The best restaurants in Finland worth travelling for

What is it? At Skörd, every ingredient except the salt is sourced from Finland – and almost everything has been grown outdoors and in the wild.

Why we love it: This is Finland’s most uncompromising restaurant. The philosophy is strikingly simple: everything must be organic, hyper-local and rooted in the Finnish landscape. Salt is the only exception. The result is a dining experience that feels less like fine dining and more like a deep exploration of what the country itself tastes like. Skörd pushes Finnish ingredients further than almost anyone else. One moment you’re eating delicately prepared forest mushrooms or smoked root vegetables; the next, something foraged, fermented or preserved through the long Nordic winter. There’s creativity here, but never gimmickry.

Time Out tip: Anyone can build a hyper-local menu during the Finnish summer. The real magic happens in winter, when fresh produce all but disappears. That’s when Skörd becomes most impressive – and most inventive.

Fredrikinkatu 37, Kamppi. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight. Six-course menu €86.

What is it? Perched atop Ounasvaara Hill in Rovaniemi, this fine-dining destination pairs sweeping views with some of the most inventive reindeer dishes in Finnish Lapland.

Why we love it: Rovaniemi has no shortage of excellent restaurants, but Sky Kitchen & View remains the city’s most iconic dining experience. And if you’re going to fully surrender yourself to the world of reindeer cuisine anywhere, it may as well be here. Reindeer appears across the menu in almost every imaginable form: croquettes, tartare, steak, sautéed reindeer, schnitzel and even smoked reindeer tongue. Mercifully, dessert remains reindeer-free – no reindeer antler extract sprinkled over lichen ice cream just yet.

Yes, the restaurant occasionally flirts with northern-Lapland fantasy in a way clearly designed for visitors. But it does so with charm, confidence and genuinely excellent cooking. Even Finnish diners may find themselves happily leaning into the Arctic atmosphere as throat singing and ceremonial drum music drift softly through the dining room. And honestly? Sometimes it’s fun to embrace the full northern cliché when it’s executed this well.

Time Out tip: Order the wonderfully rich mascarpone mocktail from the drinks menu – it tastes uncannily like liquid cheesecake.

Juhannuskalliontie, Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara. Open Mon-Thu 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm. Six-course menu €72, eight-course menu €99.

What is it? A fairytale fine-dining destination hidden inside a moody, red-brick manor on the shores of Lake Vanajavesi. Located just outside Hämeenlinna – and an easy hour’s drive from Helsinki – this ‘castle-like’ estate feels worlds away from the capital. Once the private playground of industrial tycoons, it’s now home to one of Finland’s most ambitious kitchens.

Why we love it? Head chef Tuomas Vierelä (formerly of Michelin-starred Olo) has reinvented the manor’s historic dining room with a masterfully balanced, modern Nordic menu. Ditch the à la carte for the four-course surprise menu; it’s where the kitchen truly flexes its muscles with playful, hands-on dishes like Jerusalem artichoke soup with fennel-pollen brioche or beef tartare with towering rice cakes. Because Vierelä tweaks the menu last-minute based on the morning’s freshest local haul, the experience is often as much of a surprise to the waiters as it is to the guests.

Time Out tip: Go all in: pair the surprise menu with the wine package and book a room at the Vanajanlinna Resort to avoid the drive back. The breakfast is also curated by Vierelä, with 90 percent of the spread made in-house. It’s a rare chance to see a fine-dining chef tackle the most important meal of the day; think of it as the ultimate encore to your dinner.

What is it? Turku’s most beloved restaurant, awarded both a Michelin Star and the Michelin Green Star for sustainability.

Why we love it? Many people travel to Turku just to eat at Kaskis. The restaurant’s heart and soul are its owners, Erik Mansikka and Simo Raisio — one of whom is always in the kitchen, leading their skilled team. Kaskis is a masterclass in balance and ambition: elegant interiors, meticulously crafted dishes, inventive drinks and warm, easy-going service all come together perfectly.

Kaskenkatu 6a, Turku. Kaskis menu €129, wine pairing €99.

What is it? Aiming for perfection but never taking itself too seriously, this restaurant has held its Michelin star for 15 years. Every dish on Olo’s menu is meticulously considered, but the real star is the masterfully seared scallop – the kind that makes you understand what scallops are truly meant to be.

Why we love it? Dinner here is a three-hour culinary journey where each course feels like a new adventure. Your guide for the evening is head waiter Sam – poised, witty and always ready with a clever quip or two. The tasting menu never repeats itself: each of its nine or so dishes offers a unique experience, yet together they form a perfectly balanced whole. And by the end of it all, you can’t help but sigh: what a feeling – which is fitting, since olo means exactly that in Finnish: feeling, or sense of being.

Pohjoisesplanadi 5. Open Tue–Sat 18.00–00.00. Menu €175, with wine pairings from €276.

What is it? Finland has its fair share of speakeasies, but Apaja takes the idea a step further – it’s a secret restaurant. Small, intimate and beautifully understated, it’s hidden so well you’d never stumble upon it by chance.

Why we love it: To reach Apaja, you step through a low doorway in a quiet backyard, like entering a rabbit hole; and what awaits inside is a kind of culinary Wonderland. The six-course menu changes with the seasons, featuring ingredients foraged, fished or hunted nearby. In summer you’ll find fresh greens and herbs; in winter, pickled vegetables and rich game from local hunters and fishermen. Everything is thoughtful, local and deeply connected to nature.

Huhtamäenkatu 3 C, Tampere. Tasting menu €78. Closed Sun–Tue.

What is it? Aanaar is a fine dining restaurant set on the banks of the Juutua River, surrounded by the stark beauty of Lapland’s wilderness. Its spirit is both northern and refined. You can choose between three- or five-course dinners, or opt for something lighter from the à la carte menu.

Why we love it? Aanaar turns the nature of Lapland into culinary art, without pretension or gimmicks. The changing northern seasons are reflected on the plate: reindeer, whitefish, mushrooms, herbs and even pine bark appear as beautifully composed dishes that tell the story of the land. Here, even the king crab counts as local produce, since the Arctic Ocean is only a couple of hours away.

Wilderness Hotel Juutua, Saarikoskentie 2, Inari. Three-course menu €72, five courses €95. Open nightly.

What is it? This tiny restaurant in the small town of Lohja is both a destination restaurant and a chef’s table in the truest sense. There are only eight seats, and people travel from across Finland just to eat here. And honestly, can you think of many other reasons to visit Lohja? (Alright, there’s at least one – Finland’s most beautiful tree, so called Paavola oak.)

Why we love it? When chef Mikko Utter moved with his family to the small, unassuming town of Lohja, opening a fine dining restaurant probably wasn’t the obvious next step. But he did it anyway, and people started coming, from all over Finland. His restaurant is as personal as it gets: Utter bakes the bread, pickles the vegetables, makes the cheeses and cured meats, cooks every dish and serves them himself. He even finds time to chat with guests between courses. Dinner here feels less like eating out and more like being welcomed into your friend’s home – if your friend happens to be one of Finland’s most talented cooks.

Kauppakatu 16, Lohja. Seven-course menu €85. Bookings open at the start of each season and sell out fast.

What is it? The buffet at Tertti Manor is a true feast for the senses – a lavish spread of around fifty dishes, all made on site. Expect organic vegetables from the manor’s own garden, meat from nearby farms and fish caught in Lake Saimaa, seasoned with herbs grown just outside the kitchen door. 

Why we love it: Set in the heart of Finnish Lakeland, Tertti is one of the best places to discover the region’s lakeside food traditions and its deep respect for nature’s bounty. It might sound pricey for a buffet, but it’s worth every euro. Dining here, surrounded by the elegance of the old manor house, feels like a special occasion in itself. For many Finns, a visit to Tertti has become a cherished summer or Christmas tradition.

Kuopiontie 68, Norola. Lunch buffet €54.

What is it? Opened in 1931, Muikkuravintola Sampo is Finland’s most famous vendace restaurant – and quite possibly its best. It’s certainly the most atmospheric.

Why we love it There’s something wonderfully Finnish about a restaurant devoted almost entirely to the small lake fish. Naturally, it’s in Kuopio, deep in the heart of Savonia’s vendace country. Inside, Sampo feels gloriously untouched by time. White tablecloths, velvet curtains and old-fashioned hanging lamps transport diners back to an era when nobody was in a hurry. A life buoy hangs on the wall, seemingly in case visitors drift too far into the restaurant’s wonderfully slow and slightly dreamy Savonian mood. The menu revolves around vendace in all its forms, though there are a few alternatives – including schnitzel and a vegetarian option – for the fish sceptics. 

Time Out tip: The classic order is a towering plate of butter-fried vendace, which, as the waiters happily remind you, are best eaten with your fingers by holding them gently from the tail.

What is it? Miller’s is widely hailed as Finland’s best BBQ restaurant – and we reckon the praise is deserved.

Why do we love it? Just look at that photo, with the meat practically glistening with juicy goodness. It's a pretty irresistible sight for any meat lover. And it's not just about looking delicious. At its best, Miller’s serves sinfully good barbecue, particularly the brisket and pork belly, which were pure gold on our visit. Not everything hit the mark, though. The ribs had been smoked with such enthusiasm that they were practically mummified. All the fat had vanished in the smoke, leaving plenty of flavour but precious little juiciness. As for the sides, the fries and cornbread were excellent, but next time we'd skip the rather timid coleslaw in favour of something with a bit more punch.

Time Out tip: Miller’s expanded to Helsinki in October 2026, meaning you can now enjoy top-notch American-style barbecue in the Finnish capital too.

What is it? A quietly ambitious fine dining restaurant in Lappeenranta serving four- and six-course surprise menus inspired by Nordic cooking.

Why we love it: It’s hard to think of another Finnish town this size with a restaurant quite this ambitious. Sumu feels like the sort of place you’d expect to stumble upon in Copenhagen or Helsinki – not tucked away in southeastern Finland near the Russian border. The restaurant revolves around surprise tasting menus, available in four or six courses, alongside a simpler two-course dinner where guests can choose their dishes. There’s no proper à la carte menu here: you place your trust entirely in the kitchen.

And thankfully, that trust is rewarded. The Nordic-inspired dishes are elegant, inventive and beautifully balanced without ever drifting into pretension. But what lingers in the memory even more than the food is the warmth of the service. Honestly, this restaurant alone is enough reason to plan a weekend trip to Lappeenranta.

Time Out tip: Skip the obvious wine pairing and try beers from Lappeenranta’s wonderfully eccentric Tuju brewery instead. Afterwards, order coffee from the award-winning local roastery Lehmus Roastery – naturally.

What is it? The best Mexican food in Finland is found in Turku’s old market hall. Run by a chef and a philosopher, this tiny café is worth visiting for lunch or an early dinner. Opening hours are short – until 6pm on weekdays and 4pm on Saturdays – so plan your visit carefully.

Why we love it: Chingón is Mexican Spanish slang meaning, roughly, ‘damn good’, and that’s exactly what this place is. A Mexican friend of mine swears it’s the only spot in Finland that truly tastes like home. He even travels from Helsinki to Turku regularly just to eat here. The menu is simple but perfect: quesadillas, enchiladas and tacos made with real care and flavour.

Turku Market Hall, Eerikinkatu 16. Closed on Sundays. Quesadillas €7, enchiladas €11.

What is it? Halfway between Jyväskylä and Pieksämäki, this roadside grill in Hankasalmi has become a pilgrimage site for burger lovers. Devotees have voted Grill Room the best burger joint in Finland two years running, in 2024 and 2025. The place is so popular there’s even a traffic light by the entrance – when it’s red, orders are piling up and you’ll need a little patience.

Why we love it: Grill Room’s smash burgers are crisp-edged, juicy and perfectly balanced. Each one comes with just the right ratio of caramelised, flat-seared beef, melted cheese and sauce; no gimmicks, no nonsense. The ingredients are top quality, the portions generous and the atmosphere delightfully unpretentious. This is the kind of place that proudly keeps the Finnish roadside grill tradition alive and sizzling.

Ysitie 362, Hankasalmi. Open Sat–Thu 11am–8pm. Burgers around €12, fries €5.

What is it? A tiny Italian family-run restaurant in Oulu where the handmade pasta is superb and even the glassware comes with a sense of humour – don’t be surprised if your wine glass arrives wearing a tiny tongue piercing.

Why we love it: What happens when an Italian couple moves to Oulu, and opens a restaurant? Apparently, love at first bite. Italica Taberna brings a wonderfully un-Finnish sense of warmth, theatricality and playful charm to Finland’s windswept northern tech city. The pasta is handmade daily, the atmosphere is lively without trying too hard, and the food has the kind of confidence that comes from people cooking exactly what they love to eat themselves. Everything on the menu sounds tempting, from delicate starters to rich mains like herb-wrapped porchetta that practically dissolves on the fork. But the undeniable showstopper here – and in this case genuinely a show – is the pasta sfoglia croccante. Built from layers of crisp pastry and silky cream, it arrives looking like an edible architectural experiment: tall, dramatic and completely outrageous. Somehow, it tastes even better than it looks.

Time Out tip: Reservations are basically essential. At lunch, the restaurant works beautifully for a lighter meal, as the pasta portions are fairly restrained. In the evening, go all in with the tasting menu.

Kirkkokatu 17. Open Tue-Sat 12.15pm-9pm. Starters from €15, pasta dishes €17-22, mains from €24.

What is it? Farmor’s Café is the Finnish archipelago at its most idyllic. It’s located on the small island of Högsåra, just a short (and free) ferry ride from Kasnäs at the tip of the Kimitoön island. The café operates in a former pilot’s cottage dating back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Why we love it: Set in a lush garden surrounded by apple trees and flowers, Farmor’s Café serves food that tastes like pure Finnish summer by the sea: fresh fish, savoury pies, crisp salads and legendary desserts (the strawberry cake alone is worth the trip). Time seems to slow here: the air is scented with herbs from the garden, and dishes arrive decorated with flowers picked on the island. In mid-July, the café bursts into life when the party band Spruce comes to play, turning this tranquil hideaway into a joyful seaside celebration.

Högsåra village road. Open in summer.