With the sun hardly setting in Helsinki these days, we are taking every opportunity to enjoy dinner outdoors.
Our favourite places Skiffer and Cafe Birgitta only open in summer and they are now in good company with the opening of Hernesaaren Ranta.
Hernesareen Ranta (Hernesaari Beach) is located south-west of the city, in the redeveloping area of Hernesaari (Pea Island).
Bus number 14 will take you almost to the door, but as always there’s also plenty of parking for bikes.
The area is home to a range of eateries, including Piece & Love Pizza and Mexican Chalupa. There’s also a venelaituri (boat pier) for those arriving by boat.
Once ashore there’s many areas to sit and you don’t all have to order food from the same place.
Unfortunately, some food providers are still learning how to run food events efficiently. The night we visited, the Champagne Bar ran out of champagne and the sushi bar was hand-rolling sushi to order, meaning a 25-minute wait for food after a 20-minute wait to order.
Luckily there’s another bar where you can grab a drink while you wait and there’s also a dance floor for those who stay late.
These guys knew how to kill time, turning up for dinner in a boat equipped with a sauna and sofa up on top.
And we’ll be back. With the area measuring 2000m² and open all week from 10am-2am, there’s something for every man and his dog.
It’s a bit hard to find – continue west from Cafe Birgitta, past the public sauna building site until you feel sure you must be lost. Hernesaaren Ranta will appear as if a mirage in the distance, just as you are about to turn back.
Hey Helsinki 