What does a guy have to do for a decent cup of Kahvi!?

[Hank W.]

no foam stale coffee.

Well we don't put soap in the coffee, thats maybe why

[MagicJ]

Best coffee in Helsinki is at Delicato Cafe and the best place to buy beans is a place called cafe central. It sells all types of whole beans, machines and tools. All the people that work there are hard core coffee baristias. Gook Luck!

I'll try Delicato when i'm in that part of town, where's is 'cafe central' google just lists cafes that are central.

[NewEnglandNative]

ok so while we are on the subject, where can you find a good demi-cup of turkish coffee, and no im not thinking of the local pizza taxi. Are there any authentic turkish/lebononese coffee house that I can get some coffee so think you can stand a spoon up in?

NewEnglandNative

[enk]

Is the Turkish Delight joint still around in Kallio? It was on Fleminginkatu, kitty-corner to the Karhupuisto at one point in time.

-enk

[Ravvy]

I like coffee. (reference: bb/viewtopic.php?t=21017)
Couple things posted in this thread which I do not understand.

First, I do not understand the complaints about Finnish coffee. Last summer I bought Presidentti and Juhla ground coffee at the local S-market and ran them in the mökki drip coffeemaker, and both tasted fine; just had to make sure I made it strong enough. We did not do much eating out, but when we did I was never served a cup of cat urine. It was dark and it was rich and it was good. Perhaps they know how to make coffee in the Karelian boonies?

Second, I do not understand the complaints about Starbucks coffee in the USA. Yes, they have a bunch of fru-fru stuff, but they also always have regular plain-'ol brewed coffee behind the counter for about a buck or two, and this stuff is not cat urine either; certainly it could be stronger, but it is dark & rich and no way one can see through it.

So perhaps I lack discerning taste when it comes to coffee? One drink and I am easy?

[EP]

I do not understand the complaints about Starbucks coffee in the USA

Those Starbucks were not in the US

[Andrew C]

What I have is a Rancilio espresso machine and a Mazzer grinder - both imported from Italy. I get my beans from Mokkmestarit and they freshly roast a lot of beans from a lot of different countries. I especially like their Ethiopian arabica cup of excellence (I think it's called something like this??). Basically Mokkamestarit are THE best supplier of quality teas and coffees that I know of in Finland. I've bought from them and I know their quality is fantastic. Kilo of roasted super quality beans will cost you about 14-16 euro per kilo.
Compare this price with the supermarket packets of ready ground coffee - even the better brands at the supermarket rarely go over 10 euros a kilo. BUT you get what you pay for and if you want the best then get a good grinder and french press or whatever and some good beans from Mokkamestarit.
You get used to Finnish coffee or Finnish ways of making coffee after a while of living here and I'm not going to complain too much about it because I think here in Finland the focus of the coffee is the caffine in it and not really the flavor. But each to their own.
When coffee first came to Finland it was a real luxury item. Poorer people used to blend roasted barley or rye husks or some other seed with coffee to make it last. Perhaps this might have had an inluence on the flavor preferences of a majority of Finns? I don't really know except that the best cup of joe I've had in Finland is the coffee I make myself at home.
The pads you mention - are they like espresso coffee pads? A lot of cheaper espresso machines don't produce enough pressure so they need these espresso coffee pads - not really a good drink but they are available in most of the larger supermarkets. You can also get nescafe instant.

[Lintu]

to NewEnglandNative:

I'd recommend you to try Paulig Ethiopia, it has full taste but not that bitter and sour taste as Paulig Presidentti and especially Juhla coffee has. Can be bought from any supermarket.

to the discussion on coffee pads: we have a coffee pads machine in the office. Coffee pads are either delivered by company that provides maintenance of the machine or bought from Stockman.

[MagicJ]

and the best place to buy beans is a place called cafe central. It sells all types of whole beans, machines and tools.

I've tried PMing Isaluba but no response, does anybody else know where this 'Cafe Central' is? I'm running low on beans and looking for a decent outlet. Or are their similar shops elsewhere in Helsinki that anyone can recommend.

[Hank W.]

Ah, whole coffee beans, I remember back when I was a kid you'd have a coffee grind machine in the corner store and get yours done then and there.

But yeah, coffee beans, Cafe Central you mean this?
http://www.kaffecentralen.com
also
http://www.mokkamestarit.fi
and otherwise in Helsinki naturally almost anything is found in Hakaniemen Halli

BTW strongly recommend "The Devils Cup" by Stewart Lee Allen for all coffee travellers.

[mCowboy]

Maybe I should start my own coffee chain in Helsinki. All I would have to do is make up a bunch of itaialian/french sounding gibberish to make the coffee seem more elitist. (I mean what the hell IS a "Vente" anyway!)

interestingly enough, the Robert's Coffee cart outside/inside Stockmann's had an American girl doing the coffees and selling them. I used to sit and chat with her quite a bit. Dunno who she was and where she's know, but now there's some teenagers doing the coffee selling...

[Mook]

and otherwise in Helsinki naturally almost anything is found in Hakaniemen Halli

Indeed, I there's one shop with a pretty good selection. Used to go there quite often in my previous life when I had one of those magiv machines that ate beans and water, whirred a bit, then filled up a cup with coffee.

[milou]

Stockmann has a good variety of whole coffee beans! They are sold on the ground floor, right next to the candy and bakery departments.

*m*