Brand New Coffee Guide to Helsinki Cafes & Finnish Coffee Culture

Finland is a coffee-loving country, with its nation said to consume the highest amounts per capita in the world. Annually 10kg per head are consumed, which on average means a Finn can drink up to 5 cups of coffee per day. Coffee is their national drink. Life starts with coffee and ends with coffee, even their Independence Day (6th Dec) is rumoured to have started out as a coffee session before turning into a historical event. It is all the more surprising that there is so little information online about Finnish coffee culture and far too much outdated content about Helsinki cafes.

It seemed no one had done a recent crawl through all the Helsinki cafes and found the best cafes in Helsinki yet. 

This sounded exactly like a mission designed for me. So here it is, my 2023 brand new coffee guide to Helsinki cafes with all my research, observations and recommendations. Don’t worry, you won’t find the Moomin Café | Mumin Kaffe listed here (closed since 2020!) nor the blogger-favourite Café Regatta (no shade). 

Cover Picture Credit: Jussi Hellsten | Helsinki Partners

What’s the “Cafes in Helsinki” Situation like?

Mixed. It’s not that there aren’t any cafes in Helsinki. The question often arises: which one best meets my needs, and is it nearby? To me, this looks like a warm, cosy place with excellent coffee where I can sit undisturbed and mindlessly scroll or read for an hour or so. The café is ideally in walking distance because, let’s be honest, no one walks kilometre wide to a café if they aren’t in the area anyway. More than once, I found myself in a situation where I had difficulty finding the right cafe in Helsinki, and the best option seemed to be the Nordic chain Espresso House. Not the ideal scenario, if you ask me. The search for the best cafes in Helsinki continued for me.

Finding the Best Helsinki Cafes: My Research Results

The online content focusing on cafes in Helsinki that ranks in the SERPS on Google page 1 has been unreliable and overall left me disappointed and unimpressed. Here are some of the examples analysed:

Example 1: Tourist Information & Local Guide

• Last updated 2022
• 6 out of 21 suggestions were closed (29%)
• 11 out of the remaining 15 cafés (73%) were massively out of the way from central 

Example 2: Travel Online Publication

• Last updated in 2019
• 3 out of 6 suggestions closed (50%)

Example 3: Popular Travel Blog

• Last “updated” in August 2023
• Lists the Moomin Café, which is closed since March 2020

Example 4: Trusted Online Coffee Publication

• No info on content age
• 4 out of 14 cafés out of the centre (29%)
• Only 4 in walking distance in central (29%)
• 1 out of 14 no longer in business (1%)

While this was frustrating and not at all helpful when searching for the best cafes in Helsinki, the research still gave me one valuable insight: it seems that the café scene in Helsinki is extremely dynamic and the business turnover here is fast. At least the blog post mentioned the annual Helsinki Coffee Festival, which provided a first solid lead for my ongoing research.

Finnish Coffee Culture

I usually find information about coffee culture relatively quickly when I travel to a new city. However, things weren’t so easy with Helsinki cafes and Finnish coffee culture. At first, I couldn’t find much solid information about the history of coffee in Finland. It looks like there are no books about coffee culture or traditional coffee houses in Helsinki. So I had to dig a little deeper and continued to research persistently. After painstakingly searching through many sources, I was finally able to compile a few historical facts about Finnish coffee culture for you.

Finnish Coffee Roasters Association

• Coffee came to Finland during the Swedish rule (1685)
• Drink of the aristocracy & well-off classes
• First coffee shop founded in Stockholm in 1708 (be assured I’ll report back)
• Turku burghers imported coffee to Finland for the first time in 1720s
• First Finnish coffee shop opened in Turku in 1773 (it was the capital until 1812)
• Coffee was still a luxury product with tax and a regulated import. King Gustav IV Adolf gave in at the beginning of 19th cent and declared coffee to be accessible to all classes
• The industrial production of coffee for retailers was started by German businessman Gustav Paulig in 1904 (great grandpa of Robert Paulig, you’ll hear more about him later on in this post)
• Sales of roasted coffee overtook consumer sales of raw coffee in the late 1920s. This was also the decade in which coffee was packaged.
• Coffee was suspended during WWII. The severe shortage led to a complete dry up in 1943
• The first batch of coffee arrived 1946 at the harbour in Turku
• 1954 regulations of coffee ended
• The bulk sale of coffee declined with the advent of airtight vacuum cans and packaging made of aluminium laminate. Many small independent roasters could not afford new equipment so coffee became a pull-in product. The coffee was sold in bulk by supermarkets and commercial shops and became a bargain – therefore accessible to anyone
• They list the first book resource, which I haven’t found yet: Nieminen, Petri & Puustinen, Terho (2014) Coffee – The great Finnish Passion (Kahvi – suuri suomalainen intohimo)

The National Museum of Finland

• Finland is the highest coffee-consuming country per capita in the world
• Coffee is the national drink and belongs to all life moments including births, weddings, anniversaries, funerals
• Life starts and ends with coffee
• By 1917 (year of Finnish independence), merchants from Turku had supplied coffee to Helsinki for more than 100 years
• Coffee supports the stable value of socialising. It can also be reused as a fertiliser to nourish soil and life
• Finns value the comfort coffee provides during long, cold winter months
• Finnish coffee etiquette: Never reject a coffee invitation from your Finnish crush. Finns are introverts and an invite to coffee means they find you interesting enough to connect with you. This is an honour and privilege. Take the chance! The 1st coffee is just coffee, 2nd reflects trust, 3rd brings confession and they will open up to you
• Apparently the Finnish Independence Day (6th December) started as a coffee session

Report on Coffee Consumption in Finland

• Roasting in Finland is lighter than in South/Central Europe (which explains why they can cope with so much caffeine in the day)
• Paulig is the biggest coffee brand to import coffee and supplies many cafes in Helsinki
• Hub for coffee is Vuosaari harbour in Greater Helsinki East

Tourist Information

• Initially no success online and in person
• After some more research, I came across a section on “classic Helsinki cafes” aka traditional coffee houses. I consider this a lost in translation case. 

Now it was time to dive in and get to know the cafes in Helsinki first hand. I’m happy to report that I haven’t had a single bad cup of coffee. The Finns are definitely coffee connoisseurs and do not tolerate low-quality drinks.

My Observations on Helsinki Cafes

• Chains (e.g. Fazer, Robert’s, Espresso House) are often run by Finns
• Finnish-run cafés often serve a Fazer chocolate sample with your drink
• Independent cafés employ mostly international staff who prefer to speak English
• The quality of the coffee is top. I had not a single bad taste experience
• Milk alternatives, e.g. oat milk, are common
• Kakkukhavi (coffee and cake) sessions are expensive. Coffee and a treat usually cost around 10€
• The average cost for a cappuccino in Helsinki cafes sits at 4.50€
• WiFi can be a touchy subject in independently run cafés and is often not available
• Berlin-based roaster The Barn supplies coffee to Rams Roasters in Helsinki and Conta Café in Riga
• Helsinki cafes are first and foremost coffee-drinking establishments. Dessert shops aren’t too plentiful. Finns seem to prefer pastry-based treats
• Brunch usually focuses on savoury dishes, e.g. avo on toast, English breakfast, bread with toppings instead of granola or pancakes 
• Tap water is available from a self-service tap
• Traditional coffee houses in Helsinki are Ekberg, Café Engel, Café Strindberg, Kappeli, Esplanad & Robert’s Coffee Jugend. The final three can be found at the Esplanade Park and will be visited on my next Helsinki trip

The Best Helsinki Cafes

These were my personal favourite cafes in Helsinki, which I revisited a couple of times. They served my needs and motivated me to come back over and over again. All Helsinki cafes are within walking distance unless otherwise stated.

Fazer

When you walk around Helsinki, you’ll notice Fazer Cafes everywhere. Please don’t dismiss the chain. It is an authentic Finnish Institution and deeply intertwined with Finnish everyday life. You honestly can’t come to Finland and not fall in love with Fazer. When I had my first kakkukhavi session there, it turned out to be my first solid lead on traditional coffee houses in Helsinki. 

The napkin I was given with my coffee read “Fazer who opened his French-Russian confectionery at Kluuvikatu 3 in 1891”. I finished my coffee and made my way to the address. 

Kluuvikatu 3 is Fazer’s HQ. The massive café is partially a shop and partially the original Fazer coffee house. Many features of the original café are still intact. A positive delight was the digital display of the history of Fazer, because I’m an introvert, too and I didn’t have to ask someone for information.

At the age of 25, Karl Fazer opened his first café here in 1891. He also lived on the first floor of the building, which already hosted a few businesses. In 1894, Fazer fell in love with a regular customer – the driven Berta Blomquist. She had just finished business school and not only became Fazer’s wife but also his business partner. Whilst Fazer focused on inventing new products, Berta was in charge of the marketing & business development – a true power couple. 

The building at Kluuvikatu 3 was designed by Selin A. Lindquist and features decorations by Viktor Jansson – the father of Moomin creator Tove Jansson. Tove collaborated for many years with Fazer. To this day, there are many Moomin & Fazer products available and deeply cherished by the Finns. 

In 1930, the Fazer Café was so popular that it needed another extension. Fazer hired architect Gösta Juslin who gave the space an Art Deco style and look. Keep your eye out for the original features. The original floor, and ceiling with an iconic glass dome, entrance, display window, mirrors and ventilation grids are protected by the Act on Protection from the Built Heritage. 

During WWII, Fazer Café still operated in business and by 1950 had reached new heights in popularity. By then, Fazer had invented many sweets and treats and introduced one of the first customer queuing systems in Helsinki.

In 1980 Fazer introduced ice cream. The Banana Split, Melba Coup and KinKin are Finnish classics. Some other Fazer inventions still produced today include:

• Pihlaja marmalade (1895, oldest product) 
• Mignon Eggs (1896)
• Fazer Blue milk chocolate (1922, the original Fazer chocolate bar)
• Fazer Lakritsi (1928 licorice, the Finns are obsessed with licorice)
• Salmiaki (1938, boom in 1950-60; a strong licorice candy with added sea salt)
• Marianne (1949, a cooling mint shell with a soft chocolate centre, combines Russian confectionery with French taste)
• Moomin Collaborations (1957 and still ongoing)
• Geisha Chocolate (1962, my absolute top Fazer choice, fine almond-nougat paste called Japonica combined with the smooth Fazer milk chocolate and truffle)

From the 1990s to the present, the café has undergone several renovations, mainly to attract more customers and create a better experience. Overall, many of the café’s original features were retained as they proved very popular with guests and attracted new customers. Today Fazer is an integral part and a popular brand in Finland. If you want to know more about Fazer Chocolate, there is a visitor experience and chocolate factory in Vantaa.

My Experience with Fazer Cafés

My cappuccino was tasty and a pleasant experience. The lovely aroma and light chocolate flavour in the aftermath provided me with the comfort I never thought I needed. I can understand now why Finns seek out coffee so much for that feeling. For a chain, this was exceptional coffee, but then by the time I had the coffee I had already tasted a few Fazer products, and they are simply of great quality. 

The pistachio bun was a wonderful addition to my coffee and I would order it again any time. On another visit, I went for the Geisha cake. Oh, it was divine! The smoothness of the hazelnut chocolate melted in my mouth. The shiny mirror glaze was too perfect to destroy it, but I simply had to take another piece of the cake. This was again a Fazer product of perfection. Fazer is one of the main reasons why I would love to visit Finland again. 

Price Point: cappuccino 4.50€| pistachio bun 3.90€ | Geisha patisserie 7.70€ 

The Good Coffee Company

Three years ago Bernhard (originally from Klagenfurt) started The Good Coffee Company. The Viennese café and restaurant supports a cause in Ethiopia from where the coffee is also sourced. Roasting happens on-site at the café, so the coffee will always be mega-fresh. The place not only serves Austrian dishes (your apple strudel fix is sorted), Almdudler and Sacher Cake but also offers tandem partners and encounters with internationals and locals to improve your language skills and integrate into the community. 

After many acidic and mediocre coffees in Tallinn, my first coffee in Helsinki felt like a revelation. Not only was Bernhard extremely welcoming, I felt instantly connected again to Austria and my beloved Vienna. The Wannen wafer that came with my coffee brought back fond memories of my time in Vienna, too. 

After a chat and learning more about the café and its mission, I got my cappuccino. The coffee was fresh, creamy and oh-so-very tasty. Both parts, the milk and the coffee harmonised well together, each giving enough space to the other to fully develop their potential. Usually African coffee tends to be too juicy for my liking, but this one was different, and for once, I had no stomach ache afterwards. 

Price Point: cappuccino 3.90€

Kaffeecentralen

Operates first and foremost as a wholesaler of coffee equipment and importer of coffee, tea and cocoa. The brand supplies various cafés, restaurants, hotels and offices. Therefore, don’t be confused when you enter the shop and see lots of equipment and coffee-making products on sale. The barista and counter are at the back. The seating is mostly by the windows. There is a bathroom available, and the WiFi password comes with your receipt. You can have a pastry from their small selection or help yourself to a Monteriva chocolate sample (or two or three). 

The foam on my cappuccino had collapsed after a few minutes, but my drink was still hot. The first sip felt pleasant. The coffee simply tasted great. Consistency-wise it was on the thin side, but just about acceptable. 

Price Point: cappuccino 4.30€

Average Helsinki Cafes

These cafés were good but didn’t engage me enough to come back another time or weren’t satisfactory in other areas.

Johan & Nyström

Swedish coffee roaster operating since 2004. In true Millennial style, its mission is to bring people quality coffee that is sustainably sourced and fairly paid for using the best fair trade practices. The roasting takes place at their roastery south of Stockholm. The brand has a café in Helsinki’s South Harbour and another branch will soon open at Vantaa Airport.

The café is spacious and offers some work areas on the second level. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. I particularly liked the exposed brick walls, and there was a familiar pleasant smell of coffee in the air. Unfortunately, there was no WiFi and you could only pay by card. I got a few irritating looks by the staff when I ordered in Finnish. 

My coffee was lovely though. Coffee and milk harmonised well together, the consistency was creamy and every sip felt like a warm, comforting hug. The aftermath left me wanting more.

Price Point: cappuccino 4.50€ | pastry bun 3-4€ 

Robert’s Café

Founded in 1987 by the German Robert Paulig, it is now Finland’s best-known coffee roaster and café chain. Paulig’s family has been in the coffee trade for more than six generations. To this day the business is purely family-run. The first café opened in 1992 and today has more than 100 branches in Finland alone. There are also cafés in Estonia and Japan. Paulig is to Finland, what Julius Meinl is to Austria – with the profound difference that Paulig coffee actually tastes like coffee and won’t give you stomach ache for days.

The most beautiful branch is Robert’s Jugend on the Esplanade inside the Jugend Hall building. The house, designed by architect Lars Sonck, is an extension of the nearby merchant’s house and was originally planned as a bank. While Sonck designed the interior, Valter Jung looked after the furnishings and decoration. Sonck’s style is unique in Finnish architecture. The vaulted ceiling with its supporting arches resembles a Viking ship turned upside down. That alone makes the room an unforgettable experience and countless frescoes adorn the rooms.

Unfortunately, since I didn’t know about it, I missed out on experiencing this incredible space. I went to the café at Citycentre Mall.

This time, my cappuccino was a double shot. The flavour was pretty intense and I probably should have gone for the lighter single-shot version. I tasted the creaminess and good roasting of the coffee. It had married with the milk, but the coffee flavour still dominated. Luckily I had a sweet cheesecake with it as it helped balance the strong flavour of my drink.

Price Point: cappuccino double 4€ | cheesecake 4.20€

Andante Café

Andante is listed in many coffee guides as one of the best cafes in Helsinki, so of course it was on my list to try. The specialty café in the Design District promotes a “simple, sustainable and happy lifestyle”. There is coffee, vegan snacks and an extreme hipster atmosphere here, but strictly no WiFi.

Andante is a short walk away from the centre and I’m not sure how often I would come here if I had more time in the city. If you like local exploration and frequently visit the Design District, this quiet café is definitely your first choice. The décor at Andante is simple. There is a lot of wood, green plants, a few shabby corners and edges and of course Marimekko. There are toilets at the back and the café is dog-friendly.

When I approached them in Finnish, the international staff were short, so I switched to English instead. My coffee was served in a stylish Marimekko cup (I later looked them up, they cost 35€, so treat these with care kids!). Here too, the quality of the drink was very good. Creamy, delicious, aromatic. I had no complaints. The atmosphere at Andante wasn’t really vibing with me. While I can understand café owners’ issues with providing free WiFi, I feel this is an outdated view in this DNA and the passive-aggressive note at the counter rubbed me the wrong way.

Price Point: cappuccino 4.50€

Lauran Kaffila (Vantaa)

Whilst checking out the Käärijä mural in Vantaa, I came across this gorgeous café next to the Vantaa Church. The lady at the counter fully embraced me with my basic Finnish, but I felt instantly welcomed and accepted. I honestly love the Finns. The café was modern, clean with a fine touch of simple elegance to it. Its airy and light feel resonated deeply with me. It’s a shame that Lauran Kaffila is so far out from the centre. I would have visited the place every day if it was closer. 

I got a Paulig coffee, which is a staple brand here in Finland. There was not much foam, but I can excuse this, as my drink came with a 70% Fazer chocolate sample. My drink kept hot for a while. Even though it had a thin consistency, its taste was pleasant and I definitely got my money’s worth of coffee. I’ll come back here when I’ll check out the finished mural. 

Price Point: cappuccino 3.70€ 

Helsinki Cafes – Consider Options

These cafes in Helsinki are on my list for another trip. Keep in mind that kakkukhavi sessions are rather pricey in Finland, hence why I couldn’t go too crazy during my first stay. Helsinki cafes that I will consider on another visit are:

Cafétoria, Maja Coffee Roastery, Fratello Torrefazione, La Torrefazione, Enchante Coffee, One Day Coffee & Wine, Bakery Levain, Kaffa Roastery, Ekberg 1852, Café Savoy, Café Esplanad, OmaMaa Luomukahvila, Birgitta,Kahvila Savy

Making of “Helsinki Cafes”

Here are some insights into my work and research when I compiled this Helsinki cafes post:

• Spend time and own expense testing cafes in Helsinki
• Entrance to the National Museum of Finland (paid at own expense)
• Reached out to cafés & the Coffee Festival for further research and information
• Bought the architecture guide “Art Nouveau in Helsinki” at my own expense (29€)
• Researched on site at Tourist Info, Helsinki City Museum, Academia Bookshop Stockmann and National Museum of Finland
• Researched online material, e.g. Coffee consumption in Finland report
• Researched, processed & analysed online resources such as related content from blogs and online publications

FAQs about Helsinki Cafes

I understand this is quite a lengthy post, and you may have some quick questions about Helsinki cafes and Finnish coffee culture. You can, of course, always come back to any section of my post and read in more detail what you’d need for your trip. If you have questions or need help, please get in touch and I’m happy to assist.

Are Helsinki Cafes solo-travel friendly?

Yes, the Finns are all very friendly and open-minded people. I had not a single bad encounter in Finland. No looks, no snarky comments, no harassment from creepy guys. They are also super happy when you order in Finnish and make efforts interacting in their language. An odd thing that irritated me slightly: Finnish women and their company wanted to join my table when there were free seats available. I got approached more than once whilst reading and drinking my coffee. Could be a one off, as Finns are regarded introverts and usually prefer to keep to themselves.

Is Brunch in Helsinki Cafes a Thing?

Some Helsinki cafes have a brunch menu available. Whilst I didn’t seek out any particular cafes in Helsinki for brunch on this trip, I noticed that many menus list avo on toast, salads, topped breads and savoury English Breakfasts. Finns like it simple and uncomplicated, no faff, I guess. Sweet options such as pancakes, granola or birchers are not really a thing.

Thanks so much for reading. If you’ve enjoyed my Helsinki cafes post and would like to support my blog & research, you can do so via Buy Me a Coffee.

Till next time,

Carolin

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