Café culture in Helsinki: top 7

The Finns drink 12kg of coffee per person per year – more than any other country in the world. But only in the past decade has the third wave of coffee movement really taken over the Finnish capital of Helsinki, pushing for high-quality, artisan coffee over mass-produced stuff.

Here are seven of the best cafés heading up this new coffee culture, showcasing how the scene has diversified in recent years.

Kuuma

This convivial corner café in the Design District is a showcase of cool, Nordic interiors as well as fantastic coffee and wholesome food. Bathed in natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, it’s a calming space with white walls, hanging potted plants and a turquoise floor. Try the thinly-sliced avocado on crunchy toast and sprinkled with black sesame seeds or the granola bowl topped with raspberries, alongside an expertly-brewed latte. Just a short walk from Kuuma, in an Art Nouveau castle built in the 1900s, the contemporary suites at Glo Hotel Art are a great place to crash out (once the caffeine wears off).

Good Life

The award-winning owner and barista of Good Life Coffee, Lauri Sipilä, has a winning formula; world-class coffee, pastries sourced from local bakeries, a casual attitude and a happening location. You can really get a feel for Kallo, Helsinki’s alternative neighbourhood, just by people-watching from the tiny terrace, or behind the huge windows underneath worn, green-painted light shades. This café is only a few years old but already has a loyal following, mainly because when it comes to coffee, they really know their stuff. They roast their own beans and employ baristas who are deeply knowledgeable about the brews that they are serving. Stay at deluxe design hotel Scandic Paasi, just a 10-minute walk from Good Life Coffee.

Kaffa Roastery

Kaffa is the place to go for ardent coffee fans, with its own roastery, a retail space for a wide range of beans and brewing paraphernalia, and barista workshops. Coffee enthusiasts will really be able to taste the difference between cups here, and if you want to train your palate, the knowledgeable baristas will be happy to guide you. Try the espresso, which is light with berry notes, or the flat white, a nutty and velvety smooth concoction made with fresh Finnish milk. Indigo Helsinki-Boulevard is an eco-friendly, boutique hotel just a 10-minute walk from Kaffa Roastery.

Kahvila Sävy

Run by husband-and-wife team, Kaisa and Mikko Sarén, Kahvila Sävy is a low-key, inviting café in a quiet suburb outside the city centre. It’s frequently filled with people having friendly catch-ups with retro records playing in the background. The aesthetic falls somewhere between brasserie and warehouse, with mismatched, round wooden tables, a scarlet cement floor and a light wooden counter lined with white, ceramic tiles. Most of the beans come from a small roastery in western Finland and the pastries and cakes are delicious; try the cardamom-spiced cookie and the Aeropress coffee for its smooth and subtle flavour. Check into Hotel F6, an upscale, centrally-located hotel that’s an easy 15-minute metro ride from Kahvila Sävy.

Johan & Nyström

On a quiet street near Helsinki’s Uspenski Cathedral, right on the edge of the North Harbour, Johan & Nyström is a lovely place to spend an idle afternoon. It’s a converted warehouse with tall, red brick walls, wooden beams and high ceilings, warm lighting and colourful conceptual furniture. Founded in Sweden in 2004, it’s expanded across Scandinavia and gained a cult following in Finland thanks to its high-quality beans and slow roasting method, which allows for fuller flavour. There’s even a small shop so you can take home the beans of your favourite brew. Hotel Haven is just around the corner from Johan & Nyström, with Harbour views and palatial suites.

Regatta Café

In a red-painted hut bordered by red picket fence, Regatta Café is picture-perfect in its location by the sea in the Töölö neighbourhood. Open all year round, it’s got a large alfresco area with a bonfire where you can roast sausages, which can be bought inside. It’s as magical in the winter when covered in snow, with a cinnamon bun and a hot chocolate, as it is on long summer days with an iced coffee. You can also rent kayaks and paddleboards just outside the café for a little expedition into the bay (provided it’s not frozen). Regatta Café is located a little far from other attractions, so you might want to base yourself at the Original Sokos Hotel Presidentti Helsinki, also in the Töölö neighbourhood but somewhat more central.

Fratello & La Torrefazione

Fratello is the younger sibling of La Torrefazione, which was one of the first cafés to bring the artisanal coffee movement to Helsinki. These two friendly, neighbourhood haunts are situated within a five-minute walk of one another in the city centre, but each focuses on different roasts and types of coffee. Fratello’s speciality is siphon coffee (a vacuum technique used to preserve flavour) and deli-style lunches like pasta with ricotta, black chanterelle pesto, zucchini and parmesan. It’s also located just by the city’s university library so has a more student-based clientele than La Torrefazione, which draws in the crowds for its cakes, ciabattas and gelato, and its different kind of coffee. Check into Hotel Finn, a fashionable, contemporary accommodation just a 10-minute walk from Fratello.