Nolla

Verdict: Book Nolla for a late evening in Helsinki; it over-delivers at the price

The second is the price tier: €€, which puts Nolla in a different bracket from most of Helsinki's serious restaurants. The combination of Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition (2024 and 2025), a Star Wine List #1 ranking (2025 and 2026), and a mid-range price point makes this one of the clearest value decisions in the city. If you are in Helsinki on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday and want to eat well past standard dinner hours, Nolla is the answer. The kitchen runs until 11 pm Tuesday through Thursday and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays; hours that most of Helsinki's higher-end restaurants do not keep.

About Nolla

Nolla, Finnish for "zero", is built around a genuine no-waste operating principle. The three founding chefs, Albert Franch Sunyer (Spain), Carlos Henriques (Portugal), and Luka Balać (Serbia), started from a shared frustration with how much professional kitchens discard and built a restaurant designed to eliminate that waste from the ground up. Ingredients come from local farmers, fishermen, artisans. The menu leans toward minimalist presentations with a Spanish influence, the vegetable cookery in particular draws consistent attention from critics. What the kitchen produces is described as having a strong flavour depth despite restrained plating, a combination that reflects how the sourcing decisions shape the cooking rather than the other way around.

The wine list is worth singling out. A hand-written booklet of mostly French and Italian selections earned Star Wine List's leading Helsinki ranking two consecutive years. That credential matters here: at a €€ price point, a wine list that earns that kind of recognition is not common. If you are exploring Finnish dining as a wine and food enthusiast, the combination of the wine programme and the sustainability sourcing gives Nolla more layers than most restaurants at this price level. For broader context on what else Helsinki's restaurant scene offers, see our full Helsinki restaurants guide.

The Late-Night Case for Nolla

Helsinki's serious restaurant scene largely shuts down early. Most tasting menu restaurants in the city are done by 10 pm. Nolla's Friday and Saturday service running to midnight makes it one of the few places where you can eat a considered, award-recognised meal late without settling for bar food. The Bib Gourmand recognition confirms the kitchen is operating at a level above casual late-night options. If you have already done drinks at a Helsinki bar, see our full Helsinki bars guide, and want a proper meal after 9 pm on a weekend, this is the most credible option in the central city. The address at Fredrikinkatu 22 puts it in the Punavuori district, which is well-positioned for an evening that starts elsewhere and ends here.

Tuesday through Thursday the kitchen closes at 11 pm, which still gives you a later window than most comparable restaurants. Monday and Sunday are closed, so plan accordingly. The current Friday and Saturday midnight closing means you are not rushed if you arrive after 9 pm, which removes one of the common stresses of late dining at restaurants that technically stay open but stop taking orders.

Practical Details

Reservations: Booking difficulty is rated Easy, you are unlikely to need weeks of advance planning, though weekend late slots may fill faster than midweek. Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 5–11 pm; Friday and Saturday 5 pm–midnight; closed Sunday and Monday. Address: Fredrikinkatu 22, 00120 Helsinki (Punavuori). Budget: €€, mid-range for Helsinki, below the price tier of most Michelin-recognised restaurants in the city. Wine: Star Wine List #1 Helsinki 2025 and 2026; hand-written booklet, mostly French and Italian. Awards: Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024 and 2025; Opinionated About Dining Casual Europe ranked #479 (2024) and #863 (2025).

Ratings at a Glance

• Michelin: Bib Gourmand (2024, 2025)
• Star Wine List: #1 Helsinki (2025, 2026)
• Opinionated About Dining, Casual Europe: #479 (2024), #863 (2025)

How It Compares

See the comparison section below for how Nolla sits against Palace, Grön, Olo, and other Helsinki options.

Beyond Helsinki

If you are exploring Finland more broadly, Kaskis in Turku and Kajo in Tampere are worth knowing about. In the Baltics, Somm in Vilnius applies a similarly serious approach to fusion and modern cuisine at a comparable price positioning. For accommodation and other Helsinki planning, our Helsinki hotels guide and experiences guide cover the rest.

More to Explore in Finland

For a broader picture of serious Finnish dining beyond the capital: VÅR in Porvoo, Musta Lammas in Kuopio, Pöllöwaari in Jyväskylä, and Lucy in the Sky in Espoo. Helsinki's wine scene is covered in our Helsinki wineries guide. For a reference point on what award-level fish cookery looks like at a different scale, Le Bernardin in New York City sits at the other end of the price and formality spectrum. Closer to home, The ROOM by Kozeen Shiwan offers a creative Helsinki alternative worth knowing about.