Nili Restaurant — Restaurant in Rovaniemi sub-region

We reach Rovaniemi very tired… I was very worried that I won’t enjoy the dinner that night from the 13 hours train trip. But how mistaken I was!

We had reservations as we were advised Nili gets over booked and better to be safe by reservation.

The atmosphere was breath taking… Smells of the north, reindeer chandeliers, wooden tables and seats cover with reindeer skin rugs… It was as if I was visiting a good witch of the north (shaman of Lapland)… I loved it!

Menu was short straight to the pint Just the way I prefer it! Starts were amazing! I had the Christmas mix platter while my daughter and husband had other ones from the menu… BEAUTIFUL! Nicely presented in Lappish Style and perfectly cooked. I was happy.

Main course I had also from the Christmas menu the Reindeer Fillet which was sent from God above, I wished it would not finish with beautiful smoked flavored potatoes and game sauce… I can still taste it in the top of my mouth and back of my head…

My daughter had a beautiful Beef Fillet served with rosemary potatoes with cheese- pepper sauce that came cooked medium as it was asked… Not Medium well.. And not medium rare… Just Perfect Medium!

And my Sweet Husband and his first Lappish food experience was The Traditional Sautéed Reindeer which is served traditionally with Mashed potatoes with butter, pickled cucumber and homemade lingonberry jam…

For Dessert (And I rarely think any restaurant serves worth enough desserts) I got The Lappish baked Cheese in cinnamon cream and cloudberries. And My daughter and husband got the Saaga’s Chocolate cake which they shared…

Our waiter was young and new, still well prepared and informed. When my husband asked him about his plans for future her said his dream for now is finish his last year of high school and work as a professional waiter for many years to come… He was very respectful, played the Lappish host role very well and his advice in food and menu was so helpful even though his English was not that strong!

Over… I wish I have stayed one extra day in Rovaniemi to eat one more time in Nili… Unfortunately had to leave the Finnish Lapland with graving for their food in my mouth and head!!

I would truly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Rovaniemi and looking for Real...

This is an absolute MUST for dining when in Rovaniemi!

Had the pleasure of dining here our last night for my birthday (party of 2). Start to Finnish😉, the experience was very special.

Boring stuff... MAKE A BOOKING! I cannot stress this enough. Its not a massive place, and most tables are for 6 or less. We saw more than a dozen groups get turned away for being too big or wanting to do several courses without a booking.

If for some reason you can't find a booking that suits go there in person the first day you arrive to see what's available. They will squeeze you in if possible. We heard them accommodate several smaller parties in between bookings for just a main course and drinks. They were very communicative in how long you could have the table if a walk in.

Vibe... Very Lapland, rustic cabin. We were seated beneath the bear adjacent to the kitchen. There's a sweet little nook by a front window if you're lucky to snag it. Another room is upholstered as a tipi.

The Good Part! The food was beyond expectation. We wanted a genuine Finnish experience, and they did not disappoint. We splurged for the chefs 4 course and also the wine pairings.

Started with an amuse-bouche of whipped smoke salmon on cracker. A fabulous seared reindeer starter with toast point was followed by dual main courses: seared artic char and reindeer fillet with crab and honey vegetables. Every component from sauces to garnish were thoughtful. Rich in flavor, all parts worked together. Desert was a chocolate cake with berry sorbet.

Our wait staff was beyond attentive. They shared the history and creation of each dish and made sure all of our needs were...

If you are in Rovaniemi, Finland and are looking for good Finnish food, check out Nili Restaurant. The food, service, and atmosphere were awesome!

We tried the following: Starters: The Riverman's Salmon Soup was good. The salmon and veggies were perfectly cooked and the soup was savoury.

Lapland’s Potato Pancake with Juniper cured Arctic Salmon was okay. The salmon was fresh and awesome. The potato pancake was good. But the whitefish roe mouse (underneath the salmon) was way too salty which overpowered the dish.

The Salmon Cream Cheese pieces were good. As well, the fresh bread was delicious.

Speciality dish: The Bear Kuksa (Bear Stew) was delicious with very little gaminess.

Main dish: The Kangasniemi's Hearty Beef Steak was awesome. They cooked it perfectly as medium rare for us :)

Desserts: Sea Buckthorn Crème Brûlée was good. It was interesting having the crème brûlée with winter apple compote and biscuit crumbs.

Dream of Nili (Traditional Lapland's Cheese with Cloudberries) was awesome and unique. Surprisingly, the combo of mozzarella like cheese with the sweet cloudberries really worked well together. It was a really good cheese dessert :) Would definitely recommend.

Wine: The Ainoa Valokki (Cloudberry Ice Wine) was very unique, smooth and delicious. If you like ice wine, would recommend to try this unique ice wine made from cloudberries. It has a unique sweetness that’s different from your grape or pear...