Small Baltic herring floured and fried, or pickled in countless ways, from mustard to garlic to spiced. The fish at the heart of Helsinki's oldest food market.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Baltic herring, silakka, has fed Helsinki for centuries, sold from boats at the South Harbour and celebrated each October at the Baltic Herring Market held since 1743. Fried whole with rye flour or pickled in endless cures, it is the city's defining everyday fish, served from market stalls and at traditional rooms like Elite.
Common allergens: Fish, Gluten
Tip from the editors. Press two fillets together flesh-to-flesh before flouring for the classic fried-herring sandwich shape.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Elite in Töölö has been the artists' restaurant since 1932, its walls hung with paintings, serving Finnish classics like vorschmack and fried Baltic herring.
Signature: Vorschmack, Fried Baltic herring
Order: Vorschmack, the minced-meat hash, or the platter of fried Baltic herring with mash.
Tip: The terrace and the artist-portrait walls are the draw as much as the food. A living room for Helsinki's cultural set since 1932.
Kauppatori, the open-air market on the South Harbour, is where herring boats tie up each October; summer stalls fry vendace and pile up Finnish berries.
Tip: Best in summer for fried lake fish and berries, and during the October herring market. Watch for aggressive seagulls.
The Old Market Hall by the South Harbour opened in 1889 as Helsinki's first indoor hall; stalls sell smoked fish, reindeer, cheeses and salmon soup.
Tip: Soppakeittiö inside serves the classic lohikeitto salmon soup with unlimited bread. The hall closes by early evening, so come for lunch.
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