BasBas

Candlelit dinner off the beaten path in Helsinki, Finland

By Patrick Janelle

BasBas is one of those restaurants that feels like a secret. By the time you’ve sat down at a table, you’ve probably traveled hundreds—or thousands—of miles to Helsinki, the Finnish capital. You’ve ventured off the usual downtown drag, the Esplanadi, past other hotspots into a quiet quarter of the city. The location of the front door is not readily apparent. It's an unremarkable entrance tucked around the side of an apartment complex. Inside, dishes speed in and out of the open kitchen, a large chalkboard hung against a wall at the far end lists the day’s menu, chunks of crusty bread are cut from an island in the middle of the dining room and whisked onto your table, and corks pop and buzz from behind a tiny bar. It’s a wonder that the other patrons found this place, too, but here you all are together, in this magical corner of a moody Nordic city.

show up like you're a regular

Pro Tips

Pro Tips

• Vibe

  Candlelit, raw space. The bistro feels more like an industrial kitchen, while the wine bar feels like the quintessential European garden-level hideaway.

• Things to know

  The wine bar is great for a casual glass of wine and some small plates. Make reservations at the bistro for a proper sit down meal, since walk-ins are often seated at the bistro’s bar (which is not entirely comfortable).

• Best for

  Perfect for a candlelit date. Or for an energetic group get-together.

Baskeri & Basso Bistro, officially called BasBas by all, including the owners, and its younger sibling BasBas Kulma have made it onto many recent lists of top restaurants in Helsinki, and for good reason. The bistro came first, in 2015; following its popularity, the BasBas owners and a handful of the original staff threw their chips—and corks—in together to open the neighboring wine bar in 2016. The menu at both locations reflects a seasonally-driven approach to food that is international in origin, where dishes show their strength in their brilliant simplicity. Think: mozzarella plated with a vibrant pistachio sauce, or Baltic herring smothered in teriyaki. The wine list skews natural and biodynamic, leaning heavily on offbeat French winemakers like the 2015 Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu “Tentation” Beaujolais-Villages or La Roche Buissière’s Petit Jo, but, as with any good wine bar, there are offerings for more traditional tastes as well.