Helsinki Goes Vegan

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helsinki goes vegan

Vegan food has become one of the biggest global trends in contemporary societies. Finland is no exception: our supermarkets have been flooding with interesting new plant-based products, more and more restaurants are becoming vegan-friendly, and our number one food export might soon be Pulled Oats. Seriously!

Being the capital, Helsinki is at the forefront of much of this. While fully vegan restaurants are still scarce, many vegetarian restaurants favour plant-based cuisine. And what’s perhaps even more delightful, almost any modern restaurant worth their salt will offer vegan alternatives alongside more traditional dishes – great for group outings and dinner with your parents.

Here is a selection of the best places to get your vegan needs tended to in Helsinki!

Words by Olli Oilinki & Katja Karjalainen / Photos by Olli Oilinki except Farang

(Photo above: Restaurant Grön)

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Helsinki

Helsinki is a modern, pocket-sized European city known for design and high technology. Helsinki’s attractive and unique character comes from its proximity to the sea, as well as its location between the East and the West.

Helsinki

sörnäinen and kallio

Should you find yourself in the vibrant surroundings of Sörnäinen and Kallio, Vaasankatu is worth a visit for any hungry vegan! SoiSoi makes the best seitan in town, Just Vege offers great falafels and burgers and Oh My Goodness offers a great vegan breakfast. Around the corner is the shopping center Redi where you can find Bun2Bun, Finland’s first vegan hamburger restaurant chain.

hakaniemi

Onda, just up the street from the Hakaniemi market place, is a versatile, cosy spot that has something for everyone. Most of their menu is vegetarian, and everything can be made vegan. Their fantastic hummus, great cauliflower wings and healthy poke bowls are good for snacking, while their vegan fish burger and seitan offerings will fill you up proper. There is some fish and meat on the menu, so your conservative friends need not fear too much. All their wines are organic and vegan, as well. Craving for some delicious Vietnamese food? Head to Sen Chay on Siltasaarenkatu.

city center

Should you feel the need for an afternoon snack in the heart of Helsinki, Kippo offers great sandwiches, juices, smoothies and coffee atop the Forum mall. So they have a convenient location, fresh, tasty food, and killer smoothies, but the best part? Their menu is 100 % vegan. If you’re looking for a lunch location downtown, head to OnNam which offers a delicious salad and soup buffet.

falafels

Some of the best falafels in Helsinki are offered by Fafa’s. They have several locations around the city and the ones on Iso-Roobertinkatu, Kamppi and Mikonkatu are open late on the weekends. Do consider getting your food to go though, as the venues tend to be small and crowded. Other good locations if you’re craving for falafels? Try Levant, a Lebanese-style restaurant at Bulevardi, or Sandro, which has multiple locations around the city.

Hietsun Kauppahalli

This quaint market hall was opened in 1903, making it the second-oldest in Helsinki. Today, it caters to a modern crowd looking to get a quick lunch during the week or a bite to eat while sampling the outdoor flea market on the weekends.

Cargo

A fresh new face in Helsinki’s vegetarian scene, this urban café & restaurant is constructed of cargo containers. A popular hangout throughout the day and into the evening, their rooftop terrace must be one of the sunniest in the city. While the à la carte menu is a bit pricy, their lunch is more affordable and simply irresistible. If you arrive in Helsinki by boat, you can walk here from Länsiterminaali and grab some breakfast on your way into the city – trams number 9 and 6T also stop right at the door.

vegan Fine Dining

Looking for something more special? A number of revered high-end restaurants also offer vegan menus, among them Chef Tomi Björck’s Asian-themed smash hit Farang. For an all-out Nordic dinner menu, visit the Michelin-adorned Chef & Sommelier. For something Nordic but a bit quirkier, try Grön instead.

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helsinki goes vegan