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.
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.
3 editor picks for Silakka (Baltic herring) in Helsinki, ranked by editorial score. All Helsinki signature dishes · Silakka (Baltic herring) across every city.
Old Market Hall (Vanha Kauppahalli) ★ 4.6
keskusta · Eteläranta, 00130 Helsinki
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.
Market Square (Kauppatori) ★ 4.2
keskusta · Eteläranta, 00170 Helsinki
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.
Elite ★ 4.1
toolo · Eteläinen Hesperiankatu 22, 00100 Helsinki
Elite in Töölö has been the artists' restaurant since 1932, its walls hung with paintings, serving Finnish classics like vorschmack and fried Baltic herring.