Nordic€keskustaMon-Fri 11:00-16:00; Sat 11:00-14:30
Soppakeittiö in the Old Market Hall serves a big bowl of creamy salmon soup with all the rye bread you can eat for around 11 euros, great Finnish value.
Try: Salmon soup with unlimited bread
Tip: The salmon soup with unlimited bread is the deal. Come at lunch; the market hall closes by early evening.
Levantine€punavuoriMon-Tue 10:30-22:00; Wed-Thu 10:30-23:00; Fri 10:30-04:00; Sat 11:30-04:00; Sun 11:30-22:00
Fafa's on Iso Roobertinkatu fills a generous pita with falafel or halloumi and sweet-potato fries for about 11 euros, the original of a fast veggie chain.
Try: Falafel or halloumi pita
Tip: The halloumi pita is the move if you want a change from falafel. Branches are dotted across the city for a cheap quick lunch.
Modern Nordic€keskustaMon-Fri 07:30-15:30; Sat 07:30-15:00
Eromanga near Kasarmitori sells the lihapiirakka meat pie to a secret 1946 recipe, loaded with sausage and a fried egg for just a few euros, very cheap.
Try: Lihapiirakka meat pie
Tip: Order the meat pie with the works: sausage and a fried egg on top. Weekday daytime only, cash-friendly and very cheap.
Nordic€kallio
The upstairs counters at Hakaniemi Market Hall serve cheap daily lunches, from Finnish home cooking to world-food plates, value eating inside a market hall.
Try: Market-hall daily lunch
Tip: Head upstairs for the lunch counters rather than the produce floor. Weekday lunch is the cheapest, busiest window.
Vegan€keskustaMon-Fri 09:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-18:00
Plants By Us in the central Forum mall does fully vegan sandwiches and quinoa bowls at lunch-counter prices, a fast plant-based fix in the shopping district.
Try: Vegan sandwiches and bowls
Tip: On the third floor of the Forum mall. Quick, all-vegan and well under restaurant prices when you are downtown.
Japanese sushi€kamppiMon-Fri 11:00-20:30; Sat 11:00-19:00; Sun 12:00-19:00
Hanko Sushi in the Forum mall sells fixed salmon, prawn and maki sets at fair prices, a fast, predictable sushi lunch in the shopping core of the centre.
Try: Fixed sushi sets
Tip: Inside the Forum on Mannerheimintie. Not destination sushi, but a cheap fixed set and a fast turnaround at lunch.