Helsinki Restaurants Celebrate Herring Tradition with New Dishes

HELSINKI, Sept. 16, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Helsinki’s culinary scene is set to celebrate the city’s oldest food tradition with a modern twist this fall. From September 25 to October 10, ten local restaurants will offer unique takes on herring, a traditional delicacy, as part of the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market in Restaurants. This event marks the first time the Herring Market, which has been a staple in Helsinki since the mid-1700s, has expanded beyond the harbour into the city’s dining rooms.

Organized by the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market, the event aims to bring a more immersive experience to the city’s food culture. Saara Vanhala, the executive producer of the event, explains, “The Herring Market is Helsinki’s most important food event, and herring is one of our most significant domestic ingredients. By bringing restaurants into the picture, we can create something more experiential, where centuries of maritime food culture meet contemporary culinary trends.”

The participating restaurants, including Aoi, Elm, Finnjävel Sali, Gastro Cafe Kallio, Klaava, Maukku, Nokka, Nolita, Nolla, and Sake Bar & Izakaya, have each developed a herring dish specifically for the event. The concept was created in collaboration with Luka Balać, a Helsinki chef and restaurateur whose own establishments are among the participants. Balać states, “In my opinion, the Herring Market is Helsinki’s most important food event, and herring is one of our most important domestic ingredients. I want to showcase it again, in the light it deserves.”

Each restaurant has spent weeks developing their herring dishes, ranging from classic to innovative preparations. The herring will be rolled, grilled, smoked, and dressed in marinades that blend traditional and unexpected flavors. Accompanying each dish will be house-baked breads and seasonal ingredients that carry the flavors of summer into autumn.

The event is part of a larger celebration of herring that will culminate in a market week at Market Square from October 4 to 10. During this time, the market will feature a wider selection of herring-related products and activities, bringing together archipelago traditions and contemporary food culture on a grander scale.

Judges from the Gastronomic Society of Finland will visit all ten kitchens to taste the competition, and on the market’s opening day, they will crown the ‘Best Herring Dish of the Year’. Each restaurant will keep its dish on the menu throughout the full run, ensuring that the culinary experience continues beyond the event.

The Helsinki Baltic Herring Market has been held continuously since 1743, making it one of Finland’s oldest public events. This year, it returns to Market Square with an expanded program, marking a significant milestone in the city’s food heritage.