What to Eat in Finland: 10 Traditional Dishes You Must Try in Lapland

Finland may not be the first country that springs to mind when you think of good food. But that doesn't mean it has nothing to offer.

In Lapland, food has a magic all of its own. It's built mainly on what nature provides for the locals – fish, reindeer, wild berries, mushrooms and potatoes. After a whole day out in the snow, a hot bowl of salmon soup tastes completely different than it does at home. And some local specialities, like the traditional cheese with cloudberry jam, might surprise you even more than the northern lights themselves.

We've picked 10 Finnish dishes and treats that are well worth trying during your visit to Rovaniemi and Lapland. Some you'll find in restaurants, while others you can pick up for a few euros in any ordinary supermarket.

1Poronkäristys – traditional sautéed reindeer

If you want to taste something truly typical of Lapland, start with reindeer.

Poronkäristys is a traditional dish of thinly sliced reindeer meat, slowly cooked in butter, often with onion and stock. It's served with mashed potatoes and lingonberries or lingonberry jam.

At first glance, the combination of meat and sweet-and-sour berries may seem unusual, but the flavours go together beautifully. Reindeer meat is fairly lean and its taste is reminiscent of game.

Reindeer herding is an important part of life in northern Finland and also has a long history in the culture of the indigenous Sámi people.

Where to try it: At traditional Lappish restaurants in Rovaniemi. On the menu, look for poronkäristys or sautéed reindeer.

2Lohikeitto – creamy salmon soup

One of Finland's best-loved dishes and, in our opinion, one you really shouldn't miss during your visit.

Lohikeitto is a thick, creamy soup with salmon, potatoes, carrots, leek, cream and dill. It's delicate, filling and wonderfully warming. We fell in love with it so much that we now make it at home too.

Finns often have it for lunch, and you'll find it both in restaurants and in smaller cafés. It's usually served with dark rye bread and butter.

It's the perfect meal after a few hours outdoors, especially when temperatures drop well below zero.

Where to try it: In cafés, restaurants or as part of a lunch deal. On the menu, look for lohikeitto or salmon soup.

3Leipäjuusto with cloudberry jam – a dessert that surprises

One of the most intriguing combinations in Finnish cuisine.

Leipäjuusto is a traditional Finnish cheese that is baked or grilled during production. It has a mild flavour, a springy texture and characteristic brown spots on the surface. It can squeak slightly against your teeth as you bite into it, which is why it's sometimes nicknamed squeaky cheese.

In Lapland it's often served warm with cloudberry jam, known in Finnish as lakkahillo or hillahillo.

Cloudberries are small orange-yellow berries that grow mainly in the marshy regions of the north. They have a distinctive sweet-and-sour taste and are one of Lapland's most prized ingredients.

Together, the warm cheese and the fruity jam make a simple yet delicious dessert.

Where to try it: At traditional restaurants. You can also buy both the cheese and the cloudberry jam in supermarkets, so you can try this combination back at your accommodation too.

Our tip: Cloudberry jam also makes a great edible souvenir from Lapland. Look for it under the name lakkahillo.

4Karjalanpiirakka – Karelian pie

The Karelian pie is one of Finland's best-known treats, even though it originally comes from the Karelia region.

It's a small open pastry made from thin rye dough, most often filled with rice porridge. It has a typical oval shape and crimped edges.

It's traditionally served with munavoi, a mixture of butter and chopped boiled eggs.

Finns eat them for breakfast, as a snack or simply with a cup of coffee. You can enjoy them warm or cold.

Where to try it: In practically any larger supermarket or bakery. It's one of the easiest and most affordable Finnish specialities to try.

5Ruisleipä – Finnish rye bread

If you have breakfast in Finland, you're very likely to come across dark rye bread.

Ruisleipä has a stronger, slightly sour taste and tends to be denser than the bread most of us are used to. It's often sold as round flat loaves or smaller split rolls.

Finns eat it with butter, cheese, ham, vegetables or fish.

Unlike some of the other specialities, it's not a festive dish but a completely ordinary part of the Finnish diet.

Where to try it: At hotel breakfasts, in cafés and in every supermarket. Try it with smoked salmon, for example.

6Korvapuusti – Finnish cinnamon bun

After a walk through snowy Rovaniemi, there's nothing better than popping into a café for a hot coffee and something sweet.

Korvapuusti is a traditional Finnish sweet bun with cinnamon, sugar and butter. Compared with some other cinnamon rolls, it's usually more strongly flavoured with cardamom and may be topped with pearl sugar.

Finns have a very strong coffee culture, and a sweet pastry with your coffee is an essential part of it.

Where to try it: In bakeries and cafés all over Rovaniemi. Perfect for an afternoon break while exploring the town.

7Mustikkapiirakka – Finnish blueberry pie

Finnish forests are full of wild berries, and blueberries are among the most popular.

Mustikkapiirakka is a traditional blueberry pie that comes in many variations. It often has a soft base and a blueberry filling, sometimes combined with sour cream or a similar dairy layer.

Thanks to the wild Nordic blueberries, it has a rich flavour and colour.

Although it's mainly associated with summer, you can find it in cafés at other times of the year too.

Where to try it: In cafés and bakeries. If it's on the menu, try it with coffee or tea.

8Salmiakki – the Finnish sweet you either love or hate

Salmiakki is one of the most typical Finnish sweets – and also one of the most controversial.

At first glance it looks like black liquorice, but it also contains ammonium chloride, which gives it its distinctive salty, intense flavour.

For many visitors, the first taste comes as quite a shock. Finns, on the other hand, adore salmiakki, and you'll find it not only in sweets but also in chocolate and ice cream.

You may not like it, but it's definitely worth trying at least once.

Where to try it: In any supermarket. Buy a small bag and hold your own tasting session.

9Rieska – traditional Lappish flatbread

Rieska is a simple Finnish flatbread that takes different forms in different regions.

In Lapland, for example, you may come across soft flatbreads made from barley or potatoes.

They taste best fresh and spread with butter. They can also be served as a side with soups or other local dishes.

It shows how Finnish cuisine can create something delicious from just a few basic ingredients.

Where to try it: In some local bakeries, restaurants and supermarkets. Look for the name rieska.

10Joulutorttu – traditional Christmas pastry

If you're heading to Rovaniemi in the run-up to Christmas, be sure to try joulutorttu.

It's a sweet puff pastry, usually shaped like a star or a pinwheel, filled with plum jam.

It's traditionally made during Advent and Christmas, so it fits perfectly with Lapland's wintry atmosphere.

It's best fresh, still slightly warm and dusted with icing sugar.

Where to try it: During the Christmas season in bakeries, cafés and supermarkets.

11What else is worth trying?

If you love discovering local flavours, you don't have to stop at these ten dishes.

• Lakkahillo – cloudberry jam, a classic Lappish speciality.
• Puolukkahillo – lingonberry jam, often served with meat.
• Graavilohi – salmon cured in salt, sugar and often dill.
• Karjalanpaisti – a traditional Karelian meat stew.
• Kampanisu – a sweet pastry typical of Lapland, shaped like a comb.
• Glögi – a spiced hot drink especially popular in winter and at Christmas, available both with and without alcohol.

12Where to try traditional Finnish food in Rovaniemi

You don't have to stick to expensive restaurants. You can discover plenty of Finnish specialities while doing your everyday shopping or strolling around town.

Traditional restaurants

The best choice if you want to try reindeer, traditional Lappish dishes or local fish. Check the menu in advance, as not every restaurant offers all the typical dishes.

Cafés and bakeries

Ideal for salmon soup, cinnamon buns, Karelian pies and sweet desserts. They're also a lovely place to warm up on a winter's day.

Supermarkets

Shops such as K-Citymarket, K-Supermarket, Prisma or S-Market are a great place for a cheaper taste of local products.

Here you'll find rye bread, Karelian pies, leipäjuusto, cloudberry jam and salmiakki, for example. If your accommodation has a kitchen, you can put together your own Finnish dinner without going to a restaurant.

13Practical information

• What to try first: lohikeitto salmon soup and poronkäristys reindeer.
• Most intriguing Lappish dessert: leipäjuusto with cloudberry jam.
• Tasting on a budget: Karelian pies, rye bread and cinnamon buns from the supermarket.
• What to take home: cloudberry jam, salmiakki or other Finnish sweets.
• For vegetarians: Karelian pies, pastries and some desserts; always check the ingredients.
• When to try joulutorttu: mainly during Advent and the Christmas season.
• Good to know: in restaurants, check the current menu, prices and any allergens before ordering.

Finnish cuisine may not be as famous as Italian or French, but its charm lies in its simplicity.

Whether you enjoy traditional reindeer in a restaurant, salmon soup after an excursion or pick up cheese with cloudberry jam at the supermarket, discovering the local food is a wonderful way to experience Lapland from a different angle.

Our recommendation? Don't leave Rovaniemi without trying lohikeitto, poronkäristys and leipäjuusto with cloudberry jam. Together, this trio gives you a wonderful taste of the Finnish north.