One of my favourite grocery stores in Helsinki is S-Market in Bulevardi in Helsinki downtown (the actual address seems to be Hietalahdenranta 7, but it is situated in the end of Bulevardi next to sea). Surely one reason it to be my favourite is that I live nearby. But it is pretty good supermarket – not too big but big enough to have pretty good selection. I also appreciate that Hietalahti Market Hall (Hietalahden Kauppahalli in Finnish) is next to S-Market Bulevardi – very handy to visit both. Another very good supermarket here in Helsinki downtown is at Stockmann Department store -1 floor. You can read more shopping in downtown from this post – Stockmann mentioned there!

What to buy from Finnish Supermarket? Of course if you are hungry buy whatever you wish to eat. In Finland people speak pretty well English so just ask from somebody when you are not sure about what different items are. I collected here some Finnish specialities I think everyone visiting in Finland should buy and taste. First I want to introduce Karjalanpiirakka. It is Finnish snack – pie made of rice and rye flower. If you are hungry, just buy some of those and something to drink. Karjalanpiirakkas are normally found next to breads, you should buy those ones baked in store (they look like the ones in picture above).

At bread section you also find Finnish healthy speciality rye bread (ruisleipä). When tasting that, you should also buy at least some butter since rye braid just alone is maybe a disappointment. I LOVE rye bread and it eat every day – normally with some butter, cheese and cucumber (and with that I drink Coca-Cola but surely my drink is not Finnish (or healthy) at all:-) Cheese we cut here in Finland with “juustohöylä”, picture found of that above with other things mentioned in this section – this juustohöylä-tool is also found from S-Market Bulevardi. It is very handy when wanting to cut very thin slices of cheese. But back to rye bread – there are variety of different rye breads – pick whatever label as long as they are really rye! You can find also “rye bread chips” called “Ruissipsi”. If you need more snacks I recommend tasting Finnish yoghurt with some mysli. A+ yoghurt in the picture is my favourite!

And of course you have to hear about Finnish sweets as well. I recommend you to buy Finnish ginger bread (piparkakku in Finnish) – very delicious. These are very tasty just alone. But if you wish, you can also buy some brie cheese and put slice of that on top of ginger bread. In that case you need to buy also some red wine since those belong absolutely together. Luckily there is Alko next to S-Market. Alko offers wide selection of wines. In Finland wines (and hard alcohol) are only sold in Alkos – those you can’t find anywhere else.

I truly believe we have best candies in the world here in Finland. We have such a wide variety of different candies – you have to visit candy section in S-Mark.  The absolute buy is chocolate by Fazer – there are basic chocolate and also different flavours. Also I warmly recommend you to taste some black liquorice. That is absolute favourite for many Finns but I know it can taste a bit strange for foreigners. I think that is a great homecoming gift from Finland. There are also a lot more delicious candy – like TV Mix in picture. After tasting variety of candies you should try some Finnish Xylitol chewing gum – it is very good for your teeth (also found from candy section).

Anna