Ravintola Emo

The EMO was really an outstanding culinary experience! The combination of the wine with the food in the chef's menu was awesome, and the quality of the dishes was overall really high. I absolutely recommend it!

The last time I visited this address, some 10 years ago, the restaurant was called OLO. Now, it’s home to EMO, a bistro-style spinoff from the OLO Group. On a Tuesday afternoon, a few tables were enjoying an early dinner. We opted for the Chef’s Menu, a 4-course set priced at €59. The meal started strongly with an amuse-bouche: a small bite of fresh summer vegetables and delightful fennel-infused focaccia. The starters, leek soup and beef tartare, were rich with bold, fresh flavors. The leek soup, in particular, was outstanding. However, the main course was a slight disappointment after such a promising start. The pike perch dish was technically flawless but lacked flavor. It was slightly oversalted, which overpowered the delicate flavors of the relatively mild ingredients. On a hot Helsinki day, the meal ended perfectly with a refreshing yoghurt parfait for dessert. Paired with raspberries and sandcake, it was the ideal light finish to a hearty meal. You can truly taste the talent behind EMO’s food. Each dish was well-prepared, showcasing some innovative approaches. Before our visit, Google reviews suggested that EMO struggled with its service. I’m happy to report that throughout the evening, the service was friendly, professional, and flawless. Everyone in the dining hall seemed to be having a great time. Two thumbs up for EMO—I would definitely visit again!

Wonderful dinner enjoyed with my family. Been traveling around Finland and this was our favorite meal by far! The attention to detail was superb.

We went for a late lunch and it was a really good choice. The food and the service were outstanding. Wine suggestion was excellent. The salmon was perfectly cooked, and the starting soup was full of flavour. I recommend taking alsont he dessert. We would like to come back for dinner in one of our next visits to Helsinki.

Emo is a surprise find, despite its casual bistro settings, dishes here are seriously prepared, close to fine dining level. The octopus was so good we ordered a second plate. Recommended.

Fantastic restaurant with a great ambience. The famous chef Pekka Terävä really creates delicious and unique dishes. A must place to have dinner if looking to have a culinary experience!!

Amazing time, absolutly great evening

The food here was delicious although slightly expensive but I'd still highly recommend visiting. They had a normal menu with a couple of different set menus, one for 3 courses and one for 5 courses. The 3 course meal also had the option of adding a 4th course. The restaurant also offers wine pairings for these set menus and can of course recommend a selection of wines to go with your selected dishes if you don't opt for the set menu.

Date of visit: 8/28/2024 One of the best meal my husband and I had in Helsinki! We ordered: Main meal: - mushroom pasta - spring chicken - white fish Desserts - blueberry panacotta - boiled apple with vanilla ice cream and some crumble ALL WERE EXCELLENT! 5/5! Highly recommended. Be sure to make rsvp.

All I have to say is the truffle tasting menu, just do it. Really awesome place with some great food and wine selections. The service and food were spot on. The prices were reasonable for the quality of the food here. Will come back.

Fabulous Scandinavian cuisine in a very centralized setting. This is owned by the same owner who runs a Michelin star which we could not get into. The starter is the rich breads. I loved the chocolate breads which is delicious. It's dangerous coming to northern Europe as their breads are always to die for. The rye flour and the water is what I think. The vegetable dishes are super neat. Tartare is delicious. The fish and beef are delicious and the house made noodles super tasty. The seasoning on the dishes are very light with lots of seasonable veggies in it. Definitely not heavy and a great representation of the Scandinavian new cuisine that you often see in Norway and Sweden. Dessert are equally refreshing. Situated in city center for easy accessibility. I loved this meal and I loved Helsinki. This was my grandpa's favorite city - he visited in the 1950s after making a tour to East Germany, Czech, Latvia, Estonia and Soviet's Moscow. I am glad that I could visit here like he did over a half a century ago.

Emo is an attractive & welcoming restaurant from the outside & inside. Decor is muted but elegant, with the effect of focusing on your meal & experience. The staff are friendly & attentive, and the overall service is seamless. The restaurant actually has two sections: a small room immediately to the left of the front door, which is not decorated in the hues of grey & silver & rather plain, & the rest. I was seated in the plain room, which was fine but would have preferred the main room. The menu is appealing, & you choose between set courses or a la carte. I ordered a la carte: beef tartare with puffed rice and horseradish cream (delicious, if weird sounding); scallops with mussels & cauliflower puree (fine, though scallops slightly underdone for me); and elk filet (excellent). I finished with the chocolate cake & mint ice cream (v. good)There aren't that many choices on the menu, which i appreciated. The wine list was decent, with some decent by-the-glass choices. That said, i'm always annoyed by wine lists that showcase 2 or 3 very high end wines (La Tache) & prices (€1,500) at the end of the list. Either you're restaurant that has a phenomenal wine list, or you're not. Focus on more really good mid-range wines instead. Pet peeve.... My server was lovely, & described the dishes well. My two (minor) issues with my experience: they thought I was a party of two, and after i waited 30 mins for a menu (or bread, which they deliciously bake in house), i asked for a menu & we then realized the error. Still, most restaurants would confirm on arrival a party of two & '1st to arrive'. No big deal, but avoidable. The 2nd was small raw cauliflower florets with the scallops. Raw. Just....no. Ever. Otherwise, a fine experience.

Are you searching for a really good, stylish restaurant with amazing food and nice service? Then check out EMO in Kasarmikatu. This relatively new place just around the corner from Esplanadi is the perfect place for a wonderful dinner experience. EMO has a really short menu of all together ten courses. But they are all fantastic. I highly suggest, if you are two then get the ten course menu and share it. This way you get to experience everything EMO has to offer. Go on a journey through the best the European kitchen has to offer. Btw. all the ingredients used at EMO come from small producers and farms around Europe. And of course don't miss out on the wonderful wines they have. The list is long and the selection really good. Get some recommendations from the staff. You can also come to EMO just for the wine. Next to their restaurant they also have a nice and cozy wine bar that even offers some delicious EMO snacks. Enjoy your evening!

What a disappointment! We took the chef's choice of the day with five courses, i.e. the tasting menu High Five! The food was mainstream, no frills. The main course was chicken. That one I can easily get from Lidl, I do not have to go to a high class restaurant. The wine package was OK, though.

Neat gastrobar with stylish but cosy atmosphere. Nice friendly staff, relaxed service. Points for good groovy music. Delicious food, although not the most innovative list. Minus points for (too) tiny portions. Good place to meet friends and definitely worth a visit.