The Kasarmitori terrace and related summer streets will open on Helsinki Day, 12 June. Until mid-August, Kasarmitori Square will provide visitors with the opportunity to enjoy the delicacies of Helsinki-based quality restaurants in a festive marine-themed environment. The terrace will feature the best seasonal treats from 13 restaurateurs. In addition to this, you may be surprised art and a variety of cultural experiences along the summer streets and in the terrace area.
— Helsinki is an amazing city for culinary culture, where people come to enjoy from far and wide. It is our hope that Kasarmitori Square will become one of this summer’s hits for domestic travel, and that it will reinvigorate the restaurant, arts and cultural sectors, which have suffered under the coronavirus restrictions, as well as the city centre area and local residents, says Mayor of Helsinki Jan
Vapaavuori.
The Kasarmitori summer terrace is formed by 13 Helsinki-based high-quality restaurants, which will treat locals and visiting tourists with a wide range of culinary experiences through the summer. The offering includes breakfast in the summer sun, fresh lunches, delicious bagels, sourdough pizza, tacos, mezes, seafood, craft beers, excellent wines, cocktails, and much more.
This summer, the terrace arrangement will also include summer street trials in the surrounding area. Kasarmikatu and Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu will be decorated with floral wreaths and converted into “summer streets” to delight pedestrians. The summer streets provide new and exciting routes to the from Esplanadi to the terrace area and the Helsinki Biennial ferry dock on the shore.
The sides of the summer streets will also feature lounge areas – small marine-themed islets – that provide the opportunity to enjoy the urban bustle. The terrace and summer streets provide the opportunity experience a variety of art from buskers to circus artists and from cartoonists to dance and theatre. Kasarmitori Square will also feature weekly spoken word interpretations of the legendary Merisää radio weather report for seafarers.
Coronavirus safety has been the starting point for the design of the entire terrace and street trial area. Safe distances, handwashing stations, queuing directions and other factors have been carefully considered. The lessons learned from the successful terrace trial on Senate Square have been taken to heart, and other cities have also been interested in the experiences.
— This summer will see a boom of restaurant terrace arrangements ripple throughout Finland. Many cities have contacted us and asked for tips on building and running large terrace areas. We have been happy to share our experiences. I can think of nothing better than for marketplaces and squares across the country to become oases for good food, drink and safe get-togethers for the summer season, says Helsingin Leijona Oy’s Commercial Director Peggy
Bauer happily.
The summer arrangements and activities on Kasarmitori Square are a joint project of various City of Helsinki divisions. The practical organisation and coordination is handled by real estate development company Helsingin Leijona Oy.
Kasarmitori Summer will open on Helsinki Day on 12 June at 9:00 and remain open every day until 15 August. (The opening hours will be adjusted through the summer according to effective coronavirus restrictions.)
Mayor Jan Vapaavuori will hold the opening speech for Kasarmitori Summer at 11:30 on 12 June. The opening will also feature a variety of art surprises to see and listen to throughout the day.
Kasarmitori Summer:
Open every day 12 June–15 August starting from 9:00, according to coronavirus restrictions (check our website for effective opening hours)
13 restaurant operators
560 customer seats
950 metres from Helsinki Central Railway Station
Summer street trials: Kasarmikatu and Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu
#kasarmitorinkesä
https://kasarmitorinkesa.hel.fi/en/(Link leads to external service)
Restaurants involved in Kasarmitori Summer:
Ravintola Penny
St. George Bakery & Krog Roba
Fisken på Disken
Farouge
Vin-Vin & Story
Finnjävel
Pompier Espa
Tacotita & Linna Burgers and Coffee
Baobao
Yeastie Boi
Pasta Bar by Locanda Scappi
LILY LEE XIAOCHI
Kyrö Bar
Health security in the context of Kasarmitori Summer:
- National coronavirus policies are the basis for the design and operation of the entire terrace area.
- Use of space in the area has been carefully considered based on safe distances, appropriate customer capacity, directions of travel, table and sales point positioning, etc.
- The area features clear signposts that specify safety instructions, directions of travel, etc.
- The area includes hand washing stations (running water) and hand sanitiser is also available
- The area includes a sufficient number of toilets in which hygiene is a priority (cleaning, directions of travel, hand washing opportunities)
- The area is under intensified monitoring
