Molotow

Bar Molotow is not your typicial Finnish bar. However it is impossible to overlook it when recommending go-to Helsinki addresses. It is truly the pearl on Vaasankatu, Kallio’s famous bar street.

Created 5 years ago by founder/entreprenor Sami Nurminen, Molotow reflects Sami’s world traveler experience. Upon entering Molotow, you can see different influences from different cities. You have the impression you could be someplace in New York, with it’s distinctive brick wall, but also somewhere in Berlin or Amsterdam, due to its tasteful blend of old and new elements of decoration.

=> Fun fact: the name comes from Sami’s favorite club in Hamburg.

The bar’s speciality is a large variety of beers and ciders. They even have a little separate bar with new and changing products (such as Indian Pale Ale, or our recent taste Buxton Brewery American Pale Ale). 

Molotow has a very cozy bohemian atmosphere: it is a place for everyone, and always opens its doors at 4 pm, everyday of the week. The bar can quickly become full, but in a nice way: because of its international and relaxed feel, the crowd becomes a pleasant murmur. 

There is furthermore a true sense of community and authenticity at Molotow: it’s Helsinki’s most street-savy bar. 

=> Future Plans: Sami Nurimen plans on opening a new bar in Kallio with the same kind of spirit but a bigger variety of products and things to eat as well. Stay tuned for more information!  

=> Take note of Molotow’s 5 year celebration on May Day this year! 

Further information: 

Address: Vaasankatu 29, 00500 Helsinki

 Opening hours: 4 pm- 2 am everyday 

Mokum POP UP Second Hand // Vintage store

One thing interesting about living in Helsinki is witnessing new up and coming temporary pop-up stores and cafés.  Hard to talk about these ephemeral places without mentioning Mokum Second hand and vintage store, which has just opened.

Darja, who is half Finnish half Dutch and has been living in Helsinki for many years, owns the store. She has a thorough knowledge on materials, and clothes details, such as which year a certain attire was made in, et.c through her relatives who were making clothes and had keen interest on clothing field. Darja also has experience working in retail, as she was working before in a vintage store in Amsterdam. 

For Spoorman, pop-ups are an easy way to try out your wings. Mokum offers a mix of vintage and 2^nd hand clothes. You can find for instance very unique pieces from Finland but also newer elements from more mainstream stores. Most of all it offers a very big variety of things, with a large price range, so everyone can find something they need. 

An interesting thing to point out is that Darja repairs, customizes and refurbishes decoration elements and clothes which are in sale at the store.  She also does styling: so let’s say you need a black vintage polka-dotted dress from the 1940s for your next video, Mokum is the door to come knock on.

=> Good to know: Mokum collaborates with recycling designers (such as Jussi Juselius who designs lamps from old glass bottle and Garbage Bag who remakes unique bags from old clothes etc.). 

What Inside Out Helsinki loves especially about this place is how friendly and honest the owner is: she has the skill to see what fits people, and she won’t hesitate to kindly tell you what you need, and what you don’t. You will always be welcomed with open honest arms, and you can be sure to find something here that has your name on it.

Mokum wants to offer well-recycled good quality clothes for people and bring color to Helsinki. It’s also a way to resist over-production (e.g. the temptation to always buy new clothes).

=> What Mokum likes about Helsinki? It’s an international city where you can dress comfortably and still look fashionable.

=> Future plans? Continue in the same place or open another pop-up store

Further information:

Address: Hakaniemen kauppahalli, 2nd floor, Booth 149/151.

Hämeentie 1a, 00530 Helsinki, Finland

Opening hours:

Wed-Sat: 10 am – 4 pm

Phone: +358 402460228

Mail: mokuminhelsinki@yahoo.fi

Musta Kissa

Musta Kissa means “Black cat” in Finnish. We aren’t going to be introducing you here to the latest witchcraft store, but to a tiny original bar in the heart of Kallio, Helsinki’s district known for its’ artistic and international diverse crowd and bustling activity. For its current owner, Huss, Kallio is the very heart of Helsinki : a place for everyone.. the place to be.

Musta Kissa was originally founded by 2 French guys, Christophe and Fabian, who wanted to create a bar with a living room kind of atmosphere: where you can feel cozy and welcome. In 2012, the place was rebought by Huss, but has kept this ambiance. The crowd at Musta Kissa is very international, and the feeling, laid back. The bar is tiny, so the experience of being there is one of intimacy. You often have to share a table with other people, so it’s a great place to chat and meet new faces.

Black Cat’s future plans are to have a summer terrace but also open the place to other art forms: e.g. creating exhibition walls and continuing the live music nights. The bar is also collaborating with other venues in Kallio (such as restaurants, and different art collectives) and is planning on extending the open mic night to poetry, performance and dance as well.

=> good to know: Musta Kissa collaborated with Kallio venues to create a CD with local artists who have been playing there. 

Further information:

Address: Toinen Linja 15, 00530 Helsinki

Telephone: 040 7711 785

Email: bar.musta.kissa@gmail.com

Opening hours :

Mon: closed

Tues-Sun: 5 pm-2am 

Cafe Köket // POP UP Cafe and restaurant

Köket, which means kitchen in Swedish, was created in 2007 by owner Arla Joensuu. It will launch their bigger restaurant the end of the month of April in Kiseleff's house. Before that, they have decided to create a little “pop-up Köket” in the Tori quarters, next to its new upcoming place (you can literally see the renovating space through the pop up’s glass back door). You can drop by here for lunch, pastries, coffee or tea. The pop-up also offers weekend brunches.

What Inside Out Helsinki loves about Köket is its big diversity of products, at reasonable price. It is very cozy, with an authentic down to earth type of atmosphere, where you feel at home.The decoration is very colorful with lots of details. Most of all it’s important to mention that Köket does the food itself, so most of the things here is homemade from scratch.

=> Good to know : they have free wifi and the place is on 2 floors so there's plenty of space to work on too.

Further information: 

Address: Aleksanterinkatu 28 / Unioninkatu 27, Kiseleffin talo,Torikorttelit, Helsinki, Finland
Email: koketvaraukset@gmail.com
Phone: 0440 12 77 07
Opening hours:Mon-Fri 11 am - 5 pmSat 10 am - 5 pmSun 11 am - 5 pm
Brunch during the weekends, lunch weekdays from 11 am to 3 pmBrunch is 15€ and lunch during the weekdays 10€