A 20th century legend
At the grand old age of 34, St Urho’s Pub has become an icon of sorts – much like St Urho himself. It can certainly pride itself on its distinguished origins. When it was established in 1973, in the imposing Ostrobotnia Building (also known as the Botta Building), it was dedicated by the then-President of Finland, Urho Kekkonen.
Although he served as president until 1981, Kekkonen didn’t spend too much time at his namesake pub. Countless fans of good drink and culture have made Urkki their hangout over the years (a popular and affectionate name for the establishment). The clientele includes students, classical musicians, beer enthusiasts, and locals.
More recently, Urkki has become one of the most versatile pubs in Helsinki. On draught it has the traditional Finnish beer sahti, Finnish microbrews, European speciality beers, lambics, real ale, porter, and basic lagers. The restaurant also serves food until late evening.
The variety of beers has developed over time to promote international beer culture. “We want to offer our customers a chance to take a world beer tour during a single visit,” says restaurant manager Esa Mustonen. A multiple-award winning establishment, St Urho’s latest accolade was the Silence Prize, from the Helsinki Musicians’ Union, which promotes live music and protests against music serving only as pointless noise. “We have no background music. Nor are there slot machines in the corners disturbing conversations,” Mustonen explains.
St Urho’s organizes theme events from Porter Days in February to Finnish Sahti Weeks in May. In keeping with the seasons, draught beers tend to be darker in winter and lighter in summer. This is a smoke-free pub but the 20-seat patio (open since July 2007) provides an outlet for nicotine addicts.
St Urhos Pub
Address Museokatu 10, 00100 Helsinki
Tel. +358 9 5807 7222
Website www.botta.fi/urhos_pub/
Seats 90 + patio 20
Open Mon-Tue 15:00-01:00, Wed-Sat 15:00-03:00, Sun 15:00-01:00
Restaurateur Botta Ltd
Restaurantmanager, pub host Esa Mustonen
Chef Minna Kujanen
Location In the Ostrobotnia Building, between the National Museum and Parliament.
“Versatile, well-picked beverage selection with real ale and traditional Finnish sahti.” / “One of the few quiet restaurants, no force-feeding of music – and one of the few pubs serving real meals.” / “Good food from fried Baltic herrings to pizza. Great clientele.” / “Sound, well-respected concept. Doesn’t give a damn about trends. Host-driven and passionate about beer.” / “The earnest and friendly staff, led by restaurant manager Esa Mustonen, has largely stayed the same year after year.” / “At Urkki you can always enjoy a nice beer, even if the neighboring table is full of role-players.”
