Grön is a cozy gem in Helsinki serving innovative Scandinavian cuisine with an emphasis on foraged and seasonal ingredients, all in an intimate setting.
"A cosy, passionately run restaurant with an open kitchen and a young team. Precise, modern cooking puts vegetables to the fore (there's a vegan menu too); ingredients are top-notch and purity is key. Dishes are brought to the table by the chefs themselves, and the natural wines are well-chosen." - Michelin Inspector
"Flavour-packed cooking comes from an industrious team in an open kitchen. Expect a plant based set menu full of originality and precision." - The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Editorial Team
"Grön translates to "green" in Swedish—the second official language of Finland—and is an apt name for this tiny, intimate place with a focus on nature. Warmly run by two young first-time owners, chef Toni Kostian and manager Lauri Kähkönen, Grön has already built up a strong local following in Helsinki. The simple wood-furnished room gives a clue as to the cooking: its shelves are laden with dried, pickled and cured ingredients that chef Kostian preserves in preparation for the long cold winter. He works closely with his team of small-time producers, but he also forages himself to discover which produce is currently at its peak, using the region’s bounty to its fullest. Fresh ingredients are cleverly combined with the contents packed on the shelves to produce dishes with pure, natural flavors as well as a satisfying earthiness. They are well-balanced and demonstrate a clear understanding of textures and flavors and, satisfyingly, vegetables are given equal billing with meat and fish." - The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Editorial Team
"Grön translates to 'green' in Swedish—the second official language of Finland—and is an apt name for this tiny, intimate place with a focus on nature. Warmly run by two young first-time owners, chef Toni Kostian and manager Lauri Kähkönen, Grön has already built up a strong local following in Helsinki. The simple wood-furnished room gives a clue as to the cooking: its shelves are laden with dried, pickled and cured ingredients that chef Kostian preserves in preparation for the long cold winter. He works closely with his team of small-time producers, but he also forages himself to discover which produce is currently at its peak, using the region’s bounty to its fullest. Hokkaido pumpkin with pumpkin seeds, preserved elderberries and caramelized whey 'Béarnaise.' The focal point of the space is the open kitchen, allowing both the chefs and diners to engage with one another—this is further helped by the team of chefs presenting and explaining the myriad of dishes at the table. Fresh ingredients are cleverly combined with the contents packed on the shelves to produce dishes with pure, natural flavors as well as a satisfying earthiness. They are well-balanced and demonstrate a clear understanding of textures and flavors and, satisfyingly, vegetables are given equal billing with meat and fish. Fermented forest berries with sour cream, white chocolate and lactic acid. Though an à la carte option is available, the four-course tasting menu is the way to go, with dishes listed under headings like 'Plant,' 'Meat,' 'Fish,' 'Wild,' and 'Dairy.' Guests can choose to add extra courses as well as a four-course vegan tasting menu with plates listed under 'Potato,' 'Pea' and 'Carrot.' It’s not just the food that stands out here though—the tempo of the service is just right, the natural wines are well-chosen and even the hand-roasted coffee is seasonal and sourced from micro-roasters." - The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Editorial Team
"Grön means ‘Green’ in Swedish – which is the country’s second official language – and is an apt name for this tiny, intimate place with a focus on nature. It’s warmly run by two young first-time owners – chef Toni Kostian and manager Lauri Kähkönen – and has already built up a strong local following. The simple wood-furnished room gives a clue as to the cooking: its shelves are laden with dried, pickled and cured ingredients that Toni preserves in preparation for the long cold winter. He works closely with his team of small-time producers who pick mushrooms, berries and herbs, grow vegetables and catch fish but he also forages himself to discover which produce is currently at its peak. He clearly enjoys using the region’s bounty to its full. The open kitchen is the focal point of the room and allows the chefs and diners to engage with one another – this is helped along by the fact that the chefs bring the dishes to the table themselves and fully explain them; their pride and enthusiasm really comes across. Fresh ingredients are cleverly combined with the contents of the shelves to produce dishes with pure, natural flavours and a satisfying earthiness. They are well-balanced and demonstrate a clear understanding of textures and flavours and, satisfyingly, vegetables are given equal billing as meat or fish. The 4 course set menu is the way to go and lists dishes under headings such as ‘Plant’, ‘Meat’, ‘Fish’, ‘Wild’ or ‘Dairy’ – and optional extra courses can be added; there’s also a 4 course vegan menu available. It’s not just the food that stands out here though – the tempo of the service is just right, the natural wines are well-chosen and even the hand-roasted coffee is seasonal and sourced from micro-roasters." - The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Editorial Team
