RESTAURANT SEA HORSE
Opened in 1933, Restaurant Sea Horse has been serving authentic Finnish food and warm atmosphere for generations. Its spirit, with a little help from the staff, has been shaped by a colorful and loyal clientele.
Since 1933, Sea Horse in Ullanlinna has welcomed guests to enjoy classic Finnish flavours in an iconic Helsinki setting. The restaurant sits in Ullanlinna’s Art Nouveau district, just a short walk from the city centre.
In the 1990s, Tyler Brûlé, an internationally known journalist, wrote about Sea Horse’s legendary onion steak in a global magazine. That article lit the restaurant’s guiding star. From then on, this classic Finnish restaurant in Helsinki gained worldwide fame as an icon of Finnish cuisine.
For over 90 years, Finnish favourites like fried Baltic herring, vorschmack, herring platters, and Wiener schnitzels have been served in this historic Art Nouveau setting. Sea Horse is more than a restaurant — it’s a living piece of Finnish culinary history.
The story of the legendary seahorses on the dining room’s back wall has many versions. It took years to uncover their true origin. The seahorses were crafted by art students and became some of Helsinki’s most recognisable restaurant symbols. Today, these icons appear in travel guides, international magazines, and even theatre sets — a proud part of Finnish cultural heritage.
Sea Horse is known for its welcoming, inclusive spirit. It brings together people from all walks of life, generations, and nationalities through the joy of traditional Finnish food. The restaurant has been featured in many languages — from right to left, top to bottom — reflecting its diverse, international clientele. Laughter over a steaming bowl of salmon soup is not rare here — it’s tradition.
They say a small city fits under the roof of Sea Horse. That might be why this legendary Helsinki restaurant feels so alive.
