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Hours
Sun
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Mon
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Tue
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Wed
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Thu
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Fri
4:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Sat
4:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, European, Scandinavian, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Special occasions, Romantic, Scenic view, Large groups, Business meetings
Does this restaurant have a TV?
Details
About
Aanaar Restaurant is a highly valued fine dining restaurant located in the heart of Inari, next to the wilderness river Juutua. Aanaar tells the story of the northern wilderness through award-winning cuisine. Our kitchen creates dishes unique to Lapland, using everything from lichen and the traditional Sami herbal plant Angelica, to reindeer and Lake Inari’s fish. When choosing our ingredients, we always favor organic alternatives and source them from local producers and pickers.
PRICE RANGE
$9.00 – $34.00
CUISINES
European, Scandinavian
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Drinks
FEATURES
Reservations, Buffet, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Television, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Waterfront, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available
Contribute
4.5
328 reviews
Excellent
243
Very good
60
Average
24
Poor
2
Terrible
0
Ana T
Ivalo9 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
This was the best dinner ever !
It was on 14 of february and they made our valentines delicious !
First the staff, they were so Nice and they explain everything, all the dishes, wines and also they make sure that you are confortable and happy.
Then the most amazing food came, we asked for the menu n°5 that comes with a coulple of dishes, since the apetisers till the desert.
All the dishes were amazing, I cry eating the reindeer course. Just every single bite was like flying !
In the end the espetacular desert made the perfect end and One of the chefs came to the table delivering it by him self ( what a honor )
Defenetly recomend and I defenetly Will go for more !
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JariJK
Kouvola6853 contributions
Jul 2022 • none
Restaurant Aanaar is the restaurant of Tradition Hotel Kultahovi. The hotel was opened in 1937. Since then they have used local ingredients. So you can eat genuine Lappish local food here, e.g. berries, herbs, reindeer and fish. They use also many specialties, like lichen, birch leaves and angelica, traditional Sámi herbal plant.
This restaurant is very famous in Finland. Some people drive all the way from Helsinki to Inari (about 1,200 kilometers in one way) only to eat in this restaurant. This restaurant has been in Finnish TV programs, too. They cooked lichen for Finland's president Sauli Niinistö and footballer Jari Litmanen in a TV show. The restaurant has got many awards, e.g. "The restaurant of the year 2020 in Finland" award by the Finnish Gastronomic Society. So the restaurant is very popular and you almost always need a table reservation. It is a good idea to make a pre-booking at least one day before your dinner.
I ate roasted reindeer smoked with pine needles. The portion included reindeer meat, reindeer blood dumpling, balsamico sauce, lichen seasoned with bilberry, wild mushrooms, birch leaves and Lappish potato puree. Crowberry juice was perfect with it. I appreciate that they have both wine, beer and non-alcoholic drink recommendations for every meal. Some vegetarian dishes are also available.
My dessert was "Ice cream dropped to the sand". The portion really looked like that but it was very colorful, Instagrammable and delicious. It included sweetgrass-coffee ice cream, licorice stones, edible "sand" and cloudberry gel. This was a very beautiful and imaginative dessert!
The location of the restaurant is very beautiful, too. You see Alakoski Rapids from windows. Sometimes you may even see reindeer. On top of that service in the restaurant is very kind and polite. However, this restaurant isn't "too much" like fine dining restaurants. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very cozy. I really love this place! This restaurant is perfect for me. You have to experience it yourself!
Written July 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LarryfromFinland
Helsinki79 contributions
Feb 2021 • family
We had menu of 5 courses
+we have been in michelin restaurants and the food matched even with these. Superb highend in presentation and taste
+miderate price for this good. 76e for 5 courses
+local nature flavours you cannot get elsewhere like local fish, meat, berries, herbs, even wood and woodland base.
+- place looks old and mediocre, but your there to eat still
Highly recommend!
Written February 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hiker
2 contributions
Aug 2021 • family
Food is definitely above average but the service was so slow - on a quiet Sunday night, with tables less than half full - that it was unacceptable. Not what you would expect from the "restaurant of the year". Needs more staff both in the kitchen and waiting tables.
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
koiruli
96 contributions
Sep 2021 • none
We had high expectations of Aanaar, and the restaurant really delivered excellent food and a pleasant experience all round.
The tables were not all full on a Sunday evening, but it seems the restaurant was working at full capacity for the season. Everything went well, and we were warmly welcomed and served during the evening.
One of us had the Inari Menu and the other chosen dishes from the list, plus recommended wines. What wonderful food! Beautiful dishes with great ingredients sourced from nearby and other Finnish areas.
The prices were reasonable for this level of gastronomy.
If there is one thing that could be improved with Aanaar, it could be the interior design and space they have.
They have some very nice design elements (like classic lamps) in the restaurant, but the space looks a bit worn and not up to the quality of other things Aanaar offers.
That said, the space is still roomy and open enough, the furniture is good and the views to the river are lovely.
We will remember Aanaar fondly and would give it a 9.5 out of 10. This was food worth travelling for.
Written September 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
V M
Helsinki215 contributions
Jul 2021 • none
Restaurant Aanaar is located in the main building of Tradiotion Hotel Inarin Kultahovi. The atmosphere is plain and simple, but it fits well. There are tables with rapid views and they display the rapid life at two screens at the restaurant. The service was friendly but since the restaurant was full, quite slow (it took us nearly 2 hours to get our two desserts of our menu while we were running our of drinks and the other tables were receiving their courses). The food was very good and wines paired good as well. Strong recommendation.
Written August 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Minna H
Helsinki2 contributions
Feb 2021 • friends
We were 5 people and had two 5-course menus and three 3-course-meals. It was amazing: all food was local from the exceptional nature of Lapland. We were served so well with delicacies like reindeer, trout, berries etc. We highly recommend also the drink menus. You shouldn’t miss this restaurant. For kids: live footage from the fish jumping in the river.
Written February 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Samantha D
29 contributions
Jan 2022 • couples
My husband and I had a late lunch at the Aanaar restaurant on Fri 28th January towards the end of a most fabulous week in Finnish Lapland. The menu is amazing, all locally sourced food using ingredients you will probably have anywhere else. We each had the 5 course Inari taster menu with accompanying wine recommendations just changing one starter so we had a chance to try both, our request was graciously accommodated. Every dish was delicious which, combined with the delightful staff made it a really fabulous, and in our opinion, reasonably priced experience. If you find yourself in Inari don’t miss it. Book a table, it’s understandably popular.
Written February 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rusty k
Summerville3 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Four of us traveled up from Kakslautenen to ski on Lake Inari and visit the Siida museum. Being sort of "foodies" , we often try to check out the restaurant rated best in the area, but realizing that #1 out of only 8 restaurants listed in Inari (the town), we weren't really expecting much. We were very pleasantly surprised. Spectacular Chanterelle soup, best version of reindeer filets we had in Finland, great desserts. All very locally sourced with Sami and regional flavor nuances (smoked pine, birch, berries, etc). All done artistically and with great Finnish and craft beer pairing and wine suggestions that were well thought out and matched. Will bring some flavor and food ideas back to our home town of Charleston, SC...they know how to cook there too!
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SusaMasa
Helsinki434 contributions
Jun 2020 • none
You would not expect to find a fine dining restaurant in Inari, but Aanaar is well worth the travel. Service is friendly, but above all the food is exceptional. The portions are beautiful and tasty and made of local ingredients representing new Nordic cuisine. We would recommend the tasting menus. They also have wine paring for the menus. Beautiful views from the window to Juutua river. The price quality ratio is very good.
Written September 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jari1362
Helsinki96 contributions
Oct 2020 • none
To come to Lapland jus for Aanaar is definitely worth it. Lapland has got itself a restaurant that can compete with Noma or elBulli. I am convinced that Lapland has finally got its first Michelin star restaurant. Food is simple, uncomplicated from local ingredient and taking best of the local traditions. Highly recommend to take the tasting menu which has also wine recommendations. Tried menu number 5 with Australian and New Zeland wines and two worlds complimented each other’s wonderfully.
Written October 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
damsico
2 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
The location of Aanaar Restaurant is amazing, next to the river in Inari. At sunset the colours provide a wonderful background to the dining experience.
Dinner was delicious, full of flavour and well presented. The staff was attentive and friendly. The dessert was superb, bringing together different combinations of local flavours, with new twists.
Highly recommended!
Written August 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kay186370
Reykjavik133 contributions
Aug 2024 • solo
My evening meal here was one of my best ever. I was on a budget so I opted to have one very high-quality course. It got off to a perfect start, with the friendly welcome and attention I received from waiting staff, which left me feeling completely comfortable as a solo diner which is not always the case. Mindful of both my budget and waistline I opted for a single course, the herb encrusted local lamb dish. I was delighted when the waitress offered an amuse bouche, courtesy of the restaurant. As well as wines being recommended to accompany each dish, an interesting alcohol free option was also suggested. I tried blueberry lemonade and a wonderful wild angelica juice. The amuse bouche and the lamb were absolutely perfect - and given the quality of the ingredients, the ambience and the riverside views, the price was very reasonable. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough.
One tip - if you are on your own you will not be able to book on dineout as the minimum number is two people - but you can book for one by phoning, emailing or calling in.
Written August 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
otp71
Espoo90 contributions
Feb 2021 • family
From outside the building it'd be hard to guess how high grade the restaurant of this small hotel is. Offering different kinds of twists on local ingredients, Aanaar manages to provide a fine dining -style experience without the pretentiousness that many times accompanies similar, less well known places. All the dishes we had were of high quality and innovative in their use of local ingredients. As an added bonus non-alcoholic pairings were suggested for all dishes in the menu (in addition to normal wine pairings), something that would be nice to see becoming the standard. Well worth the trip and hoping to visit it again in the future.
Written February 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dr_aaltonen
Helsinki389 contributions
Mar 2021 • none
Located at the end of arctic lake Inari in hotel Kultahovi (Gold Court in Finnish). Nice somehow rough norhern interior.
Two set menus and a la carte. We took, as always, long menu. Lime-salted whitefish was good but not special while smoked red king crab was fantastic! Roasted reindeer was fabulous too. Beetroot and lingonberry sorbet was quite unique. Smoked juniper ice cream and pine bark canelle were perfect pair.
Service was professional.
Food is Michelin star rate. Interior is not glamorous but it’s genuine. You might get the best Rudolph Red-Nosed in the world here.
Written March 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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