Bakery-Eatery or Ravintolaleipomo Levain in Helsinki is not only famous for baking its signature bread with levain sourdough.
Once getting into this simple and Scandinavian-style atmosphere you can enjoy a tasty and healthy breakfast, have a hearty lunch or just spend a cozy dinner with friends over a glass of wine.
Levain opened its doors in Helsinki not long ago quickly gaining the attention of locals and traveling foodies. Töölö and Punavuori are two small, but very cozy bread and gastronomic places each with its own menu and schedule, although the evening offer is still available only in Töölö.
The restaurant got the name Levain for the high respect for baking traditions: bread makers follow the traditional levain sourdough method without any use of industrial baker’s yeast. Bread is baked in special stone ovens until crisp getting a rich aroma and long shelf life. Bread and pastry are baked all-day long so there is always a chance to taste warm & fresh bread at the dining table in the “living room” — how the Levain owners themselves call the restaurant — or take it away.
Everything is created by the hands of skilled bakers Kaisa Johansson and Susanna Vuori, who have extensive experience in confectionery and bakery production. In addition to education at Chez Dominique in Helsinki they practiced at London’s Yauatcha and l’Atelier Robuchon as well as the famous Parisian bakery school Ferrand, also taking master-classes from pioneer of levain Swede Sebastian Boudet.
They caught their inspiration from the bakeries of San Francisco, Central Europe, Copenhagen and Stockholm — the places with the best sourdough pastries in the world.
Close cooperation with local producers takes a special place in Levain concept. All ingredients used in bakery-eatery are high-quality and exceptionally fresh as well as organic products and herbs, which could be found in almost every meal.
If your visit to Levain coincides with lunch time (from 11.00 to 15.00 on weekdays) , you can start it with a refreshing vitamin green salad Grain Salad (12 €) with quinoa, tomato salsa, baked vegetables and fresh spinach seasoned with spicy sesame dressing.
Taste famous Levain sourdough bread in delicious combination with a hearty filling while trying Sandwich Monte Blanco (12 €). Find melted mozzarella, gruyere, fresh spinach & basil greens plus tomato salsa between two big crispy toasts. Pickled vegetables served with the sandwich add a touch of piquancy and spiciness.
There are special positions for vegans and everyone who follow healthy eating in Levain. Veggie Burger (16 €) — an incredibly juicy and aromatic vegetable cutlet with cheddar cheese, pickled red onions and aioli sauce served between two puffy bun-brioches from the oven.
The drinks menu is also made with love and professionalism. Energizing smoothies and juices, tea, hot chocolate, as well as special local coffee which LevainLevain is very proud of: it’s roasted in the Kaffa monastery in Punavuori. Also various alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, beer and carefully selected wine list are available.
Fresh pastries are presented daily on a Levain display: croissants, cookies, buns, cakes, pastries, bagels – each guest will easily find their favorite.
Traditional Finnish Sweet Bun is especially popular among local guests (2.50 €).
Sprinkled with caramelized sugar and spices it’s especially good with butter or cream cheese (a favorite Finnish morning treat).
Famous Portuguese delicacy Pasteis de Nata (3.50 €) with vanilla custard in a puff pastry cup won the love of visitors from the very first days and sold out very quickly.
Some cakes are changed depending on the season. Seasonal Pie (7 €) in wintertime is a chocolate sponge cake with apples, cinnamon and pecans with whipped frosting on top. A nice addition to your favorite drink at any time of the day.
Moreover Levain offers its own Premium Catering service so you can treat yourself and your guests with a pleasant gastronomic experience even outside the restaurant.
Levain Bakery Eatery
Addresses: Kankurinkatu 6 | Runeberginkatu 29 Helsinki
Editor-in-chief: Patricia Kolari
Technical Director: Evgeny Fedorov
Text writer: Marina Timoshevskaya Photos: EATWEEK
