2 Best Restaurants in Helsinki, Finland

A short distance from the town center, Elite is a welcome place to recharge with a drink at the bar or meal after visiting Temppeliaukio Church, which is a five-minute walk away, and the Sibelius Monument—especially in summer, when there's outdoor seating. In addition to the Finnish classics of fried Baltic herring, salmon soup with rye bread, and select game, a fixed "Artist's Menu" is offered, including an option for recommended wine pairings and a main course choice of charred trout or sirloin steak. Its elegant art deco interior and spacious layout are popular with artists and writers. 

At the foot of village-like Korkeavuorenkatu—“high hill street”—within easy reach of a cluster of boutiques and cozy cafés, Sea Horse was founded in 1934. Originally famed for its fried Baltic herring and authentically local feel, it gained a higher profile in the 1990s when lauded in national and European publications for its excellent steaks. Sea Horse gives a convivial taste of down-to-earth, no-frills Finnish restaurant life.