A very fitting city for having coffee with desserts and snacks - 1 of 2…read more
I found photos for this business - Roasberg, a coffeehouse - from my 3 day "layover" here. I felt I could put a review together for having visited this location.
Before arriving to Helsinki, you make a short list of typical area food, good deals on food, and coffeehouses. Of the latter, there are easily 5 to 10 coffeehouses and you might not visit all of them. Roasberg ought to make that list and it's one of the easiest ones to visit because the main train station - brace yourself: Rautatientori - and this coffeehouse are visually connected, albeit some two blocks apart. Some of the trams that pass in front of the station round a bend in front of Roasberg.
I just needed something to eat to tide me over ... or not. I'd decide on whether to eat more later on. I went in to Roasberg and selected a panino like sandwich with deli meats from those in the glass case and drip coffee (which they bill as filtered coffee). Everything was fine. This Nordic country is possibly the easiest to visit because the Euro is their currency. That said, it's quick to deduce from the menu board that the prices are fair. The service was a little perfunctory. However, that's standard because there is no effusiveness anywhere in and around Helsinki, so customer service experiences are actually very predictable.
I was almost going to go with 3 stars for Roasberg but then looked ... and looked ... at some of the ornate slices of chocolate cake others had bought and of which they shared photos. I know that that would push my experience to 4 stars, perfunctory service or otherwise.
With waterways, evergreens, overcast skies, Nordic DNA, and a lower decibel level than in the south of Europe, the vibe can run a lot like that of Seattle. With such ingredients, you can join others savoring the quiet experience of a Finnish coffeehouse, and possibly being depressed to go along with that, and turn those lemons into lemonade by being a happy camper doing this.
I wouldn't say Roasberg is stellar, but it is reliable. Moreover, if coffee and a dessert, or a sandwich, is what you have in mind, Roasberg is so close to the transportation hub of the Finnish capital that it's a sensible stop to make.