul will love. The classic pho is especially good. There are options for vegans and gluten-free diets. The craftsmanship and authenticity show not only in the food but also in the fun chalkboard walls decorated with drawings.

Time Out tip: It’s small and popular, so better to book. You can get bubble tea here too.

Address: Rovakatu 26

Opening hours: Tue–Fri 11.00–20.00, Sat–Sun 12.00–20.00

Expect to pay: Noodle dishes or soups around €16

What is it? A grill by Rovaniemi Market Square that’s been going since 1988, awarded for its house-made kebab. The sauces, mustards and mash are made in-house too.

Why we love it? Operating in the same spot for nearly 40 years, Torikeidas is Rovaniemi’s most famous classic late-night grill and a must for visitors – both for culinary and cultural experience. The grill’s food is like a comforting, hearty hug. Even as the city has changed and fast-food chains have arrived to fight for the same customers, Torikeidas is never short of orders. Portions are generous (especially the Lordi Kebab, named after the Eurovision winner, with its 220 grams of meat) and the burgers put many chains in the shade.

Time Out tip: The décor isn’t the draw, but there’s karaoke at weekends.

Address: Lapinkävijäntie 3

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 10.00–22.00, Fri–Sat 10.00–02.00, Sun 11.00–22.00

Expect to pay: Burgers around €10, kebabs €12–18