Finland is known as a land of Nordic exoticism and natural beauty, with a thousand lakes. The Finns themselves have a reputation for being a sauna-loving people who like to eat reindeer meat and drink beer on the side. So far, the Finnish restaurant scene has been a simple and predictable one. Not anymore.
In fact, Finland has been a country of classic restaurants for years. They have been offering a very high standard of locally sourced food, but with little in the way of variety or surprises. The best restaurant has been the same for five years in a row: Palace. Now the silence has come to an end and has been replaced by a very lively experimentation, which at times can appear to be chaotic. What else can you call a situation where the life of a newly-opened restaurant is only six months? The Palace remains the undisputed best restaurant in Finland.
Life in the Finnish restaurant scene now seems to have reached the other extreme, where it is no longer possible to predict the trends. The classic restaurants have been replaced by bistro-style places where simple dishes are served with ease. More exotic ingredients from all over the world are increasingly being added to the local ones. These new types of eating and drinking places are often open to the public only four days a week, and their opening hours can vary from one day to the next. As a result, diners may be less spontaneous and need to plan their visit well in advance.
