Café Aalto
- Wheelchair access
Helsinki · Kluuvi & Kaartinkaupunki
Cafés in Kluuvi & Kaartinkaupunki
Café Aalto and Strindberg on Pohjoisesplanadi, Fazer on Kluuvikatu, museum cafés and the Old Market Hall.
Photo: Mingyang LIU, Pexels License
Kluuvi and Kaartinkaupunki cover central Helsinki from the Central Station at Kaivokatu 1 south to Esplanadi and the Market Square on Eteläranta.12 The station building, by Eliel Saarinen, was inaugurated in 1919, and between 200,000 and 240,000 people pass through it on a typical day.1
Esplanadi, the park Carl Ludwig Engel laid out in 1818, runs from Erottaja to the Market Square, with Pohjoisesplanadi on its north side and Eteläesplanadi on its south.3 A statue of the national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, by his son Walter, stands at its center, and the Stockmann department store is on its edge.3
Local tip: The Market Square stalls open at 06:30 on weekdays, before any café on Pohjoisesplanadi; on Sundays the square does not open until 10:00.2
At a glance
53Cafés listed
30With opening hours
07:00Earliest opening
00:00Latest closing
- Opens earliest: Cafe Eliel, from 07:00 (Mon–Sat 07:00–21:00 · Sun 08:00–20:00).
- Closes latest: Roasberg, until 00:00 (Mon–Thu 09:00–22:00 · Fri 09:00–00:00 · Sat 10:00–00:00 · Sun 10:00–22:00).
- Most common features: card payment (36%), indoor seating (26%), vegetarian options (17%).
Cafe Eliel
- Wi-Fi
- Card payment
Cafe Esplanad
- Card payment
- Partial wheelchair access
Café Höijer
Café Linkosuo Esplanadi
Café Noir
Cafe Portaali
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Smoke-free indoors
Café Strindberg
- Outdoor seating
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Wheelchair access
- Open late
Cajsan Helmi
Cloudspoon
Eromanga
- Card payment
Hachi Tea
Happy Waffle
- Card payment
- Bakery café
Ihana Kahvila Baari
- Outdoor seating
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
Kahvila Oodi
- Air-con
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Wheelchair access
- Smoke-free indoors
Karl Fazer Café
- Outdoor seating
- Indoor seating
- Wheelchair access
- Toilets
- Pet-friendly
- Open late
Little Big Café
- Outdoor seating
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
Musiikkitalon kahvila
- Outdoor seating
- Air-con
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Wheelchair access
- Smoke-free indoors
Neuhaus Café
- Card payment
Pronto
Ravintola WaffDaddy
Roasberg
- Outdoor seating
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
- Open late
Sampon Satumainen kahvila
- Card payment
Scandinavia Cafe
Zhao Tea
- Outdoor seating
- Indoor seating
- Vegetarian options
- Bubble tea
Café Metro
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
Café Normal
Kakkugalleria
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
OneWay
- Card payment
Book Cafe
Café Artist
- Wheelchair access
Cafe Cao
Chéri Chou
Ciao! Caffé Espa
Kiasma Café
Linnea Cafe
Nothing matches those filters here. See all cafés in Helsinki.
Coffee chains in Kluuvi & Kaartinkaupunki
Chain
Espresso House
Show 4 locations
- Kaisaniemenkatu 4Mon–Fri 07:00–19:00 · Sat 09:00–19:00 · Sun Closed
- Kaivokatu 8Mon–Fri 07:00–22:00 · Sat 08:30–22:30 · Sun 08:30–21:00
- Kluuvikatu 7Mon–Fri 07:30–20:00 · Sat 08:00–20:00 · Sun 09:00–19:00
- Mikonkatu 13Mon–Fri 07:30–20:00 · Sat 08:30–20:00 · Sun 08:30–19:30
Chain
Robert's Coffee
Show 6 locations
- Kluuvi & Kaartinkaupunki
- Roberts Coffee Citykäytävä, Aleksanterinkatu 21Mon–Thu 07:00–21:00 · Fri 07:00–22:00 · Sat 08:00–22:00 · Sun 09:00–21:00
- Robert's Coffee Netcup, Aleksanterinkatu 52Mon–Fri 07:00–20:00 · Sat 08:00–19:00 · Sun 10:30–18:00
- Robert’s Coffee Bubbles & Bites, Aleksanterinkatu 52Mon–Fri 08:00–21:00 · Sat 09:00–19:00 · Sun 11:00–18:00
- Asemahalli, Kaivokatu 1Mon–Sat 06:00–23:00 · Sun 07:00–21:00
- Robert’s Coffee Jugend, Pohjoisesplanadi 21Mon–Sat 10:00–19:00 · Sun 10:00–18:00
Chain
Fazer Café
Show 5 locations
- Fazer Café 8th Floor, Aleksanterinkatu 52Mon–Fri 10:00–19:30 · Sat 10:00–18:30 · Sun 12:00–17:30
- Fazer Café Kaisaniemi, Kaisaniemenkatu 6Mon–Fri 07:30–19:00 · Sat 09:00–19:00 · Sun 09:30–18:00
- Kaivokatu 8Mon–Sat 07:30–21:00 · Sun 09:00–20:00
- Töölönlahdenkatu 2Mon–Fri 07:30–19:00 · Sat 10:00–19:00
- Fazer Café Sanomatalo, Töölönlahdenkatu 4
Chain
Picnic
- Picnic Asematunneli
- Kasarmikatu 42Mon–Fri 07:00–18:00 · Sat 09:30–16:00
Chain
La Torrefazione
- Aleksanterinkatu 50 BMon–Fri 07:30–19:00 · Sat 10:00–18:00 · Sun 11:00–17:00
- Fratello Torrefazione, Yliopistonkatu 6
Chain
Joe & The Juice
- Aleksanterinkatu 52Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00 · Sat 10:00–19:00 · Sun 12:00–18:00
- Aleksanterinkatu 7b
- Mannerheimintie 14-20
Chain
Relove
- Relove Café Stockmann, Aleksanterinkatu 52Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00 · Sat 10:00–19:00 · Sun 12:00–18:00
Chain
Starbucks
- Kluuvi & Kaartinkaupunki
- Kaivokatu 1Mon–Sat 06:00–20:00 · Sun 07:00–20:00
Chain
Coffee House
- Asema-aukio 2Mon–Fri 09:00–19:00 · Sat–Sun 10:00–18:00
Chain
Story
- Eteläranta 9Mon–Sat 08:00–18:00
Pohjoisesplanadi, number by number
The north side of the park carries the city's best-known café row. Café Aalto is on the second floor of the Academic Bookstore at Pohjoisesplanadi 39, in a building designed by Alvar Aalto; the café opened in 1986 and serves breakfast every day and a soup lunch on weekdays.4
Two doors down, Café Esplanad at number 37 has run since 1994 and is known for its large korvapuusti (cinnamon buns). It keeps laptop-free seating on weekdays from 11:00 to 14:00 and at weekends, and its sister café, Café Succès on Korkeavuorenkatu, dates from 1957.5 Café Noir is at number 35 and Strindberg at 33, where the café stays open until 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Station, museums and the library
Cafe Eliel, inside the station at Kaivokatu 1, opens at 07:00 from Monday to Saturday and closes at 21:00. Little Big Café on Elielinaukio and Café Metro on Vilhonkatu also start at 07:00 on weekdays, and La Torrefazione at Aleksanterinkatu 50 B half an hour later.
The museum and concert block west of the station has its own cafés. Kiasma Café, at the contemporary art museum, is at Mannerheiminaukio 2. Oodi, the central library, opened on 5 December 2018; its café is on the third floor, next to the "Book Heaven" shelves of about 100,000 books.67 The café at Musiikkitalo, the music center at Mannerheimintie 13 A, is open from 11:00 to 18:00, Monday to Saturday. Café Höijer, on Ateneuminkuja, closes on Mondays.
Market Square and the Old Market Hall
Kauppatori, the Market Square, opens at 06:30 from Monday to Saturday, closing at 18:00 on weekdays and 16:00 on Saturdays; on Sundays it runs from 10:00 to 17:00.2 Torikahvila Cafe Fri is one of the coffee stalls on the square.
A few steps along Eteläranta, the brick Old Market Hall has traded since 1889.8 At its center is Story, a Nordic café-restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and brunch, with pastries by master confectioner Markus Hurskainen; the cruffin, croissant dough baked in a muffin shape, is the one to try.8 Story opens at 08:00 from Monday to Saturday.
Aleksanterinkatu and the side streets
Aleksanterinkatu runs parallel to the park one block north.3 Kakkugalleria, a cake café, and Relove Café Stockmann share number 52, and Café Normal is at 48. Karl Fazer Café on Kluuvikatu, the cross street, opens at 07:30 on weekdays and stays open until 22:00 from Monday to Saturday.
Tea has a cluster of its own: Zhao Tea on Ateneuminkuja, Hachi Tea on Vuorikatu and QiTea on Aleksanterinkatu. Eromanga on Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu opens at 07:30 on weekdays and closes at 15:00.
Sources
- Helsinki Central Station, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
- Kauppatori: opening hours, Palvelukartta, City of Helsinki, accessed October 2026
- Esplanadi, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
- Café Aalto, MyHelsinki, City of Helsinki, accessed October 2026
- Café Esplanad: history, menu and opening hours, Café Esplanad, accessed October 2026
- Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
- Oodi's services for tourists, Oodi, Helsinki Central Library, accessed October 2026
- Pikaopas: Helsingin kauppahallit (January 27, 2025), MyHelsinki, City of Helsinki, accessed October 2026
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FAQ
Kluuvi & Kaartinkaupunki cafés: questions
Which cafés are on Esplanadi in Helsinki?
The cafés are on Pohjoisesplanadi, the park's north side. Café Aalto is on the second floor of the Academic Bookstore at number 39 and opened in 1986. Café Esplanad at 37 has run since 1994 and is known for large korvapuusti. Café Noir is at 35 and Strindberg at 33.
Where can you get breakfast near Helsinki Central Station?
Cafe Eliel, inside the station at Kaivokatu 1, opens at 07:00 from Monday to Saturday. Little Big Café on Elielinaukio and Café Metro on Vilhonkatu also open at 07:00 on weekdays, and La Torrefazione at Aleksanterinkatu 50 B opens at 07:30. Café Aalto on Pohjoisesplanadi serves breakfast every day.
What is the Old Market Hall in Helsinki?
The Old Market Hall is a brick market hall on Eteläranta, near the Market Square, that has traded since 1889. Its center is Story, a café-restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and brunch, with pastries by master confectioner Markus Hurskainen. Story opens at 08:00 from Monday to Saturday.
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