A taste of Jyväskylä

As a lively city of cultural diversity, Jyväskylä offers something for everybody: from luxurious restaurants to cosy buffets, and from fancy pubs to student-friendly bars. The city can take you on a journey of tastes from all over the world, starting with traditional Finnish cuisine and specialties. Whether you live in Jyväskylä or you are just visiting, there are certain eateries in the city that can turn a simple dinner into a memorable experience and be the milestones on your exploration of tastes.

Classics with a Rosso touch

In the very heart of Jyväskylä, there is a way to escape the city noise and enjoy a lovely meal in a cosy atmosphere. Restaurant Rosso is the perfect option for a family dinner, gathering with friends or simply enjoying the wonders of Finnish and Italian cuisine.

Each meal in Rosso is prepared as a classic yet has the strong and identifiable “Rosso touch”. This is the place to be if you would like to explore entirely new perspectives of familiar dishes.

The extensive menu, which is also available in English, offers classic dishes and extravagant meals, tasty Finnish delicacies and well-known Italian food. Straight from the traditional Finnish ruokapöyta, salmon is served in different variations. The grilled salmon with Rosso’s caponata is a notable trademark of the restaurant and a feast for the taste buds. Additionally, for those who do not fancy meat, there is a wide variety of salads, vegetarian dishes and soups to enjoy. If you are not overly cautious when counting calories, a dessert such as a tiramisu cup can be the sweetest end of a delicious dinner.

Candle light and coffee aroma

Sometimes all it takes to brighten a gloomy day is a sweet treat accompanied by good coffee. In Jyväskyla you can find the key to a good mood in Wilhelmiinan Konditoria, a deservedly award-winning bakery that simply has it all. The food choice is remarkable: there are always at least ten kinds of cake, various traditional Finnish delights, fresh bread and tasty sandwiches at affordable prices.

What is fascinating about Wilhelmiinan Konditoria is that the compounds are entirely hand-made. Each pastry is prepared in the bakery from scratch, which contributes to the experience: it tastes like home! This may be the main reason why so many customers take the opportunity to order entire cakes, pastry and bread take-away.

Wilhelmiinan Konditoria also offers some of the best coffee beverages in Jyväskylä. Each cup of coffee possesses tempting aroma since the beans used are ground by hand and roasted right before the customer’s eyes. One can also enjoy a nice cup of tea in the amazingly relaxed atmosphere of the bakery, on a cosy candlelit table. Nothing compares to this warm blissful feeling especially on a cold evening.

Dine with the Vikings

Ever wondered how the almighty Vikings feasted after a long day of conquests? Now you can get familiar with the cookery of the Norsemen in Jyväskylä! Let us explore the Viking Restaurant Harald and rediscover the ancient times.

At first glance it becomes obvious that the restaurant is far from ordinary: the walls resemble sanctuary facades with drawings, the lighting is very faint and mainly provided by candles. The experience is enhanced by medieval music and also by the serving personnel – they wear costumes and introduce themselves with a Viking name. However the real journey begins when you open the menu since each dish comes with a story from the Viking history and you can taste delicacies such as bear meat, wild boar, reindeer and many kinds of fish. From the starters to the desserts, each dish carries the Viking spirit.

The food of Harald simply tastes like nothing you have tried before. It bears the pure flavour of good quality but it comes with a memorable experience. Served on an actual shield, a sword or a rock, the meal you have chosen will surely be more than just a dinner.

Around the world with a pint of beer

Founded in the distant year of 1994, Ye Old Brick’s Inn has been serving its customers and developing over the years to become a well-known restaurant in Jyväskylä nowadays. Its most amazing trait is that both meals and alcoholic beverages served are of impressive diversity and quality. Take a journey with a pint of beer and a dish from the à la carte menu.

Ye Old Brick’s Inn offers about 70 kinds of beer and 50 kinds of whiskey, which is an extraordinary variety for a Finnish pub. The origin of beverages ranges from closer-to-home Germany, Ireland and Scotland, to faraway Mexico. The wine list is also growing constantly and provides the opportunity to try fancy world-known wines with admirable aftertaste.

For customers’ enjoyment, the restaurant serves food until late at night and you can easily tell by the delightful taste that the meals are self-prepared at the kitchen. Lunch is served during weekdays and at all times one can relish dishes from around the world or try Finnish treats such as whitebaits, reindeer or lamb in the cosy atmosphere of an old-time inn.

Gabriela Stoycheva
HELSINKI TIMES

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