Finnish food is based on the rich, wholesome ingredients of Finland’s beautiful natural landscape. Pure, sparkling freshwater lakes teem with fish while the verdant forests are full of wild-grown juicy berries, plump mushrooms and wild game. Fresh fruit and vegetables grow in fields edged by woodland and local livestock graze in sunny meadows as you stroll through the area. With such a bounty on offer, eating in Finland is a pleasure!
Food in Finland reflects its Nordic heritage as well as influences from Russia to the east. This is particularly true in the south-easterly region of Lake Saimaa where you’ll find traditional Karelian dishes alongside smoked reindeer from Lapland and unique local dishes such as the kalakukko pie and lörtsy pastry.
Delicious natural flavours from the lakes, forests and meadows
This is a land of forests and lakes, and it shows in the food in Finland. Saimaa in particular is a colossal lake system where you can just as easily go fishing for yourself or find locally-caught freshwater fish such as vendace. Known as muikku in Finnish, fried vendace is a popular meal served both in restaurants along the shoreline and as street food in the marketplace.
