What is the Slow Food Local Guide?

The Slow Food Helsinki local guide categorizes establishments by their type, location, price, and labels on specific practices to connect them to the community in the best possible way

    • Restaurant

    • Bar

    • Café

    • Bakery

    • Cheesemaker

    • Vintner

    • Brewery and distillery

    • Farm

  • Helsinki neighborhoods and surrounding Uusimaa region places

    • € - Budget friendly

    • €€ - Mid-range

    • €€€ - Upscale

Slow Food Helsinki’s local guide is a collection of establishments in and around the city recognized for their high-quality food and beverages while pursuing and practicing Slow Food values in their operations.

This is more than about making good food — it’s about making commitments to the environment, local communities, employees and purveyors, and our core values of antiracism and anti-oppression.

The Local Guide recognition is given by the Helsinki local chapter based on evaluations focused on the following six areas: sourcing, environmental impact, cultural connection, community involvement, staff support, and establishment values.

Our labels

Slow Compost

Establishment that turns its organic waste into compost

Snail of Approval

Special establishment for its extraordinary food, service and alignment of values with Slow Food's

Slow Catch

Special establishment for its extraordinary food, service and alignment of values with Slow Food's

Slow Wine

Establishment with a wine menu that prioritizes small producers, minimal winemaker intervention, and that reflect their local terroir

Slow Craft

Establishment that partners with local artisan producers (bakers, brewers, cheesemakers, etc.) rather than mass suppliers

Slow Traditions

Establishment that promotes local food and traditional recipes

Slow Roots

Establishment with a direct relationship to the farmers and producers it sources from, cutting out middlemen

Slow Plants

Establishment that pays special attention to the plant world in its cuisine

Slow Ferment

Establishment that practices traditional fermentation techniques (bread, dairy, vegetables, drinks, etc.)

Does this resonate with your establishment?

Join the Slow Food Helsinki Local Guide!

Apply here

The inclusion in the guide is administered by Slow Food Helsinki and consist of a survey to gather information about your establishment followed by an interview and/or site visit to discuss your application in more detail. Click here to access the survey.

Feel free to reach out to us to slowfoodhelsinki@proton.me if you have any questions or we can help you in any way.