Restaurant Aanaar

Why it matters: chef and second-generation owner Heikki Nikula is Indigenous Sami on his father’s side, and Aanaar – the Inari Sami word for Inari – is his tribute to the region’s food culture. The kitchen leans on whole-animal reindeer, Lake Inari fish, lichen and foraged Arctic herbs, almost all sourced within about 300 kilometres. It has been named Finland’s Restaurant of the Year and regularly ranks among the country’s best tables, yet sits quietly beside the Juutua rapids. Tip: book the tasting menu well ahead – the dining room is small and fills fast in season.