The best places to eat in central Helsinki – all under one roof

What is it? It's no surprise that Chinese diners have voted Biáng! Helsinki's best Chinese restaurant on Dianping, China's leading restaurant review platform. The food is authentic, deeply satisfying and offers a delicious tour of China's greatest regional classics.

Why we love it? The lunchtime buffet is deservedly popular, but Biáng! truly comes into its own in the evening. Bring a group of friends and order as widely as possible. Half the fun is debating which dish deserves the crown. Is it the Cantonese har gow – translucent shrimp dumplings with a delicately nuanced filling that immediately sets the tone for the meal? The silky Sichuan mapo tofu or fish-fragrant aubergine? The sweet-and-spicy General Tso's chicken, that great Chinese-American classic? The Xinjiang-style toothpick lamb (yáqiān yángròu), fragrant with cumin, chilli and Sichuan pepper? Or is it the magnificent platter of crisp-skinned, gloriously rich duck that arrives towards the end of the feast, its meltingly tender meat practically falling apart at the touch of your chopsticks?

Time Out tip: Dining solo? Order oil-splashed noodles (yóu pō miàn), a beloved speciality from Shaanxi province. The dish is built around wide, hand-pulled biang biang noodles topped with chilli, garlic and spring onions before smoking-hot oil is poured over the aromatics, releasing an intoxicating fragrance. The result is outrageously simple, and utterly addictive.

What is it? A stylishly designed sushi restaurant that’s a solid choice for both lunch and dinner.

Why we love it? Many rate Sushi Bar + Wine’s salmon salad as the best in town, thanks to its Japanese-style, sesame-based dressing. And yes, it really is excellent. But the restaurant’s true gift to Helsinki’s dining scene is the scallop supreme nigiri. Scallops are having a moment in many of the city’s top restaurants, but here you can indulge at a refreshingly reasonable price. At €7.90, it’s a small sum for a taste of something close to paradise. Lightly grilled on top, the scallop melts in your mouth. It’s pure love on a plate – so good it almost deserves an opera singer by the table, belting out an aria.

Time Out tip: Lunch at Sushi Bar + Wine is, quite rightly, busy, and it can be tricky to get a seat at peak time. If you can, aim to arrive after 1.30pm, once the lunchtime rush has eased.

What is it? A cute café serving some of the best pancakes in Helsinki, along with an excellent bowl of ramen.

Why we love it? SHIN Café’s main draw is its Japanese soufflé pancakes, a global trend that’s found a very happy home here. Tall, airy and beautifully presented, these cloud-like stacks are almost impossible to resist. Thankfully, they don’t just look the part – they taste great too. Before diving into pancakes, it’s well worth sampling the café’s ramen or the affordable banh mi baguette. Both are reliably good and make this a spot that works just as well for a proper meal as it does for something sweet.

Time Out tip: Pair your pancakes with a Vietnamese salt coffee. It’s one of the best iced coffees we’ve tasted: full of flavour, well balanced and not overly sweet.

What is it? A Neapolitan pizzeria in a prime spot opposite Helsinki Central Railway Station, known for serving some of the city's most generously topped pizzas. This is not the place for restraint.

Why go? At the heart of Napule is a wood-fired oven, handcrafted in Italy from bricks and volcanic lava stone from the Naples region. In its blazing heat, pizzas bake in little over a minute, emerging with beautifully leopard-spotted crusts. The dough, made with premium Italian tipo 00 flour, delivers everything you'd expect from a great Neapolitan pizza: a soft centre, gloriously airy cornicione and just the right amount of chew. Then come the toppings. Napule has built its reputation on generosity, piling on plenty of mozzarella, tomato sauce and premium ingredients sourced wherever possible from Campania – including sweet San Marzano tomatoes grown in the fertile volcanic soil surrounding Naples. And don't leave without trying the house-made tiramisu.

Time Out tip: Grab a window seat at the restaurant. It's the perfect spot for people-watching, especially if you're wondering why so many visitors suddenly strike peculiar poses outside. Look across the street and you'll realise they're copying the iconic Lantern Bearers statues at Helsinki Central Railway Station.

What is it? A burger restaurant run by MasterChef winner Mika Tuomonen, where you can order your burger with a classic beef patty or as a smash version.

Why we love it? Picture your ideal burger: a golden brioche bun with a thick, juicy patty tucked inside. Or better yet, don’t picture it at all – just head up to the second floor of Citycenter and let Social Burger Joint handle the details. The menu covers plenty of ground, with burgers that are spicy, smoky, topped with bacon or sharpened with air-dried ham, plus solid options for vegetarians and those following a keto diet. Order the classic version and you’ll get a generously sized beef patty grilled over charcoal and left nicely pink inside. Go for a smash burger and the patty is pressed thin, creating a deep, evenly browned crust and a rich, roasted umami flavour that really delivers.

Time Out tip: The loaded fries are genuinely loaded. Expect chopped chorizo, rosemary and garlic mayo, plus a fresh hit of lime mayo and coriander alongside the potatoes.