Exploring Real Finnish Food: Traditional, Popular, Weird & Authentic

Finnish food has a reputation. Depending on who you ask, it is simple and comforting, oddly fascinating, or let us be honest “why is Finnish food so bland?”. But the truth is far more interesting. Finnish cuisine is deeply tied to nature, seasons, survival, and a quiet kind of flavor that grows on you.

So let us dig in, from traditional Finnish food and famous dishes to weird Finnish food, where to eat it in Helsinki, and even how to order food in Finnish without panicking.

What Is Finnish Food, Really?

At its core, Finnish food is:

• Nature-driven

• Seasonal and practical

• Heavy on fish, rye, potatoes, berries, dairy, and game

• Mildly seasoned (salt > spice)

This is food shaped by long winters, short summers, forests, lakes, and the need to preserve ingredients. Think comfort food with a survival instinct.

What Are Traditional Finnish Foods?

Finnish food culture grew out of necessity rather than luxury. With a cold climate, short growing seasons, and snow covered fields for more than 4 months a year, people traditionally cooked with whatever was locally available and easy to preserve.

Ingredients like rye, potatoes, fish, and milk formed the backbone of everyday meals. Over generations, these practical dishes became part of Finland’s identity, and many of them are still eaten today as comforting reminders of the past.

If you are wondering “what food do the Finnish eat?”, here are the classics you will see everywhere:

• Karjalanpiirakka: Karelian pies with rye crust and rice filling

• Ruisleipä: Dense, sour rye bread and a national obsession

• Lohikeitto: Creamy salmon soup with potatoes and dill

• Hernekeitto: Pea soup, traditionally eaten on Thursdays

• Kalakukko: Fish baked inside rye bread

• Perunamuusi: Mashed potatoes, often drowning in gravy

These dishes may look simple, but they are deeply nostalgic and beloved.

Popular Finnish Food

Salmiakki, a popular Finnish food, should be the first thing you try once you land in Finland. You will either love it like most Finnish or you will make unimaginably funny faces while trying to not offend a Finn. Nevertheless, the popularity it has is mostly for the shock it gives to every foreigner. Let us explore more popular Finnish food below:

• Salmon (lohi) in every form imaginable

• Berry desserts made with cloudberries, lingonberries, and bilberries

• Cinnamon buns (korvapuusti): Finland takes baking seriously

• Salmiakki: Salty licorice that divides friendships

• Mämmi: A dark rye pudding that looks concerning

• Blood pancakes (veriohukaiset): Surprisingly tasty, honestly

• Squeaky cheese (leipäjuusto): Eaten warm with cloudberry jam

Is Finnish food weird? Sometimes. Is it bad? Only if you hate rye, fish, licorice and dairy.

Reindeer as a Finnish Favourite

Yes, reindeer as a Finnish food is 100% authentic and traditional.

• Poronkäristys: Sautéed reindeer with mashed potatoes and lingonberries

• Protein-rich red meat

• Packed with iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins

• Lean, nutrient-dense, and surprisingly tender

• Low in fat and cholesterol

• Healthy fatty acid profile

Finnish Food Culture: Why it is So Different

Finnish food culture values:

• Simplicity over show

• Quality ingredients over heavy seasoning

• Eating to fuel life, not impress Instagram

Meals are often quiet. No small talk. No fuss. Just good food and maybe coffee, lots of coffee as Finland drinks the most per person in the world.

Where to Eat Authentic Finnish Food in Helsinki

If you are searching for “Finnish food near me” in Helsinki, start here:

• Savotta: Tourist-friendly but genuinely authentic

• Zetor: Rustic, reindeer-focused comfort food

• Sea Horse (Merimakasiini): Old-school Helsinki classic

• Konstan Möljä: Buffet-style traditional Finnish food

For everyday Finnish food, try local lunch cafeterias, and market halls like Hakaniemi and Old Market Hall. 

Where to Buy Ingredients for Finnish Food?

Want to cook Finnish food yourself? You can easily find most of the ingredients required to prepare yourself a fully Finnish set of breakfast, lunch and dinner in any supermarkets across Finland.

• K-Supermarket, S-Market, Lidl & Prisma: Everyday Finnish ingredients

• Market halls: Fresh fish, rye bread, berries

• Finnish food online: You can order food or other items from most Supermarkets and get it delivered to your doorstep. And, if you order via Prisma or S-Market, you might even get a robot with wheels to deliver your order to your doorstep.

Easy Phrases When Ordering Food in Finland

Here are a few lifesavers:

• “Yksi lohikeitto, kiitos”: One salmon soup, please

• “Saisinko ruokalistan?”: Can I have the menu?

• “Ilman sipulia”: Without onion

• “Kiitos”: Thank you (very important)

So Is Finnish Food Good?

If you love bold spices and heat, maybe not, but if you love comfort, simplicity, and real ingredients, absolutely. Finnish food grows on you. Slowly. Quietly. Like Finland itself.

From traditional Finnish food and famous dishes to weird experiments and authentic flavors, Finnish cuisine tells a story of survival, nature, and understated joy. And once you understand it, you might even start craving rye bread or salmiakki.