Ester's Grocery — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

I’ve been following this joint for quite some time but never found the right moment to visit, until one hot Saturday evening. I deliberately decided to raid the place an hour before closing. I had already checked their menu (which is limited, but that’s usually a good sign) and knew exactly what I wanted. I was greeted with the Gen Z stare, and once the young gentleman managed to rewire his brain, he mumbled, “What do you want? We’re closing at seven.” Well, so what? I’m here at six. I’m not trying to host a dinner party, just order a sandwich. Instead of something remotely polite like “We’re closing at seven, but feel free to sit and take your time,” I got passive aggressive energy wrapped in apathy. I ordered The Garden (their other veggie option) and a glass of prosecco, which they served in one of those bowl champagne glasses. Not only are they impractical, but the terrace tables aren’t even level. The glass started sliding the second it hit the table. If I hadn’t caught it, it would’ve been on the ground. Luckily, the couple next to me spotted it and handed over a coaster to stop the slow motion disaster. The sandwich? It was good. No complaints. But not something I’d walk more than two blocks for. I get it, the nearby locals grab takeaways from this place all the time. But for anyone else, it’s not worth the pilgrimage. I wish this joint nothing but the best, and we need more places like this. But it shouldn’t feel like you’re the problem just for walking through the door. No matter how good the food is, a deli lives or dies by its service. Fix your service, especially in the final hour when it shows the most. It’s a solid 2 out of 5, and for me, it’s...

I have had my eye on this place since I read about it while still in Seattle planning my trip to Helsinki. Fantastic sandwiches with the right balance of meats, cheese, greens and spreads. We had the Crudo and the Salami. The freshly baked bread has a wonderful crunch on the outside from being heated on the griddle. Very unique for Helsinki and...

You can see these people are passionate about what they do! I had the "mortadella supreme", which was amazing! Super fresh bread, ingredients and delicious home made sauces. Every single bit (and every single bite) was perfectly balanced. Can't wait to come back and try out more of...