City: Kymenlaakso
Top Restaurants in Kymenlaakso
Top Things to do in Kymenlaakso
Kymenlaakso Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Kymenlaakso
Kymenlaakso (literally Kymi Valley) (Swedish: Kymmenedalen) is a region in Finland. It borders to the regions Uusimaa, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Savonia and South Karelia. Its name means literally The Valley of River Kymijoki. Kymijoki is one of the biggest rivers in Finland with a drainage basin with 11% of the area of Finland. The city of Kotka with 55,000 inhabitants is located at the delta of River Kymijoki and has the most important import harbour in Finland. Other cities are Kouvola further in the inland which has after a municipal merger 88,000 inhabitants and the old bastion town Hamina.
Things to do in Kymenlaakso
1. Amarillo
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 69 reviews
Reviewed By Peter G - Inkoo
Very nice, sincere, quick and attentive staff made the dinner a pleasent experience.
Food represents very well the concept with mexican and american foods mixed in straightforward Menu, easy to approach, relaxed atmosphere, no fine dining.
Quality and offering represents well the price level. Hamburgers and fajitas are always a good choice. Kids are welcomed with drawing materials.
Amarillo branded restaurants are nice to visit as you mostly know that quality is fine and menu has something for everyone.
2. Ravintola Wanha Fiskari
Overall Ratings
4 based on 55 reviews
Wanha Fiskari on mukava lounaspaikka ja tunnelmallinen illallisravintola Kotkassa. Erikoisuutena on tuore, paikallinen merikala ja luomutuotteet. Ryhmaruokailut yhteistyossa asiakkaan tarpeiden mukaan. Mukautuvat kokoustilat ja merihenkinen saunaosasto. Tervetuloa!
Reviewed By mikaelsiirila
Wanha Fiskari is so conservative, that coming from hipsterian Helsinki we felt like stepping into a David Lynch fantasy. Inside the darkish panelled and embroidered interior is a very cozy old school restaurant. Serious about tried and tested delicious food and professional service. Our lunch was smoothly sound-tracked by a bearded pianist who could casually mingle while his fingers jammed with evergreens. We enjoyed the small but well prepared fish buffet for starters and enjoyed delicious pike-perch in a gentle citrus-sauce for the main dish.
A little natural light would not hurt, but otherwise Wanha Fiskari is so wrongly old fashioned that it feels just right.
3. Erkan Bistro & Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 53 reviews
Reviewed By MsPeppa - Turku, Finland
While not many places stay open in Kotka after 9 or 10pm, Erkan might lure you in with its open door, Terrace and bright lights. The food's not bad, the prices are tolerable but you're not left with total satisfaction. It's understandable that working in a kebab place might not be one's dream job, but still it would be nice to receive even a hint of a smile or a kind word at the till. Trying to enjoy your food or just to exchange a few words with your friends might turn out to be a Mission impossible as music is blaring out of the stereo. Shame the dishes weren't served with ear plugs... Most of the customers seemed to be in their 30's or 40's so that doesn't explain the volume.
4. Keisarinsatama
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 40 reviews
We are situated on a famous local beauty spot, where the river meets the sea, only 3 kilometres from the interesting city of Kotka. Inside the old, impressive walls, lies a modern, 120 seats restaurant with fine cuisine. During the summer months there is a landing stage for our customers who prefer to travel by boat and a welcoming 100 seats Terrace with sea view where our clients may sample exquisite food, sip cool wine and marvel at the breathtaking sunset and surrounding scenery. Come and visit us and enjoy this vision too.
Reviewed By lmsk2014 - Helsinki, Finland
The location is great with breathtakingly fabulous views over the waters. The old factory building turned to comfortable restaurant is also beautiful and interesting in itself.
The service was friendly (but nobody spoke English...) and the food was fine, but at the best just average. A little pricy when you think what you get for your money.
I would go there again just to sit in the sunny Terrace enjoying the view.
5. Angela
Overall Ratings
4 based on 70 reviews
Reviewed By MarianneB6 - Chania Town, Greece
We had no table reservation and the place was almost full, still we got the table immediately. The waiter was very friendly even we were slow to decide.
The food was not "wau" but it was good. Little disappointed that they didn't have some of their plates like specialite, and the menu was too long and mixed cuisine.
6. Restaurant Vausti
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 95 reviews
Vausti is located in Kotka Concert House that is the heart of Kotka’s cultural life: home of Kymi Sinfonietta Symphony Orchestra and venue for versatile shows and Concerts. Restaurant Vausti serves traditional local dishes with interesting tastes brought from foreign countries as well.Our menu is composed with great consideration to serve all our guests. We think the best ingredients are produced close. Whenever it is possible we use food from Finland and rather from Kymi area. Our beverage list offers traditional and surprising options from the very beginning to the great final.
Reviewed By Jan S
If you are looking for a good lunch menu and want to enjoy a nice atmosphere, this is the place to go in Kotka center.
Monday to Friday two diches per day with a vegeterian dish as second joice. You can take also salad from a salad bar and coffee. Water is served for free.
7. Restaurante Ole
Overall Ratings
4 based on 43 reviews
Founded in 1982, Restaurante Olé offers its legendary dishes in the familiar and cozy environment in the very heart of Kouvola city center. Our meals are made with the best ingredients and cooked with pure passion. Our menu includes many alternatives from seafood to big steaks. If not that hungry, maybe then small taste experiences from our tapas list - while enjoying a nice glass of wine with your good friends - would be a better choice. We will also offer various theme weeks and seasonal treats. All events can also be customized according to customer’s needs and wishes. Welcome to relax and enjoy the warmth of Olé! Our lovely Terrace serves throughout the year.
Reviewed By Foodiac - Helsinki, Finland
We waited eagerly dining in this restaurant which is often sited to the best in Kouvola. The restaurant is founded 1982 and the decor is maybe from the same year and so is the menu too, this is intentional according to their website ( in Finnish only). I am not quite sure if that is the best way to go “restauranting” today. Not all spanish menu: pesto pasta and such also available.
Starters: the small tapas selection was just fine, especially I liked the lime-marinated olives. The Serrano ham could have been more tender.
The main courses list was traditional, we chose the lam file and the FelipeV steak. Both meats we very nicely done just as ordered, which is not 100% certain in Finland either. The great lot of very salty gravy that was poured over the meats did not do any good to the dishes, less salt? Less gravy too maybe? The garlic potatoes were all right, but the herb potatoes with the lam just had too much herbs in them to our liking.
The crème catalan dessert was one of the best flans we’ve had. Pity that the herb potatoes´ all-covering taste together with the salty sauces prevent more points to be given for the food.
The recommended Uruguayan red was excellent and had a very good price too!
Toilets we clean; brushes, shoepolish and hygiene products were available.
The service was welcoming and friendly, but kind of stopped in the middle of the evening turning into a this normal Finnish-like waiter/wairess hunt by customers. We were not that many in the dining room...
8. Fortress Restaurant Kamu!
Overall Ratings
4 based on 67 reviews
Fortress restaurant Kamu! serves up its delicacies in the mysterious, historic casemate vaults of Hamina Bastion, just a stone’s throw from Hamina City Hall. <br><br>Fortress restaurant Kamu! serves delicious food in an unhurried way and with love - the love of good food, drink, atmosphere and friends. Kamu! prepares a leisurely lunch in the middle of the working day and organises cheerful suppers, meetings and parties, even for larger groups – up to 450 people!<br><br>On its menu, Fortress Restaurant Kamu! favours local, seasonal and organic food. Its specially selected wines and beers and delicious range of teas, not forgetting its great coffee, really spice up the enjoyment of food and offer the senses wonderful experiences.<br><br>Dear friends, come and enjoy!<br><br>All our buddies give you a big kiss!
Reviewed By Laura K
The restaurant was very charming and service really friendly. The food was just amazing. We ate perfectly cooked fillets with excellent side dishes. I am not giving 5 * because something was missing. I had a feeling it was quite new restaurant and needs little improvement. Had to wait the food 45 minutes and there was only few customers before us already ordered / ate their dinner. But I really recommend this place for dinner. Beautiful place.
9. la Majacca
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 74 reviews
Six tables inside an old water tower designed by architect Jussi Paatela and built during 1912 - 1918. In the original plan also a bizarre restaurant was considered (drafted?), but not realized. <br><br>Venetian chef Claudio Piccolo recreated the concept adapting micro spaces, transforming and making them functional as an exclusive restaurant that opened the doors to friends of Italian artisan cuisine in 2011!<br><br>The Venetian cuisine is offered in more than 300 different annual preparations that are faithful to old traditions with an innovative touch from time to time, but always true to good and healthy, authentic Mediterranean cuisine!<br><br>The actors in the dishes come from the sea and they are more than 40 in number. They compete for space in the menu that changes every three weeks and gives the guests of the restaurant an unique culinary experience to remember.<br><br>The guests are taken care to make them feel like at home. Their individual wishes are considered when recommending the dishes from the current menu. <br><br>No compromises or ready industrial food are accepted by the chef who has chosen a cooking spoon to be the logo of the restaurant – and not a can opener which has its place on the wall as a warning example! <br><br>This is la Majacca – a small corner of Venice in Finland!<br><br>The booking is recommended two days in advance!
Reviewed By Tjing - Stockholm, Sweden
This was not just a dinner, but really a dining experience. A short trip to Venice! As the only guests in this tiny restaurant we felt priviledged and received top notch service and an excellent 7 course meal with rich, deep and complex flavors. The main course with a white fish and My best recommendation is to forget about the normal 2-3 courses dinner idea and let the Chef surprise you and treat you in Italian way with several small, excuisite dishes. You will not get disappointed.
For the three of us, with quite moderate wine consumption, the bill ended in 218 EUR for the full meal with a variation of Antipasto followed by Primo, Secondo, Formaggi and Dolce. Highlights were the Secondo with a beautiful and delicious dish with white fish, and the Dolce with a rhubarb sorbet seved with red currant stew and ginger jam. Simply ymmu!!! You might say it's a rather high price level in Kotka but in our mind definitely worth every cent. We will absolutely come back and will warmly recommend the restaurant to our friends as well. Table reservation is necessary, I'm not sure they can even handle drop-in.
10. Lamykin's Cookhouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 82 reviews
Reviewed By Protravellers - Finland
Just in the center - close to the market place. The menu is not that long which is good, because the kitchen has a possibility to succeed in cooking.
We tried hamburgers which were nice but quite tasteless. The side order (potatoes or ships) helps if you take the hot sauce. There is a limited selection of beers, but also something else than lagers. A limited number of wines is available too.
The service is ok, but not something you remember a day after.
