The Italian wine bar Brera, once tucked inside a tiny kiosk by Eira Park, became one of Helsinki’s surprise hits last summer. So popular, in fact, that its founders – Massimo Montalbano and Joona Toljander – decided to open a full-scale restaurant.
It’s clearly what people wanted. On a Thursday night, Officine Brera is packed to the rafters. Without a reservation, you can forget about getting a table. The mood is electric. A live jazz band plays every Thursday, which turns out to be a smart move: one extra night of weekend energy in the middle of the week.
'It’s amazing to work Thursdays here, you get to enjoy the concert too,' one waiter beams.
True enough. The lively atmosphere alone could chase away even the bleakest November blues. The sound of jazz blends beautifully with the cheerful hum of conversation. It’s almost perfect.
Almost.
When it comes time to eat, the restaurant’s kiosk roots begin to show. Starters arrive briskly, but the mains? Two hours. That’s long enough to lose faith – even in a full house. The menu offers only three main courses (entrecôte, sea bass and fried aubergine), so you’d expect things to move faster, but the kitchen seems short on grill space.
We weren’t the only ones waiting. The staff – all of them wonderfully kind and apologetic – made their rounds with complimentary snacks: nuts and olives 'just to give you something to nibble on.'
If the delays tested our patience, the pricing and warmth of the service helped restore it. The spirit of the kiosk days lingers here in the best possible way: prices are fair, and dishes are designed to be shared.
The lively atmosphere alone could chase away even the bleakest November blues.
As for the food itself, it was a mixed bag. The scallop with pancetta, corn foam and katsuobushi (8 euros) was excellent, but the vitello tonnato (14 euros), inspired by the Piedmont region, turned out rather bland. The brioche tartare (13 euros) with black truffle, garlic mayo and mushroom crisps sounded more exciting than it tasted. The fries (7 euros), however, were superb.
Officine Brera is absolutely worth visiting – more for its buzzing atmosphere than a perfect plate, but you’ll get your money’s worth either way. We’ll be back, especially to try the Milanese risotto with osso buco, which we watched being carried to other tables looking irresistibly good. Perhaps, after that, the rating will climb from three stars to four – the potential is certainly there.
A quick note on seating: when booking, you’ll be asked to choose between the dining room, the bar counter, and the 'Kitchen Desk'. Based on experience, skip the last option. The four narrow seats sit in a corner cut off from the restaurant’s lively pulse. Watching the kitchen at work is fun for a while – until the wait for food stretches on.
Still, when the 300-gram entrecôte (€32) finally arrived, it was quite the sight: served on a gleaming metal platter, like the head of John the Baptist on a silver tray.