Teurastamo (literally “Abattoir” in English) is a centre of urban and culinary culture near the rapidly developing Kalasatama district. Don’t let the name put you off, as these days its name is simply a reference to the area’s history as the city’s abattoir. Traces of this history can still be seen in the meat hooks that hang in the restaurants, as well as in the Teurastamo logo, which is meant to symbolise a traditional meat stamp.
Teurastamo has offered a new generation of restaurateurs the chance to try something completely new. How about a smokehouse that also serves as a club? Or a modern distillery that makes world-class gins and whiskies? How about combing local food with a public grill that anyone can use? All of this and more is possible at Teurastamo!
Helsinki’s “Meatpacking District”
The new era at the former city abattoir began a couple of decades ago, when the City of Helsinki began to develop the old harbour into a brand-new residential district. The quarter was already home to the wholesale market, so it was decided to turn the entire area into a new kind of food culture mecca.
Teurastamo was one of the “new” areas launched during Helsinki’s year as World Design Capital in 2012. Of course, culinary centres cannot be created without active restaurateurs and other food industry professionals. Over the years, Teurastamo has become not only a centre for restaurants but also a development platform for new products and concepts. It even trains newcomers to the food industry.
Responsibility has been at the heart of Teurastamo’s activities right from the start; it’s the kind of place where people come to be inspired by mushrooms picked in nearby forests and the offerings of small local producers. So if you want to know what the future tastes like, Teurastamo is the place to go!
