Grocery shopping with charm

It is one of the most important sights of Helsinki and something to recommend to everyone that visits Helsinki. The Wanha Kauppahalli (old market hall) offers its visitors not only a huge variety of good and fresh food, it also has its very own and unique atmosphere. And it’s not just a place for tourists. Also the locals come here to get their groceries. Even if you don’t really need anything it is fun to just walk along the stands, look at the typical Finnish products and maybe buy a small snack. After seeing all the nice things they sell you will want to also try some of them. But it is a place in the center which means: don’t expect low prices.

You find Kauppahalli next to the market square at the end of Esplanadi next to the sea. It is also a good place for rainy days. You should take the tram 3T then and get out at Kauppatori.

Korvapuusti Deluxe

One of the most traditional Finnish pastries is Korvapuusti (slapped ears). It is a cinnamon roll that is served with coffee.You will find it in basically every café. Today I tried some kind of deluxe version of it at Arnolds (the Finnish Dunkin' Donuts). They call it Spinny and you get it for 3,20 €. It is covered with a tasty sauce, they warm it up for you and it's just great! This sweet delight is of course not the healthiest snack. But come on, it's weekend.

For those that want to make their own Korvapuusti I found this recipe.

Enjoy!

Best cafés in Helsinki

I already presented you my ranking of the best pubs in Helsinki. Today it’s all about the cafés.

THE BEST CAFÉS

1. Café Fazer (CITY Ranking not under the top 5): It might be one of the biggest tourist attraction and that is probably also the reason why Helsinki locals didn’t vote it into the top 5 cafés in Helsinki. It is also definitely not the cheapest place in Helsinki. For me it is anyway the number one. Fazer, located in Kluuvikatu between Esplanadi und Alexis, has by far the biggest and best selection of cakes, tarts, cookies, chocolate, sandwiches and whatever else you ever wish for for a nice afternoon at a café. Even if it is tempting to take more I would highly recommend to just take one piece of cake. They are really filling and together with a nice coffee or hot chocolate should be enough to make you happy. When you come there for the first time, try to cheesecake. It’s amazing. Also the interior at Fazer convinces with its luxurious but still simple style. Eventhough it is nice to sit next to the window and watch people passing by I would recommend sitting in the back of the café under the dome. While enjoying your cake try to avoid too private topics. Due to the interesting acoustics it is possible for the people on the opposite side of the dome to overhear your conversation.

2. Kappeli (CITY Ranking not under the top 5): Again one of those tourist places and again probably a reason it didn’t make it into the top 5. Kappeli is a restaurant, café and bar on Esplanadi. The beautiful and recently restored old building with a lot of windows has its very own style and atmosphere. I the summer you can sit outside on the terraces, enjoy the sunshine and listen to one of the many bands that play on Esplanadi. In winter you should come inside, have a got glöggi or just a normal cappuccino and enjoy the warmth while watching people outside fighting the cold in their fluffy winter coats. Kappeli is a place with great tradition. Opened in 1867 it already hosted few of Finland’s most famous and important artists like Jean Silbelius and Eino Leino. The history and the nice location also have an effect on the price. Kappeli is one of the most beautiful but also one of the most expensive places in Helsinki.

3. Café Java (CITY Ranking No 1): In the corner of Lasipalatsi at Mannerheimintie Café Java is located at the probably liveliest crossroad of Helsinki. If you want to watch the city life while having your coffee this is the place to go. Café Java offers a nice selection of pastry and hot and cold beverages. If you are hungry you can also create your own salad. Not just because it has lately been voted the best café in town it is almost always crowded. After noon it gets tough to find a table here. And waiting at the counter for your order might take a while. Especially during rush hour I would recommend you to go right upstairs. They also have a bar up there where you can place your order. And also the view is much nicer from up here. Compared to Fazer and Kappeli the prices are quite reasonable (taking into account you are in the center of Helsinki).

with material from CITY Magazine Helsinki 3/2012

Best Pubs in Helsinki

Hei guys,

the CITY Magazine made their readers vote for the best places in Helsinki. You can check out the result on their latest issue. I also took the time to make my personal ranking. Today I start with:

Best Pubs:

1. Teerenpeli (CITY Ranking No. 1) The beer restaurant, how it is called, is located in Kamppi just a few meters away from the big shopping center. They serve their own brewed beer. You can choose between six to seven different beers from their brewery in Lahti. (They already received lots of prizes for their beer.) I highly recommend you the Sauhusanttu, a smoky dark beer. It’s quite strong though and might not be everyone’s taste. But if you are new just ask for the bar tenders help for your choice of beer. They also let you try before ordering. Don’t forget to ask also for the changing season’s beer.  Apart from that they also have a big variety of bottled beer mainly from Belgium and Germany. If you come in hungry try one of their famous panimos (toasts). They smell really good and taste even better. The dark and cozy interior makes it easy to relax and chill out here. Teerenpeli is extremely popular on Friday and Saturday nights as a place to go before going to a club. So try to avoid entering there between nine and eleven. It might be impossible to find a table.

2. Stone’s (CITY Ranking not in the top 5): Stone’s, located in one of the side streets of Aleksanterinkatu, is a nice cozy place with dark interior that has more to offer then what meets the eye at the first glance. On two levels you can relax in comfortable booths or at small tables. They offer a wide selection of beer some of which I bet you’ve never heard of before. Ask the waiter to have a try before you decide on a beer. The screens in the pub might also help you with your decision. They monitor the beers consumption there so you know exactly what the most popular draught of the day is. Hungry? No problem. They also serve food. Get a snack like the tasty beer bacon meatballs for reasonable prices. You can save some money with your S-bonus card here since Stone’s belongs to the S-group. Like in most of the Finnish pubs they also have a big selection of board games. So go downstairs and play a round of Kimble with your friends.

3. Molly Malone’s  (CITY Ranking No. 3): The probably most original Irish Pub in whole Helsinki. Also located close to the metro station Kaisaniemi Molly Malone’s offer exactly what you expect from an Irish Pub. You get your tapped Guinness as well as Newcastle Brown Ale. But also other draught beers like Australian Fosters or Finnish Lapin Kulta are available. But Molly Malone’s has more to offer then what is obvious on the first glance. On weekends they open their second level for live music acts. And when you come up there you’ll be surprised how much space they have upstairs. With a second bar and numerous tables the airy room differs a lot from the narrow but cozy booths you find downstairs.

with material from CITY Magazine Helsinki 3/2012