10 Most Popular Cafés in Helsinki

Fazer Café, established by Karl Fazer in 1891, is a classic location for meetings, offering cold and hot drinks and delicious treats for all tastes. It is also where the Fazer company was born, as this was the first coffee shop that Fazer opened after honing his skills in European cities.

In addition to the coffee shop, the premises now house a delicatessen that sells fresh bread, pastries, chocolate, candy and more. On weekdays, the coffee shop is usually open from half past seven in the morning to ten at night; you can find specific opening hours on the Internet. Don’t forget there are other Fazer Cafés in Helsinki. This, the first one, can be found at Kluuvikatu 3. You can also get there easily from Helsinki Central Station or on foot from Kamppi shopping centre.

The cheerful Moomin Café is a great choice for those travelling with children or anyone else mad about the Moomins.

As you might expect, Tove Jansson’s loveable characters have a strong presence here, both in the décor and the food and drink menus. You can also find toys for children, as well as other things to make sure your visit is always enjoyable. And yes: coffee is almost always served in Moomin mugs, familiar to all. The coffee shop is usually open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, so it’s not the place if you want a Sunday or evening coffee. You can find the Moomin Café at Fabianinkatu 29, only five blocks from Helsinki Central Station and two blocks from the steps of Helsinki Cathedral.

On the shores of Taivallahti Bay, near the Töölö District in Helsinki, is Cafe Regatta -- a true coffee-shop classic. It’s in a log cabin on the shoreline, where it’s been since the end of the 19th century.

The cabin is small, but there is a front terrace with seating when weather allows. In addition to the coffee shop, Cafe Regatta hires out equipment such as rowboats, canoes and SUP boards, which you can use to get to nearby Seurasaari in no time. Equipment hire is available from late spring to early autumn. Cafe Regatta is located at Merikannontie 10. The easiest way to get there from central Helsinki is on a city bicycle or Tram 1 or 2. The nearest tram stop is on Apollonkatu Street.

When the weather is nice, Café Ursula offers you something you can’t find elsewhere. The cafe’s large terrace is in Kaivopuisto, by the sea and where the warmth of the sunshine meets the coolness of the sea breeze.

As well as various coffee beverages, you can order beer, wine, lunch or brunch. What’s special about Ursula is that all the profits from the coffee shop go to charity. You can see a complete list of the charities that Ursula supports on the coffee shop’s website, with the main focus on helping children, mothers and the elderly. You can find Café Ursula at the southeast corner of Kaivopuisto park, at Ehrenströmintie 3. The easiest way to get there from Kamppi or Helsinki Central Station is by a city bicycle or Tram number 3. The nearest tram stop is the Kaivopuisto Park stop.

Roasberg, near Helsinki Central Station, is a youthful, bohemian coffee shop with an atmosphere to match. There’s coffee, tea, wine, beer and all sorts of treats and while you enjoy them you can admire the art on the walls, meet other people, or perhaps just check your emails.

The menu contains, among other things, sandwiches, soups, salads, raw cakes and pastries, both with and without animal products. In the summertime it’s also possible to go outside, as there’s a large terrace where you can soak up the sun and people watch. Roasberg is at Mikonkatu 13; you can get there from Helsinki Central Station by going over Kaivokatu street and continuing left, until you see the coffee shop on the right. Come and enjoy!

On Esplanadi Street, as its name suggests, Café Esplanad is a good choice when you need some rest from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Like other coffee shops in central Helsinki, it offers everything you could ask for -- specialty brews and normal coffees, teas, lunch, snacks, home-made pastries and cold drinks.

When it comes to lunch options, you might want to try the famous salmon soup. Since the coffee shop is located in one of the best spots in Helsinki, if not the whole of Finland, it’s no surprise that the décor is classically elegant and the prices a bit above average. In the summer, people come for the coffee shop’s large outdoor terrace, where you can watch the comings and goings of the northern end of Esplanadi Street. Café Esplanad is open every day, from morning to 9 at night. You can easily access it from Helsinki Central Station and the Kamppi Shopping Centre via Mannerheimintie.

Kaffa Roastery in the southern part of the Punavuori District contains a small roasting factory and coffee shop, where you’re guaranteed a great cup of coffee. With its large selection of coffee roasts from almost all coffee-producing countries, it’s heaven for coffee enthusiasts.

Coffee is the main attraction, but you can also order a little something to eat, such as a sandwich or a pastry. If coffee is your passion, Kaffa’s school of coffee is worth checking out. It organises coffee-related training sessions, where you can learn about the secrets of espresso or the coffee-production process. The café also sells Kaffa Roastery’s coffee beans and filter coffee products. You can find Kaffa Roastery at Pursimiehenkatu 12 A. From the centre of the city, the easiest way is on a city bicycle, or Tram 1.

Cafetoria Roastery, within walking distance of Kamppi, is a coffee shop and roastery of the same name, where you can sample some of the best coffees in the world. They are brought to the coffee shop straight from the company’s roastery at Lohja, so freshness is guaranteed.

As well as regular coffees and special brews, there are other drinks, breakfast and snacks like toast, paninis, cakes and pastries. You can also buy the artisanal roastery’s bean and filter coffees, as well as various products related to coffee manufacturing. Cafetoria Roastery is in the Etu-Töölö District at Runeberginkatu 31. You can easily walk there from Helsinki Central Station or Kamppi. If the weather is bad, you can travel there on Tram 1 or 2.

When it comes to furnishings, Robert’s Coffee Jugend can’t be beaten. The coffee shop is in an Art Nouveau space designed by Lars Sonck -- a must-see feature. Among other things, there are gorgeous wall paintings, arches, sturdy pillars and an illuminated glass ceiling.

The coffee shop’s offerings are also great: there’s a lovely selection of special coffees, various teas to try, ice cream, pastries, sandwiches, salads and lots more. In the summertime, after enjoying the stunning interior, you can also choose a table on the outdoor terrace. Robert’s Coffee Jugend is on the corner of Northern Esplanadi Street and Unioninkatu Street, about six blocks from Helsinki Central Station. The central location means the easiest way to get there is on foot. If that’s not practical for whatever reason, you can also take Tram 2.

Strindberg, named after an art salon, is an iconic coffee shop at a central location in the heart of Helsinki. The most famous part of the coffee shop is the terrace on the northern side of Esplanadi Street, but you should also check out the incredibly stylish interior, especially if you’re visiting the city in a large group.

The second floor of the building also contains a brilliant fine-dining restaurant, which is worth checking out. Generally speaking, this is a great choice for those who see décor as one the most important parts of the experience. You should book a table well in advance, through the coffee shop’s website. Strindberg is near Esplanadi Park, at Northern Esplanadi 33. The easiest way to get there is from Helsinki Central Station via Mikonkatu. When you reach the northern edge of Esplanadi, you’ll see the coffee shop on your left.