Chef Hans Välimäki has added fresh culinary energy to Helsinki with two new dining concepts. At the intimate concept restaurant Välimäki, seating is deliberately limited to eight guests arranged around a horseshoe-shaped counter under the guidance of a maître d’. The daily-changing tasting menu highlights small, meticulously prepared dishes that blend international techniques with seasonal, local ingredients. Välimäki operates Wednesday through Saturday with two seatings each night at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., creating an exclusive, attentive dining experience.
Complementing the fine-dining option, Chef Välimäki has opened a relaxed gastro pub called Rikhards. Housed in a building that once hosted the well-known Richard’s Pub, Rikhards evokes a comfortable 1930s atmosphere while offering elevated pub classics. The menu celebrates nostalgia and familiar flavors—choices include a Beef Liver Sandwich Père Välimäki, reflecting a childhood favorite, and a Finnish blood sausage served with caramelized apple, warm potato salad, and crisp fried capers. For those seeking traditional pub fare, the kitchen delivers generous portions of bangers and mash, fish and chips, and moules-frites, each executed with the chef’s gourmet touch.
Both venues showcase Välimäki’s range: one focused on an intimate, curated tasting experience, the other on approachable, hearty plates with refined ingredients. Together they expand Helsinki’s dining scene by offering contrasting but complementary experiences—exclusive, detail-driven cuisine at the counter and convivial, flavor-forward fare in a laid-back setting.
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