Unique, authentic places to eat are a characteristic and strength of the Koli tourism area. Each restaurant is different: some draw inspiration from the Karelian food traditions, others from international flavours. See below our cafes and restaurants. Enjoy your meal!
Grill it! is a Scandinavian restaurant at Break Sokos Hotel Koli in Koli national park. Grill it! combines traditional grilling, prime handpicked raw materials, and a unique setting with a special emphasis on steaks. The restaurant’s speciality is a charcoal grill that adds a genuine smoky, intense flavour to most of the dishes. The restaurant also has a Local Tastes à la carte menu, using local produce and traditional North Karelian recipes. Here you can have the best steaks in the region overlooking the splendid Lake Pielinen and nearby hills.
Grill it! Restaurant, Ylä-Kolintie 39, 83960 Koli, tel. +358 201 234 662, sales.karelia@sok.fi, www.sokoshotelkoli.fi
Open from June 18, 2020 12–24 (kitchen 12–22). For more information go to www.grillit.fi
The atmospheric restaurant Rinnetupa serves at the lower starion of Ukko-Koli slopes. At Rinnetupa you eat a delicious lunch and have a coffee break while skiing. The restaurant has A-rights. Rinnetupa serves guests during the slope opening hours and also provides guests with a terrace area, a campfire site and a break area to enjoy their own snacks. Rinnetupa has free wireless internet for guests. Rinnetupa at lower station of Ukko-Koli slopes, Rantatie 27, Koli, tel. +358 10 762 3633, koliski.fi, Facebook: Koli Ski.
Koli Harbour Restaurant is an atmospheric, magnificent, and stylish log building. The building is located at Koli Harbour in Koli National Park. There are conference facilities and an exhibition introducing Pielinen lake culture on the upper floor. The restaurant is licensed to serve wine and beer. Lonely Planet - guide Top Pick - 2015!
Koli Harbour, Rantatie 12, 83960 Koli, Tel. tel. +358 400 628 666, koliactivesales@gmail.com, www.koliactive.com Open: in September 2020 Tue–Sat 10–17, Sun–Mon closed.
Gastropub Kolin Ryynänen is located in the middle of Koli village at atmospheric log house, right next to the Koli National Park. Floating menu every week. Ryynänen is a nice place to organize parties and meetings all year round. Wide assortment of high quality beer. Accommodation in summer rooms.
Gastropub Kolin Ryynänen, Ylä-Kolintie 1, 83960 Koli, p. tel +358 445 695 757, kolinryynanen@gmail.com. Facebook: Kolin Ryynänen.
The history is vividly present inside the rustic log walls of Mattila farm. The farm served as a boarding house for tourists as early as in the 1920s, and today it offers vegetarian food but also meat and fish dishes. Inside the classic log walls, staff meetings and intimate family celebrations can be organised as well. Cáfe and dining services in Koli national park. The cáfe is open and soup lunch is served in the summer time. Open at summertime otherwise on order.
Café Mandala, Ylä-Kolintie 12 B, 83960 Koli, tel. +358 408 650 466, kolinkeidas@gmail.com, www.kolinkeidas.com.
Open: 1 July to 8 August, 2020 Tue–Sat 12 noon –5 pm.
The 250-seat café-restaurant at Kolinportti offers a daily buffet with two main courses and one beefsteak option plus an abundant salad bar and non-alcoholic drinks. On the à la carte list you’ll find plenty of choices for appetites big and small. There is a 50-seat Juuka Lounge. We also operate a catering service for private occasions. We are fully licensed.
The kitchen serves from 11 am to 6 pm from June 1, 2020. The café is open Mon–Fri from 7 am to 8 pm, Sat–Sun from 8 am to 8 pm.
Address: Kolintie 10, Ahmovaara; tel. +358 107 637 661; www.kolinportti.com. Facebook: Kolinportti
Besides café services, temporary exhibitions will be arranged in the SKI café. The first exhibition is to display equipment and stories from Finnish manufacturers of touring and Alpine skis of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. In the development of skiing equipment back then, the centre stage was held by Antti-Jussi Tiitola and TITAN skis. In the course of the summer, the exhibition will also display photos from the “golden years” of Alpine skiing in the 1930s and old posters advertising skiing equipment from round the world.
Open Mon–Sat 12 noon–6 pm, Sun 12 noon–4 pm.
SKI café, Hiekkaniementie 2, Loma-Koli.
Library Bar Hiekkapakka is an atmospheric bar for hanging out next to Break Sokos Hotel Koli’s Relax Spa. The unique fireplace made by Tulikivi provides an excellent setting for board games, reading, karaoke, or simply enjoying good drinks and a magnificent setting. Hiekkapakka is open usual on weekends in season and by prior arrangement. Additional information and reservations: Break Sokos Hotel Koli’s and Ski Slopes Sales Service, tel. +358 201 234 662.
Break Sokos Hotel Koli’s pizzeria-café Kahpitsa offers excellent views over Lake Pielinen. The pizzeria-café serves local cafeteria products, pizza, and various refreshments that can be enjoyed by the atmospheric oven-fireplace. The café-restaurant accommodates up to 120 persons. The café is open daily 9-22, pizza oven is on daily 12-22. Break Sokos Hotel Koli/Kahpitsa, Ylä-Kolintie 39, 83960 Koli, tel. +358 201 234 662, tel. +358 107 623 635.
In the heart of Koli village, Natasha’s mobile cafe van serves delicious pizzas (including vegetarian), sweet and savoury crepes, smoked reindeer, ham and meet pies, sausages and French fries, Karelian pastries and doughnuts that melt in your mouth. Try the exotic Lapland pizza! Take away of enjoy your food in the tables next to the van. Pohjoinen tarina, Ylä-Kolintie 2, Koli, tel. + 358 45 213 3500.
Opening hours: Wed–Sat 12–18, closed in November.
At Annila you get traditional Karelian food at its most authentic. Treat yourself with a soup meal, Karelian hot pot, or sautéed elk. The sautéed elk is prepared out of elk that ran around in Koli and Ahmovaara, so it’s truly organic food! And be sure to taste genuine Karelian pasties: vatruska, keitinpiiras, sultsina, tsupukka. Book your meals the day before at the latest. The ski trail from Koli Freetime to Ahmovaara bypasses the house at close range.
Open summer time and peak seasons, otherwise by request. In July pancake café open every day 12 to 5 pm. Exceptions: Closed July 23 and 27. Kolin Annila, Kopravaarantie 237, 83950 Ahmovaara, tel. +38 505 124 478, sirkkaanni@gmail.com, kolinannila.fi.
The cáfe operates in the former Kopravaara school building amidst huge birch trees. From the terrace, there is a beautiful view to the lake. Dining services for small and bigger groups by prior arrangement. The cáfe is open all year round every day 10-16 (for groups at other times as well by prior arrangement).
Koli Freetime, Kopravaarantie 27, Ahmovaara, tel. +358 103 223 040, www.kolifreetime.fi.
Pehtoorintupa is open for June-August every day and May-, September - and October weekends only. Pehtoorintupa provides café and kiosk services in summer, delicious bakery products, breakfast, dinner and group dining recommend booking early.
Herajärvi hiking center, Mustalahdentie 27, 81160 Romppala, tel. +358 400 159 204, sales@kiviniementila.fi, www.kiviniemi.fi.
Enjoy delicious food at Herranniemi in Vuonislahti on the shores of Lake Pielinen. The restaurant serves traditional Karelian delicacies and delicious homely fare. The main dining room, Kuusitupa, accommodates 70 guests. It is atmospheric with a baking oven and licensed to serve alcohol. The second dining room, Tapiontupa, is reserved for social evenings and meetings. Please see our website for more information and contact details. We are a member of the Karelia à la carte network. Kestikievari Herranniemi, Vuonislahdentie 185, Vuonislahti, tel +358 400 482 949, reception@herranniemi.com, www.herranniemi.com.
Dining services by prior arrangement. The restaurant is licensed to serve alcohol. There are 68 seats and on the terrace 16 setas for customer. Smoke - and beach sauna, cottage accommodation, conference room, fishing license, grocery sale.
Ruunaan Matkailu, Siikakoskentie 47, 81750 Pankakoski, tel +358 13 533 130, +358 400 352 307, info@ruunaanmatkailu.fi, www.ruunaanmatkailu.fi.