BIRGITTA
HERNESAARI
Founded by Pia and Tommi Leppälä, Birgitta Hernesaari opened in 2014 and has since grown into a landmark of modern wooden architecture and one of Helsinki’s most loved summer destinations. Built on the open waterfront of Hernesaari, the café and restaurant was designed by architects Minna Lukander and Jari Heikkinen. Its charred black wooden exterior and solid Honka Fusion log structure blend naturally into the surrounding seaside landscape.
The glass pavilion opens directly towards the sea, bringing the surrounding landscape into the experience. An Italian-designed roof adapts to the weather, opening in the sunshine and providing shelter from the rain. The spacious terrace faces the open sea and offers views unlike anywhere else in Helsinki.
Rakennuksen lasipaviljonki avautuu suoraan merelle ja tuo ympäröivän maiseman osaksi kokemusta. Italialainen designkatto elää sään mukana, avautuu auringonpaisteella ja tarjoaa suojaa sateelta. Laaja terassi suuntautuu kohti avomerta ja avaa näkymän, jota Helsingissä ei koe samalla tavalla missään muualla.
Birgitta was awarded Log Building of the Year 2014 for its bold architecture, combining traditional log construction with innovative modern solutions. Pia and Tommi Leppälä set out to create a place where wood, fire, and the sea come together to shape a unique atmosphere, and where Helsinki reveals its best side to both locals and visitors arriving through Hernesaari.
Open from early spring until the beginning of winter, Birgitta is known for its flavourful charcoal-grilled dishes, classic burgers, and relaxed seaside atmosphere. Food prepared on the handcrafted Mibrasa charcoal grill brings a distinctive smoky flavour and invites guests to stay a little longer by the sea. With an extended season, there is now even more time to enjoy long lunches, slow evenings, and memorable moments by the waterfront.
Birgitta is a dog-friendly and accessible meeting place where locals, travellers, and everyone drawn to the sea come together. And now, the season continues beyond summer. Private celebrations, including Christmas parties and special events, can be arranged on request, so be sure to reserve your event in advance.
Ten years ago, the shoreline of Hernesaari was still empty. With the arrival of Birgitta and its neighbours, a new kind of seaside city culture began to take shape, a place where people came to spend time, meet each other, and experience Helsinki from a completely new perspective. Today, the Hernesaari waterfront has become one of the city’s most loved summer gathering spots for locals, visitors, and passersby alike.
As the area has grown and evolved, Birgitta has evolved with it. The new Birgitta was built with the future in mind, designed to serve the city and its people for decades to come. Together with our partners, we continue building the new seaside Helsinki, one summer at a time.
