Located at Gate 27 is a place unlike any at Helsinki Airport. Part restaurant, part deli, Fly Inn is a dining establishment that makes waiting for your flight a wholly enjoyable experience. Their menu, a celebration of modern Finnish cuisine, features not only dishes made with fresh, seasonal produce but also wine or beer pairing suggestions.
Those craving for something unique to Finland should dive right into Fly Inn’s Reindeer roast, almond potato and sauteéd black salsify and mushrooms. Reindeer are found in the northern province of Lapland and their meat is one of the most delicious – not to mention healthiest – foods you can help yourself to.
Chef Piia Järvenmäki presents this specialty with finesse, using the salsify – a root vegetable belonging to the dandelion family – to offer a subtle hint of oyster to the meat dish. Paired with a glass of Yalumba Y Shiraz Viognier and a view of the airfield, this main course will probably be one of the highlights of your stay in the country.
If you want something light but just as filling, try the Roasted whitefish, dark dill sauce and lemon potato terrine. A glass of Terrazas de los Andes Altos del Plata Chardonnay brings out the medley of flavors, which in equal turns is delicate with just the right amount of tang.
Fly Inn also offers fast appetizers – such as Skagen-style shrimps on toast, dill brioche and smoked rainbow trout roe – burgers, sorbets, before-dinner wines and a kids’ menu.
For a light snack with a heavy Finnish influence, head to Tapio Café (Gate 24) and ask for their Blueberry brioche. Berries native to Finland, such as those used in this pastry, are an essential part of Finnish culture and cuisine; they have been for hundreds of years. The superfood shares the spotlight with a freshly baked, sugar-dusted brioche base and luxurious vanilla custard, perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.
Read also: When hunger strikes: Finnish specialties
