Restaurants in Lapland
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Tiikun Tii Pii
The most interesting eating option by far, this is a Lapp hut 2.5km from the centre which is bookable for two to 15 people. You get a drink on arrival and watch the traditional dishes being prepared (nettle soup, smoked reindeer steak or salmon, Lapp cheese), before enjoying them in the cosy interior. Drinks with the meal are included in the price (you can also bring your own), and there's plenty of entertainment, such as storytelling the Sámi way (yoiks). It's a lot of fun. You must book ahead; there are normally two timeslots per night (18:00 and 21:00).
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Gaissa
The upstairs restaurant of the Hotel Santa Claus is split into two attractive areas. Elegant Gaissa has a short menu aimed at visitors and served from a semi-open kitchen. Service is willing but error-strewn; the dishes are petite and reindeer-heavy but feature some great creations, such as spot-on reindeer rillettes and slow-roasted lamb that falls off the bone. Adjoining it is ZoomUp, a bar with salads, pastas, steaks, ribs (€13 to €19) and snacks like potato wedges, in a more casual atmosphere aimed at pulling a local crowd.
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Pankkil
A welcome Ivalo arrival, this former bank building has been lovingly converted into a stylish restaurant, with plenty of natural light and wooden slat screens dividing the tables. The mistranslated menu gives few clues, but dishes such as ‘Master of Cheese’s Bovine’ don’t disappoint, and several reindeer dishes, including liver, are on offer. Out the back are excellent apartments (2-/4-/6-person apartments €80/100/160) that are exceedingly modern, spacious and comfortable; some have their own sauna.
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Nili
Evoking a Lapland atmosphere with reindeer skins, Sámi music and cosy wooden cladding, this main-street restaurant has no problem pulling in the tourist crowd. Reindeer features heavily on the menu, but whitefish, char and salmon argue a fishy case too. The dishes are well presented and the service good, but the quality isn’t quite there to make it a classic, and the portions aren’t quite big enough for it to be a local favourite. Nevertheless, a sound option.
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Kaamasen Kievari
Kaamasen Kievari is a legendary roadhouse a few kilometres north of the Sevettijärvi turn-off and 5km south of the Karigasniemi crossing. It has a cafe, petrol station and hard-drinking bar with pool table, as well as an excellent restaurant serving local dishes such as salmon, whitefish and a top reindeer steak with herb potatoes. They also have rooms and cabins (HI-affiliated), but Jokitörmä, 1km to the south, is better.
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Monte Rosa
Attached to the City Hotel, this goes for the romance vote with a low candlelit interior and chummy booth seating. Most of the dishes are Finnish, with a pinch of oregano or sprinkling of pine nuts as a nod to Italy, and very tasty they are too. The house salad comes with a slab of salmon and sliced smoked reindeer, while main courses are aromatic and generously sized. They also do fajitas and pizzas.
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Kauppayhtiö
Rovaniemi’s most personable cafe, this is an oddball collection of retro curios with a coffee and gasoline theme and colourful plastic tables. All the knick-knacks are purportedly for sale here, but it’s the espresso machine, outdoor seating, salads, sundaes and bohemian Lapland crowd that keep the place ticking. The coffee is bottomless.
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ZoomIt Café
This large light, modern café is an excellent place to have a drink, breakfast or snack. Right in the heart of town, its terrace is the spot to be on a sunny afternoon. Service is good, and at lunchtimes on weekdays there are tasty stir fries, panini and wraps available. There's a minimum age of 20 after 20:00.
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Xiang Long
This main-street Chinese is family-run and a level above your typical Finnish example of the genre. Friendly service, tasty steamed prawn dim sum, a salad bar and several reindeer dishes, including one served on a sizzling platter, are the highlights, and the lunch buffet (€8.40, Monday to Friday) is great value.
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Ravintola Tuikku
For a meal or a drink with panoramic views, Ravintola Tuikku is perched right on top of the fell and looks over the surrounding hills and lakes. It's open year-round and can be reached by chairlift or by road. During the height of the ski-season it has theme nights: fondue, six-course specials, and more.
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Cómico
This offbeat basement restaurant is an American-diner type of place, with burgers, steaks and Tex-Mex fare, happy Finnish families, and old movies screening. It's not sophisticated, with a colourful, plastic feel, but the portions are generous.
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Hai Long
The best of Rovaniemi's Chinese restaurants, this has a very spacious interior and good service. It's popular at lunchtime, but also good value in the evenings, with several set menus, larger tables with lazy Susans, and plenty of choice.
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Mariza
A couple of blocks from the centre in untouristed territory, this simple lunch place is a real find, and offers a great buffet of home-cooked Finnish food, including changing-daily hot dishes, soup and salad. Authentic and excellent.
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Puolukka
This is arguably Rovaniemi's best restaurant when it comes to traditional Lappish cuisine. It's not cheap, and the restaurant itself is unassuming, but the food is delicious and includes reindeer, whitefish, and cloudberry desserts.
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Tuikku
Offering panoramic views over the surrounding forests and lakes, this spot is near the top of the fell, accessible by road or ski-lift. During the height of the ski-season it has theme nights: fondue, six-course specials and more.
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Kahvila Pullapiika
This café is a popular meeting place for locals of all ages. The glass counter shields a tempting array of savouries and cakes, including a tasty sachertorte. They also do a decent cappuccino.
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Sarrit
The Siida museum’s cafe, Sarrit, open museum hours, is a great spot to have lunch (11am to 3pm) and also does à la carte options.
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