Helsinki has lots of options for bar hopping in the city center. Today on Discover Helsinki we feature three bars in the city centre within close range of each other, each with a different twist.
Black Door
Welcome to the beer lovers’ living room! Opened in 1992, Black Door emulates traditional British pub culture and has a laid back pub house vibe. The pub accommodates close to 80 people indoors and there’s even more space during the summer when the terrace is opened.
Here you can find real ales, along with a sizeable selection of beers which range from English ales to German pilsners to sahti, a Finnish farmhouse ale. There are 24 taps and the sizeable selection varies every week.
Like any good British pub, it’s also good spot to take in the Champions’ League or English premier league matches. One Saturday per month they host a DJ’d event – visit their Facebook page for more information.
(Image: Maritta Jones / Discover Helsinki)
Hopstop Taproom
Hopstop opened in September 2019 and is located just off Iso Roobertinkatu, just across from Tommyknocker (see below). It’s a spacious, American style bar with an urban edge, including an art wall featuring street art that is updated four times per year.
Here, craft beer is king. They have a selection of 20 craft beers on tap, making this the place to be if you want to taste a variety of Finnish brews, as their selection is comprised largely of local microbrewers.
Hopstop also serves delicious, high-quality food at their deli. Kanniston leipomo, a local bakery, supplies the bread for their toast and sandwiches, and everything else is prepared in-house.
(Image: Laura Hujanen)
It’s a popular stop with the locals, as it also doubles as a mini beer grocery – they stock around 150 different beers, mostly brands that can’t be found in the regular supermarkets. You can also get beer merchandise, like cool t-shirts from local beer brands and glass sets that are not available elsewhere in Finland.
Tommyknocker Craft Beer Bar
The last stop on our bar hopping tour is Tommyknocker, a small, laid back American-style bar that seats just 24. Cosy and atmospheric with American-themed decor, the bar offers a range of beers, whiskeys and cocktails.
Their beer selection is US-inspired and consists of mostly IPAs, ales and American sours, with fewer lagers and dark ales.
Whiskey lovers will be impressed by the range of American whiskeys, which includes a Maker’s Mark whiskey tap (the only one in Finland!).
Tommyknocker has introduced a cocktail menu that has five different cocktails per season. Their signature cocktail drink is the Whiskey Sour, which is made using whiskey from the Maker’s Mark tap.
When & Where
All three bars are within easy walking distance of each other. Locations and opening hours as follows:
Black Door: Iso Roobertinkatu 1, 00120, Helsinki
Sun – Thur: 12 am to 2 am; Fri – Sat: 12 pm to 3 am.
Hopstop: Annankatu 3, 00120, Helsinki
Sun – Tue: 2 pm to 1 am; Wed – Fri: 2 pm to 2 am; Sat 12 pm to 2 am.
Tommyknocker: Iso Roobertinkatu 13, 00120, Helsinki
Mon – Tue: 2 pm to 12 pm; Wed – Fri: 2 pm to 1 am; Sat: 12 pm to 1 am; Sun: 2 pm to 12 pm.
