Café society
It is pleasant to drop into a café for a while to regain one's strength amidst all the sightseeing.
Sitting in cafés in the centre of Helsinki is entertainment in itself.
There are numerous attractive cafés around Senate and Market Squares. There are cafés worthy of a visit elsewhere as well, just as long as you know how to find them. Many theatres, museums and other cultural centres also have their own individually designed cafés. International café chains and Internet cafés popular with the young crowd have also appeared in the centre of Helsinki.
Enjoying a cup of coffee in the historical centre
Kappeli in the Esplanadi Park is an indisputable classic both as a café and a restaurant. Café Engel on Senate Square is a stylish café popular with the university staff and students and the tables are waited on.
Engel's hot chocolate with cream, its delicious assortment of cakes and fresh à la carte meals are well worth a try. In the cosy Café Ateneum in the Ateneum Art Museum, you can enjoy pastries baked on site and a vegetarian lunch in magnificent surroundings in amongst art treasures.
There are several stylish cafés, such as Café Esplanad and Café Strindberg in Pohjoisesplanadi. The former is particularly renowned for its giant cinnamon rolls. In addition to its international-style downstairs café, Strindberg has a restaurant specialising in Nordic cuisine upstairs.
The cafés in the street are places to while away time and to meet friends, and in the summer their outdoor tables are jammed. Fazer in Kluuvikatu boasts a wide selection of pastries and is also well known for its wonderful ice-cream sundaes.
In style in Bulevardi, close to the sea in Kaivopuisto
Café Ekberg in Bulevardi is renowned for its sophistication and famous patronage. The café's sumptuous breakfast buffet is particularly popular. The shades of the old deciduous trees lining Bulevardi create a unique atmosphere in the café.
The charming Bulevardin kahvisalonki in the corner of Bulevardi and Mannerheimintie offers European café culture and pastries from its own kitchen.
Café Ursula in the very tip of Kaivopuisto is a magnificent pavilion by the sea. The more contemporary Café Carusel repeats the round shape of Ursula by the shoreline of Kaivopuisto. In sunny weather, the outside tables of both seaside cafés are full.
Old-time charm
While visiting the museums of Seurasaari and Tamminiemi, it is also worthwhile to visit the romantic and beautiful small cafés hidden away in the old wooden villas in Tamminiementie. Tamminiementien Kahvila and Villa Angelica offer homemade pastries and cakes, which are enjoyed in rooms decorated with antique furniture.
Modern looks and new trends
Café Aalto in the Academic Bookstore is an understated and high-quality café in the typical Alvar Aalto-style, which is in keeping with the style of the house designed by the master architect. Kirjekahvila in the Main Post Office is a clever little correspondence-themed café.
The numerous cafés in the Lasipalatsi Film and Media Centre are breathing and living nerve centres and meeting places in the ageless functionalist-style building. Likewise, on the other side of the road, Café Kiasma in the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma reflects modern Helsinki life.
Links:
Source: Helsinki City Tourist & Convention Bureau
Photo: City of Helsinki Picture Bank
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