About
This lunch restaurant is a true gem in Savonlinna, not known by many visitors. It's a bit out of city, but not too much: just across the Kyrnsalmi bridge, approx. 1,5 km from the Market Place, and it's open Mon-Sun 11 am - 4 pm. Paviljonki is the teaching restaurant of a restaurant school, thus the price is low compared to the quality, which is very high. The lunch is served as a smorgasbord with fresh salads, good bread, a hot soup, cold fish, meat and veggie appetizers plus a warm main dish, which can be salmon, pork, beef or chicken. Dessert, coffee and tea are included in the price, as well as water and milk as drinks (beer, wine, soft drinks are also available, but you need to pay extra for these). You can eat as much as you can, and the price per person is EUR 14 Mon-Sat, EUR 19 on Sundays. The main dish is normally a bit "finer" on Sundays. Children get a discount and small kids (( 4yrs) eat for free. They have a la carte, too, but I think the lunch buffet is definitely the best bargain in Savonlinna during the busy Opera Festival season. You will not get such a feast at this price in the crowded restaurants around the Market Place.This is not the normal cheap stuff you get in Finnish lunch cafes. In Paviljonki you eat in a real restaurant with friendly waiters and white tablecloths, yet it is a casual place. Summer Saturdays it's sometimes closed to the public as it's a popular place to hold wedding receptions. About the location: if you arrive from the city, just drive across the high Kyrnsalmi bridge from where you can catch a glimpse of the medieval castle of St. Olof as well as a wonderful lakeland scenery. Paviljonki is the white pavillion-like (thus the name) building right after the bridge on the left hand side. You can't turn left here, but take the first intersection to the left (Miekkoniemenkatu) and drive to Ilokallionkatu, turn left, and finally turn left to Rajalahdenkatu, just before a small marina. There's a big parking lot in front of the restaurant. You can even fit a campervan there.I love this humble restaurant. Been eating there for almost 10 years now. I have to make a visit at least once or twice every summer, even though I live far away. I always recommend it to anyone who goes to Savonlinna.
Details
