Helsinki Old Market Hall

Helsinki's Old Market Hall, opened in 1889 by the harbour, is a handsome red-brick hall on a cast-iron frame, full of stalls selling the tastes of Finland: smoked and cured fish, reindeer, cheeses, bread and a famous salmon soup eaten at the counter. Just outside, the open-air Market Square adds berry stalls, food tents and the first strawberries of summer.

History

The hall was designed by Gustaf Nyström and opened for trade in 1889, in the era of the Grand Duchy of Finland, making it the oldest market hall in Helsinki; it is built of red brick on a cast-iron frame. Its building services were last renewed in 2012-2014, when the hall shut for a year and a half (Wikipedia, Old Market Hall, Helsinki).

What's there

• The salmon soup - the creamy lohikeitto ladled out at the hall's counters.
• Smoked fish and reindeer - the Finnish specialities of the fish and game stalls.
• The Market Square - the harbourside open market with berries and food tents.
• Berries in season - the summer bilberries, strawberries and cloudberries.

When to go

The hall is good year-round; the open-air market square is liveliest in summer with berries and terraces. Mornings are freshest, and the herring market and other events fill the square on occasion.

Practical notes

The harbourside setting means it is on the tourist trail, so prices at the square stalls run high, especially for a quick bite. The Old Market Hall is more of a genuine food experience than the open tents. It is a taste-and-browse stop rather than a long visit.

Nearby

The Suomenlinna ferry, the cathedral and the Esplanadi park are all a short walk.

Key facts