This place is spacious and clean. The location couldn't be more convenient. I like Vapiano's menu. But compared to my previous pleasant experience at Tallinn's location, this one was sub-par. Ordering was quick and easy, but food took about 50-55 minutes. I don't think anyone goes there expecting to wait nearly an hour for food to be ready. read more

I had visited this location years ago while they still had real service with real people. Now you are the waiter and the cashier. You order and pay your food scanning a QR code and then wait for a ready to pickup message. If you close your browser or phone - you'll never know when your order is ready for you to pick up and bring to your table. While I am OK for placing and paying for the order by scanning a code, I do think the drinks and food should still be brought to your table. Food was good though it had cooled a bit while sitting and waiting for me to pick it up. read more

This is a pretty central Vapiano location in Helsinki. If you've been to a Vapiano place before, you know how it works. You get a card when you go in for the first time, everything you buy gets charged on the card, and you pay the balance when you leave. The restaurant has sections (like a cafeteria) and there are lines waiting for one cook at a time. The lines here can get pretty long, my friend and I waited almost an hour in the pasta line, which is pretty atrocious. Other locations have been nowhere near this bad. The wait was alright for us, because we weren't very hungry and had plenty to talk about, but don't go here if you're really hungry and want food immediately. The pizza line (very last line in the far corner) had no one. I was able to order my pizza within 5 minutes and get it in 10 more. The pizza guy was even nice enough to make my pizza in the shape of a rabbit! TDLR: The food is good but wait times are long here. read more

Vapiano - Rabbit-shaped pizza - Italian Near Me - Helsinki, 18

Amazing pasta. Loved it. One of my favorite meals in Helsinki. Pasta and ingredients were fresh. read more

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This is a chain, but I like it, made to order all dishes, a lot of people come here o pick up dinner. You get a credit card type card when you come in and you walk to various stations (pasta, pizza, risotto) and they charge the amount on the card, then you can go and get a drink at the bar and at the end of the evening you pay the amount on the card as you walk out. I have tried this place in Paris and it was as good as here. read more

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Service was terrible. Food was average at best. Took them nearly an hour to bring our food after so many ordering after us got before us. Food bland with no taste. read more

We visited Helsinki, Finland for the day and had dinner at Vapiano's, an Italian Restaurant. As an American Tourist, it can be a bit confusing to order and eat there. When you first go in, the hostess issues you a card (like a credit card ) then you go to the station that has the food you want (Pasta, Pizza, etc.) . Then you stand in line and order. You are given a buzzer that alerts you when order is ready. You pay at the end. I can t think of a similiar type of restaurant at home to compare it to. It seems to be based in an Honor System, as its so busy that a dishonest person could slip out pretty easily without paying. The pizaa was Delicious! read more

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Italian oasis in Nordic capital We actually went back twice - once for pizza, once for lasagna Pizza was huge, Crispy and tasty. Lasagna was flavorful. The service was quick and each time we went it was packed with locals having a good time drinking and hanging out. read more

Visiting Helsinki for the day. One of the few places to be open late at night near the central square so we went in. The food are made to ordered. It was pretty good. I was really hungry and finished everything. I got the scampi e spinach pasta while my sister goy insalata reef n beef. They were good! read more

Vapiano - Italian Near Me - Helsinki, 18

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Food is okay. Bad dining experience as we got blamed by the waitress at reception for not getting the chip card per person (we only got one from her when we came in), and said could charge us 75 euro extra for this. We came here for the first time as tourists and are not supposed to know your rules. Thanks for the reminder of getting the card per person next time but there will be no next time. read more

Vapiano - Italian Near Me - Helsinki, 18

I came here with a friend who is Finnish so luckily she explained how this place works. By myself I would have been lost! Once you enter the restaurant, they hand you a card (don't loose it or it's 50 Euros to replace it!) Your food options are pasta or pizza and they have separate stations for both. I decided to try the pasta since the food preparation was entertaining. Once they scan your card with with your order they begin. They have sealed containers of a variety of pasta and once you decide on your toppings, they heat up the pasta in boiling water and then add everything to a metal dish where they add fresh ingredients to make your meal. It reminded me of omelet stations at brunch, except with much more enthusiasm. I ordered my pasta with fresh basil, garlic and cherry tomatoes and it was excellent and done very quickly. Once you finish eating, you take your card to the front and pay for your meal. This is considered a cheaper eatery - however it was still around $20 for everything including a drink. For us it was convenient and near the bar we were headed to afterwards read more

This is an Italian restaurant.The restaurant operates in a Unique way. Once you enter a restaurant you get a card and all your orders will be stored in the card. This will be then used during your checkout to pay the bills. I like the way food is done. It done in front of you and can be customized as per our requirements. I like the fresh pasta and pizzas here. Good vegetarian options available here. The food taste excellent and i would love to go back there anytime. read more

Great Pasta and Pizza a short walk from our hotel Sometimes Italian doesn't translate well to other parts of Europe but in this case it does. Fresh salads ....great pizza crust topped with just enough sauce and cheese Can be hard to find a seat especially at dinner but just squeeze in next to someone else on the long family style tables Great wine list especially if you prefer red read more

Eating Italian in Helsinki... found this unique restaurant I believe is a franchise because ltr on we saw another one in a different part of town, you stand in line and then order you pasta with any Ingredients you would like to add and then the chef prepares it while you wait in line. Many types of pasta,pizzas. Everybody speaks fluent English and that was a A+,service and price were excellent. read more

Flying by..... :) Went walking around the city around dinner time. The place looked very clean, modern and inviting. Offered many choices that satisfied me (salad eater), my husband (pizza lover) and my son the picky one :) Food was delish. Had fantastic desert and was not expensive at all. What I liked about it is that even in the afternoon it wasn't at all crowded. They have spices growing in the pots on top of the table :) you can help yourself to a fresh basil leaves anytime. Very cute touch. Also important note for Europe travelers-FREE and clean bathrooms. Big thumbs up :) read more

Good value for money. This is a franchise with locations all over Europe (and beyond) and you know what you're getting for your money's worth. A little less than 10 euros for salads and a few euros more for pastas and pizzas. Considering that the kebab stand across the street charges as much for greasy fare, this place is a steal.* Salads are decent though they overcooked my salmon (she asked how I wanted it. I said medium and she proceeded to fry the diced salmon til kingdom come). I wanted to get a pasta but the line was too long. Not a complaint though. *It's not cheap to dine out in Helsinki. read more

I thought I was hungry when I was pregnant. Ha. Give breastfeeding a try and see how long you can last without a 3000 calorie meal. I thought waiting in line, getting my food, and paying at Vapiano was an arduous task when I was just preggers hungry. Now they're lucky if I don't eat another customer while I'm waiting in line to order. The food's not bad, the location is central, and the prices are ok. I personally don't think their selection is all that but then I'm not big on the carbs and their salad options aren't too impressive. It's just ok. 3 stars. It's clean, service is not sub-par, and the environment/atmosphere is fine too if you don't mind a lot of people and noise. The place doesn't suck and you will eventually get food without emptying your wallet. There is probably something for everyone here - but the degree of satisfaction may vary based on your food preferences. Pretty vanilla. Good place to go if you're feeling unadventurous. But if you're starving, catching and cooking your own fish at a nearby harbor may be faster than waiting at Vapiano. read more

Today was my first time visiting this restaurant, I have walked pass this establishment a few times. Upon entering, I was a bit confused, this wasn't the usual "Sit, waiter takes your order and then you get it to your table". You take a tray and find a cook which is free, you choose what sort of pasta you want and then choose the sauce for it. The cook will prepare it for you right there and then you get it, sit and chow down. I think the service was fast and polite, the food wasn't fantastic. Yet it was very good, so good that I would go there again. I want to try the sauce I got with other pastas, the one I chose wasn't so good. The atmosphere was good, it was very busy at the moment I visited. if you like pizza and pasta, this is a good place. read more

At first, this place was maybe three stars because of the decent food, but long queue lines and the general absurdity of standing around waiting for your food to be made. Then, they gave me explosive diarrhea with the crema di pollo. I almost soiled myself in the middle of Stockmann trying to find a toilet. Never again. read more

We waited in line for about 40 minutes (there were perhaps 5 people before us) so it wasn't so convenient as we thought. Luckily as it's made to order, it was fresh and yummy. I love the basil plants everywhere that you can add to your pasta. Get the Thai chills if you like spicy, they are spicy!! Do go with the recommended pastas that go with your sauce of choice. read more

I am a lukewarm fan of Vapiano in DC, but this location provides the right ingredients for both food and atmosphere. Sadly, it's amongst the best pizza I've had in greater Helsinki in the past decade. This is not really a comment on the super tastiness of Vapiano pizza, rather Finnish pizza in general. Vapiano does the job of providing good standard thin crust authentic-ish pizza with the appropriate cheese, my ham and mushroom was tasty. The atmosphere is bustling and social - it seems like a great place to meet for an after work drink and dinner with the gigantic terrace. The guys at the pizza counter are hilarious - they are tucked in a back corner and were cheering every time someone chose them over the pasta queues when I visited. They saw I had my hands full with two children and delivered the pizzas to my table. A+ service. Free wifi, A+. The buzzer system was not really working for me or several others I noticed. English and Finnish. read more

I've only ever been to one other Vapiano, in Budapest, and had a really good time there. This one was the same but different. The first thing is the set-up of the place. You have to get in line for your dishes and block everybody who wants to/has to pass by. Real pain in the backside. We had a couple of pasta dishes. Now I have heard of "al dente" but this was more "Al you forgot to cook the pasta"! Really, really chewy! I had the penne al'arbiatta and damn was that hot and spicy! The young lady asked me how many chili peppers I wanted in it, so all I'm complaining about here is my stupidity. But it was really good sauce anyway; washed down with a Mexican beer. read more

For pizza&pasta lovers it's a must if you are in Helsinki. Although you never know if you end up stuck in the queue to order your food, the wait is definitely worth it! Maybe don't go there too hungry, as it's not the place where food is served right away, so you'll end up disappointed. The service is fast and very professional, cooks are usually chatting you up, so the wait doesn't seem so long. The food is always delicious, fresh and hot. You can add up fresh basil, rosemary, garlic or chilly peppers if you want to spice it up a little bit. Portions are medium and there are no appetizers or desserts. Good place to try out with friends! read more

A quick lunch, which is what Vapiano is perfect for -- service was efficient, restaurant was clean, wine was crisp and cold, and lunch was filling. Recommend if you're walking about and looking for a quick bite! read more

The pasta is super good did not have any pizza. Reasonable prices. The line does get long at times and have to wait 15-20 minutes but other than that everything was great. read more

Second trip to Helsinki in six years, and second trip to Vapiano. Pizza was fine; the way to order is a bit chaotic. The woman managing the payment station was quite gruff, bordering on rude. Location near train station is convenient. read more

If you want good pasta and drinks with a very simple process this place is for you. They give you a card when you walk in and all the food and drinks are self serve. Hand the preparer the card and it keeps track of all you spend. Then on the way out. Simple. Good. Sometimes when you travel you just don't want the hassle. I know, I don't. read more

Wow. Really good thin crust pizza in the middle of Helsinki. I only tried the pizza but the pastas and salads looked good too. Reasonable prices and nice environment. It's more of a order and take your own plate style of place but it's really good. If you are looking for a solid Italian fix you can't go wrong. read more

Vapiano that used to be easy, fast and tasty is gone. Growing too fast/too high customer flow/too rapid employee shifting (dissatisfaction? Stress?) has not been coped with. I've visited on different occassions and waited in line 35-45 minutes each time. And in Vapiano you actually -stand in Line- that entire time, Not wait at your table sipping your wine. Plus the confusion by the stressed out chef: she puts rice in my pasta/ he has to double check what my order was twice/ she can't do two pastas at once as it is too confusing / it's obviously hot and stressful for them and that doesnt make me any more happy. And unfortunately: flavors are not consistent: you never know what you get even if you have the same order each time. During peak hours expect them to be out of cutlery (we ate with spoons only), and keep forgetting promises (asked twice to get the terrace lamp switched on and he promised to "check".) All in all -this concept fails from every angle simply on the restaurant being understaffed. read more

Excellent food and lively ambience. We absolutely love their risotto and pasta. The pizza menu is good too. Haven't tried the desserts but their cappuccino is probably the best in town. No wonder, we keep going back. The food is not cheap for a self-service restaurant, but it's not very expensive either. However, the quantity is good. So you don't really mind shelling out 15-20 Euros for a filling meal. On the downside, this place is always crowded and the waiting time could be 30-40 minutes. When the food smells so appetising, we kinda get impatient queueing. Just saying! read more

For a quick, delicious, inexpensive meal, Vapianos is your place. You walk in and they give you a card which you take to various stations. If you order something at a station, they will add it to your card. You pay when you have finished ordering (we payed after we were done eating). There are pasta and pizza stations. I have pizza and it was great (and I'm a picky pizza lover). There was not too much cheese and it had just the right amount of sauce. The soda was inexpensive compared to a lot of other restaurants in the area. There is also a small coffee/bar/dessert area which looked fantastic, but there was no room in my belly! read more

This restaurant is fine. We have places like this in NY: you get your card, order what you want, charge to your card and paid before you exit. The food is fine. I think Helsinki is pricey. read more

moderate prices and tasty pasta. The city itself is rather expensive so it was nice to find something in my price range. Big portions, fresh produce, friendly English-speaking staff. Only drawback: you have to wait in line and sometimes it takes up to 20 minutes to order. read more

Damn, that portions are big! I think one of the best places in Helsinki with Italian fast/food

Each meal is prepared just for you in the open kitchen. You get to select what kind of pasta you'd like and what kind of topping to go with it. Wait time could be a bit long but it's worth it. Portions are generous. Take a seat upstairs - you'll have a nice view. read more

You know what you get with this chain, decent food, quick and relatively cheap. The ordering took longer than other locations.We were in Helsinki on a sunday and nothing was open, and it was between this or really expensive long sunday buffet brunches. read more

Food is very nice and quality/price is good. However, the pasta line is unacceptable, you just stand there for 30/40 min, which is not nice at all. read more

a super confusing yet super delicious meal. this place is always packed so I decided to check it out while near union station. to my surprise it's not your typical sit down restaurant. you walk in, get a card, stand in line and order your food. You frantically look for a place to sit, you eat, you pay up front before exiting. it's hectic but worth it. I had a green salad with salmon. the flavors were fresh and the salmon--along with other extras-- are cooked in front of you as you order! (the main reason for the long lines). My friend ordered the tuna pizza and it was delicious and crispy but probably not worth the 30 minute wait. the pasta others ordered also looked tasty. Overall, this place was confusing yet surprisingly good. I'll keep that in mind the next time I'm in Helsinki. read more

I ate in this place when I visited Finland, an affordable option. I had a cheese pizza, which was pretty average in taste compared to what you get in the states, but it was a good value. The service was nice and so was the decor. read more