When I want to know where to eat next — not just a good restaurant, but the right one — I have one person I always call: Sara Vanninen.

She has a rare talent for spotting places before they feel obvious, introducing me to restaurants, cafés, and excellent spots I wouldn’t have found on my own. I trust her instinct.

Vanninen is a Helsinki-based fashion and food curator best known for her blog Tickle Your Fancy. You can also follow her on Instagram.

Here’s where she sends me — and you — right now.

The top three Sara Vanninen wants to visit and try next

Restaurant Jason

📍 Yrjönkatu 5 E, Helsinki
Jason is Michelin-recognized chef Jari Vesivalo’s first fully independent restaurant in central Helsinki. The cooking is Nordic at heart, gently influenced by Asia, with a focus on precision rather than spectacle. It’s the kind of place where you can commit to a full menu or simply stop by for one beautifully composed dish.

Esmes

📍 Iso Roobertinkatu 24, Helsinki
Esmes is shaped by season, availability, and close relationships with producers. The menu changes constantly, guided by what’s freshest on any given day.

Boreal

📍 Uudenmaankatu 9, Design District, Helsinki
Boreal is deeply rooted in Finnish nature and seasonality. Its contemporary approach draws on organic agriculture, foraging, and carefully sourced produce. Especially in winter, the food feels grounding and thoughtful — a place for slower dinners and deeper conversations.

Three spots she recommends

Le Grec

📍  Rikhardinkatu 2, Helsinki
A modern Greek restaurant in the heart of the city, Le Grec combines straightforward surroundings with genuinely good food. 

Laivakoira

📍 Tehtaankatu 34 D, Helsinki
Known affectionately as Laivis, Laivakoira is a low-threshold neighbourhood restaurant in Eira. Inspired by classic culinary traditions, it plays with modern techniques, bold seasoning, and a relaxed atmosphere. 

Gina Bakery

📍 Aleksanterinkatu 13, Helsinki
Gina Bakery is stylish, sweet, and easy to love. Opened by restaurateur Hans Välimäki, it offers porridge, pastries, and baked goods. 

If you live in or are visiting Helsinki, these are places worth visiting right now.