We were thirsty, hungry and poor ;) and this business was just what we needed: a nice spot outside, to rest our weary feet from so much touring, that does not charge and arm and a leg and provides some good food and baking goods and drinks. We got some bakery items and drinks inside (self-serve at the register) and brought them outside. We're lucky to get a street side table and sit for a moment or 2 savoring our selection. The food is good, nothing "spectacular" or particularly fancy, but filling! And the price is right. So go ahead- enjoy a break from touring at this cafe at the end of the promenade- we enjoyed it a lot! read more

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We were recommended to try Café Esplanad on our visit to Helsinki and it did not disappoint. Their cinnamon buns were the best we had all trip and it's a convenient location when you are walking the city. I would highly recommended stoping for a pastry, latte and dessert on your travels to Helsinki! read more

Café Esplanad - Cinnamon buns with a chai latte! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Helsinki, 18

We found this place while waiting for our double decker excursion. We both were craving eggs. I got the omelet with goat cheese & ham, Boo got the Eggs Benedict. They were Ok but not Great. Although both looked yummy, I wasn't expecting a big portion of goat cheese on top. The Eggs Benedict looked beautiful but the hollandaise sauce had zero flavor. The cappuccino was beautiful & yummy. We sat outside across from the park & took it all in. The Cafe' is located fairly close to the bay as well as the square to catch all the different tour buses. read more

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Cafe Esplanad is a good place if you are looking for an easy meal on a popular street. Is it great food? Eh. Is it good food if you need something while walking around being a proper tourist? Sure. My friend and I were in Helsinki for the day and he had talked about getting salmon soup. He had been here before and enjoyed it so while shopping a couple of stores down from Cafe Esplanad, we headed over. Before we headed to the restaurant, we asked the cashier of the shop if Cafe Esplanad was a good place for this soup. She said, well, its okay" while shrugging. Well, she was right. It was ... "okay." It was good for a quick meal. It was hot, semi-tasty but not great. We also got a rhubarb pastry that was okay as well. It wasn't life changing but it was satisfactory. For those tourists who are eating here, its helpful to know that there are trays set up on both sides of the U shaped counter when you walk in. So, you pick up a tray on either side and order in the middle. Get in line if there is one. Its confusing if you don't know the drill and you will be ignored if you don't know how to order. Its not the friendliest place but were busy when we visited ... and we were tourists. As for the location itself, its a great place to take a break and you can sit inside or outside and watch the world go by. They also offer more private seating to the right up some little stairs if you prefer less bustle. Restrooms (or the WC) can be found up there as well. So, there ya go. It's an okay place with okay food. read more

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Since my trip through Scandinavia, I have become so much more grateful for free Wi-Fi. All major cities should take a cue from Taipei and offer free Wi-Fi for everyone! But one can only dream, right? Anyway, without Wi-Fi nor data while traveling abroad, Yelp and TripAdvisor apps are deemed useless; you end up picking a random restaurant with a decent amount of people inside and hope for the best. Thankfully, there is free Wi-Fi at Café Esplanad. We came here for a light snack after the lunch rush hour. The restaurant is more quick-service, where you order at the counter, grab your food, and take it to an available table. There's a U-shaped counter in the center and it was kind of confusing trying to figure out how it worked. The counter seemed to be sectioned off into threes: pastries, sandwiches/salads, and coffee, but there didn't seem to be an order/cashier area anywhere. We ended up sharing a soup and a tuna and salmon salad. I didn't try the soup, but the salad was decent. The fish was fresh but the salad itself was quite bland as they don't give too much dressing. Café Esplanad wouldn't be my first pick again if I'm ever back in the area, but I'd have no problem using their free Wi-Fi to find another place to eat... read more

Café Esplanad - Tuna and Salmon salad - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Helsinki, 18

Old fashioned cafe in Helsinki where you can sit inside the posh interior or if the weather is good, grab a table outside and people watch off Esplanadi. Came for breakfast and though both pastries were really good, the house coffee was awful. Service was slightly rude and this was probably the most expensive breakfast I ever had. A couple pastries and a couple coffees nearly €20! It's touristy so that's to be expected. If you gave extra bucks to piss away then this is a good place to stop for a pastry. read more

Café Esplanad - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Helsinki, 18

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I ordered the salmon soup and a cinnamon roll here, and while the latter was pretty good, the former was just average. There was a lot of oil floating on the top, and the soup didn't have very much flavor. It was also pretty expensive for the amount I got; 9.40 EUR for a pretty flat bowl of soup, somewhat disappointing. The cinnamon roll was pretty good though, although it was also expensive at 3.90. Not a bad place though, and there is a lot of seating both outdoors and indoors. I wouldn't come here for salmon soup though. read more

Great place for work lunch and a glass of wine. I also have it on good authority that their salmon soup is among the best. Since I will never understand the "Lounas" process in Finland (doesn't matter how long I've lived here, coming from the US) , I tend to shy away from the buffet-style lunches but theirs' is delicious. The cafe is much more spacious than one would imagine but can get quite packed on the weekdays when everyone and their mom clamors in for lunch, meetings, and to work from the cafe. I'd suggest coming before 12:00 or after 14:00 if you are looking for even remote peace and quiet. The people who work here are very nice, and very patient when this American expat is speaking broken Finnish and asking a lot of questions. Highly recommended on the following counts: value, ambience, service, and location. read more

Nice, but pricey cafe in the heart of Helsinki located at the end of " The Esplanad Park" next to Ben & Jerry's. Can get crowded during lunch, however, well worth trying. Good coffee, nice selection of beers, and wide array of salads. If you eat at one of the outdoor tables, be careful for bird poop as they seem to fly around at the sight of food. We went looking for this spot based on reviews we had read in the states. Well enjoyed experience, oh, and forgot to mention, free coffee refill. read more

Café Esplanad - Nice little café in the heart of The Esplanad. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Helsinki, 18

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Very underwhelming. The coffee was quite mediocre, and the pastries, for which they are supposedly know, weren't good. The cinnamon bun was very dry and flavorless, and the danish-type pastry also wasn't good. Much better options in the area are available. read more

A good choice for a glass of wine or coffee and a light snack. It could be the lack of Finnish but it appeared to sell mostly deli like food (fresh made pasta and vegetable salads, savory pastries, sandwiches, desserts, etc). I only had a sandwich and coffee. It offers beer and wine as well. It is however the spot to hangout and people watch, assuming you get a seat out front facing the Esplanad. Prices are reasonable for Finland, meaning a bit high for non Nordic/Scandinavian people. 7 to 8 Euro's for a small sandwich is a bit much in my book but for a local who benefits from the taxes etc it is probably inexpensive. read more

I've been here twice now, once in August 2008 and again on May Day 2011 and I'll make sure I come again the next time I'm in Helsinki. It's popular with tourists and locals and was busy on both occasions. The place is large with seating for every requirement; outside (when it's sunny!), café style seating around the coffee bar / food area, and table & chair type arrangements on the mezzanine floor at the back. Finally there is an area downstairs which I've never been to, so check out other reviews. The location is perfect, right in the centre near the shops, harbour and gardens. A full selection of coffee, tea, drinks are available and the food is split between bakery type items, a salad bar / soup etc and lastly lots of sandwiches including open ones. The portions are really good and the baked goods are HUGE and delicious and fresh and totally yummy. It has a really good atmosphere and it was as busy in August on my last trip as it was on May Day which is a massive deal in Finland. You can't go wrong here if you are looking for coffee or a lunch. Ohhh and next time I'll be trying the giant meringues they have. read more

This place is so mediocre. They also don't serve breakfast all day. It's overhyped, Go someplace else.

Amazing location, near to everything! Most beautiful place to sit and have lunch in Helsinki on a warm day (or a cold day haha). The food is small portioned and not very flavorful! Pleasant staff! read more

I rate this place purely on pastries and the view, and they're both great. This is a nicely located coffee shop, great for people watching. They had sandwiches and salads, and everyone seemed to be happy with what they ate. It wasn't as pricey as some of the other places around. read more

Ate here for lunch yesterday. The salads are delish. You get a basic salad of lettuce, tomato and cucumber and then you get to pick 2 more items to add. These include a large piece of salmon, salmon salad, marinated mushrooms, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, mozzarella balls, and another Finnish cheese option. I went with the salmon & feta with a dill type of dressing. It was refreshing & fresh. It was quite fantastic spot to people watch. read more

Great café in The Esplanad when you can have a cup of coffee, eat excellent pastry and rest from all of your shopping. This café is clean and airy and make sure you get a window seat so you can view the park across the street and the shoppers passing buy. read more

I am a fan of Esplanad. One Caveate, the pastries have taken a downturn in the last year. Still fresh, but missing some certain something. They used to be among the best I ever had. Still outdo most I have had in the US, but just not as good as they used to be. In particular, the Pullo with the eyes are not nearly as flavorful, not as much cardimon and the cream isnt quite as good as it used to be. That aside, the service is prompt, friendly, and the Salmon soup is a MUST have. Each visit to Finland we go there about two to three times a week, for a refresher (coffee), pastry, and/or lunch via the salmon soup. Also, great tables inside, if you avoid the crazyness of the outdoor tables in front during tourist season. Very nice courtyard as well, relaxing and enjoyable. Everything a city cafe should be, and its right in the middle of things. Thank you! read more

Helsinki is an interesting town, but a food town it aint. So finding a place that does a great, fresh salad (its what they are famous for as well as their baked goods) is a real score. The only annoying thing is getting a seat, since its so popular. So go early or late, or get friends to snag a good table, then sit back and tuck into a large salad topped with fresh salmon, parmesan shavings, artichoke hearts and more. If you are hungry, close out with a 'pulla', the classic Finnish cinnamon pastry, and a strong Finnish coffee. read more

Nice coffee shop/bistro which is popular with tourists. Salmon soup is good, not the best in Helsinki but certainly not bad at all. For 10 Euro you get a good portion of salmon and some bread. Free refills on coffee which is also nice. Cinnamon rolls are the size of a human head, they are humongous. Again, they are good but not the best - if you know where to go in Helsinki, the little coffee shops are always better. For locals we were pleasantly surprised, and think it's not a bad option - but is quite pricey. Staff are responsive and attentive, we were served rapidly. read more

As a teenager, this used to be my favourite place, coz tehir cinnamon rolls are so big and SO YUMMY! Its very popular among the tourists as well as the locals. Always full. Summertime its nice if you happpen to get a table outside. They renovated the place a while ago, and after the renovation I havent been going there anyymore, as I think now the system is even messier than before, just too much hastle if you just want to have a quick lunch. Salads are actually quite ok, all bakery stuff is yummy, but it is not a nice environment to enjoy what you are eating. Too much noise and messy messy messy! Personally I much prefer cafe Strindberg, which is just around the corner. But the Cinnamon ROlls are great though! read more

We were walking around and decided to stop by for coffee and a couple of things to munch. The staff is not very friendly. They were a little impatient, but yet slow with their tasks. The coffee is fine, but you can't really screw up coffee anyway. The pastry was really hard, but the flavor is not bad. Not really worth it to stop by. read more

In my view this is the best café in Helsinki. It has a nice ambience both upstairs and downstairs (where you're in what looks like a cellar). The lunchtime salads are delicious, plentiful and fresh and there is a great range of coffees and teas. The staff are also very friendly and courteous. Above all, it has the finest selection of cakes and buns in Helsinki and they are enormous. Unless something has changed they also offer free refills of the coffee. In Summer it's pleasant to sit outside on the Esplanade across from the park and just a short walk to the harbour with its famous market. It's not the cheapest place in Helsinki but you get what you pay for. read more