Located in Puotila shopping center in Eastern Helsinki, Pikkulintu is a destination for lovers of craft beer and small-batch whiskey. The bar is conveniently located near Helsinki’s easy-to-navigate metro line, and once there, guests can taste Finnish brews or sample a dram of whiskey from the bar’s impressive selection, more than 300 strong. Kippis! (That’s “cheers” in Finnish.) [$]

Finland has the highest consumption of coffee per capita in the world, and this compact cafe takes a “less is more” approach to the ubiquitous beverage. Helsinki Coffee Roastery’s Coffee Bar is small in size and a little out of the way, but for fans of well-sourced brew, it’s worth a visit. Located near the quaint Puu-Vallila, an old working-class district, the cafe purchases beans direct from farmers around the world, with no middlemen, and roasts them in-house. Grab a cup to go, or stay and warm up in this intimate corner of Helsinki. [$]

The Kallio neighborhood is mostly known for its dive bars and rowdy nightlife, but a wave of new restaurant openings are changing that reputation. This snug cafe and restaurant is located on Fleminginkatu, a street that is quickly becoming Helsinki’s bona fide food strip, and features a daily and sometimes hourly rotating line-up of dishes like fish cake with remoulade, ox tongue with horseradish veloute, and herring steaks with mashed potatoes. Perfect for a casual weekday lunch. [$-$$]

This Nordic cafe and restaurant can be easy to miss if you don’t know where to look. In the back of a high-end design shop, chef Jouni Toivanen created a hidden gem full of Finnish flavor. As the restaurant’s name suggests, the menu highlights wild and locally sourced ingredients to create an ever-changing slate of unpretentious dishes. The forest mushroom pie makes for a craveable snack, or go for the Karelian pie, a Finnish classic, with smoked egg butter on top. [$]

Putte’s Bar and Pizza serves as a casual living room of sorts for restaurant workers, food lovers, and pretty much anyone looking for a relaxed night out. Here, locals kick back with a mix of quality music, wine, and pizzas, like the puttanesca, a classic Neapolitan pasta dish transformed into a pie, or Silence of the Lambs, a spicy pie with lamb, mozzarella, tomato, and arugula. This is a place to linger; don’t come in a hurry. [$]

Helsinki’s Old Market Hall has been around for around 130 years, but inside the historic exterior you will find Story, a bright cafe and restaurant with a fresh Baltic vibe. Located in the South Harbour near the bustling Esplanadi park and Market Square, the cafe is the ideal place to stop for a quick cup of coffee from the local Kaffa Roastery, or a full breakfast like oven-baked porridge with berry compote or perhaps an eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, spinach, and hollandaise sauce. For lunch, avocado lovers opt for the Wögä burger, which ambitiously features avocado halves as buns, and wash it down with a glass of rosé. [$-$$]

The second restaurant from local celebrity chef Tomi Björck and Matti Wikberg combines elements of Japanese, Korean, and northern Chinese cuisines for a menu that has Helsinki buzzing. There’s a tasting menu (69 euros), or diners can choose their own courses from menu, featuring everything from sashimi to dim sum to pork buns and daikon kimchi. [$$-$$$$]

Top Chef Suomi (Finland) winner and hardcore burger aficionado Akseli Herlevi stumbled upon Helsinki’s growing appetite for good-quality burgers. With its purple neon lights, industrial vibe, and impressive hot sauce collection, Naughty BRGR is the ideal spot to devour a burger — or two. The crew at Naughty BRGR are not trying to reinvent the wheel, nor do they have to. It turns out that well-made burgers with premium ingredients are all you need to keep burger lovers from near and far coming back again and again. [$]

For a full picture of what Finns can achieve with seasonal and organic Nordic ingredients, visit Grön. Since opening its doors in 2015, owners Lauri Kähkönen and Toni Kostian have cooked their way to Michelin stardom with dishes like barley pate brisee, filled with dry-aged beef and smoked pike roe with spring vegetables. Their haute vegan menu has been widely praised, and is reason enough to book a table. [$$$]

Located in a beautiful historic building in Kaartinkaupunki that dates back to 1889, Vinkkeli delivers a classic, uncomplicated culinary experience for diners yearning for the golden days of haute cuisine. Meticulously prepared dishes with a distinct Nordic feel are the core of a meal that begins with Champagne and herring or oxtail terrine, and continues with something timeless, like roasted trout with beurre blanc. Wine is a focus, too, thanks to the capable hands of sommelier and co-owner Antti Uusitalo. [$$$]

Restaurant Juuri is on the forefront of Helsinki’s growing organic, locavore movement. The specialty of the house is sapas, small tapas-like dishes with a Finnish twist, such as herring with golden beet and apple and Finncattle beef with black salsify and mustard. Located near the Helsinki Design Museum, Juuri is the ideal complement to a day of sensory stimulation. [$$-$$$]

Baskeri & Basso Bistro opened  in 2015, and it quickly became a hit with locals starved for a casual dining experience that felt special without pretense. Open only Tuesday to Friday, this neighborhood favorite serves simple bistro food, like codfish with broccolini and sturgeon with spinach and watercress salad, topped with pine-nut sauce, all paired with organic and natural wines. The lively atmosphere in the dimly lit restaurant, with its tiny bar and walk-in wine closet, is prized as much as the menu. [$$$]

In recent years, local mini-chain Skiffer has become the city’s go-to pizza spot, known for its staple thin and crispy pie, liuska. Skiffer Liuskaluoto is located on a small island just a two-minute ferry ride from Merisatama pier near the Kaivopuisto park and is ideal for a leisurely summer lunch outdoors. In inclement weather — or just the long winter — head to Skiffer Erottaja, a 15-minute walk toward downtown from the Merisatama pier. At any location, try the surf and turf liuska, made with fresh chorizo and local crayfish. [$$]