Let’s Welcome Finfolk: A Nordic Inspired Eatery

Today we sat down with Jeff, the entrepreneur behind Finfolk, and got all the delicious details about the new restaurant!

What does Finfolk specialize in?

It’s a family run business and we pull from our Nordic background. We crafted our dough specially to facilitate the types of toppings we put on it. Our pizza is topped with truffle cream, smoked lamb, chili potatoes with arugula. One of my other favourites is a smoked duck pizza.

Our main focus is surprising fun food paired with really good beer. We bring in the brewery’s outside the area and in the area as well.

Why is the restaurant is named Finfolk? Is there a story behind the name?

With our background being Scandinavian we wanted to tie in different legends and folklore throughout the restaurant.

Finfolk’s are similar to mermaids except their fins could wrap around them like a cloak and they could walk on land. They’re very mischievous, they would steal people to make them their husbands or wives. They would drill holes in boats so you had to toss a silver coin in the water to appease them.

All our pizzas are named after folklore stories. Hildaland pizza is named after a secret island in the region, it was the Finfolk land base. We worked hard to create a really fun and welcoming atmosphere here.

How did you learn how to cook?

My mother has been the best cook for decades, a lot of her recipes are passed down. She has a flavour profile better than most people. We rely heavily on her ability to make things extremely tasty.

I have always been a very good cook and done a lot of cooking. Growing up my dad has always smoked meat and tried different brines and it all just came together where all of us brought something to the cooking aspect.

How is your beer list and which drink would you recommend?

My dad is in charge of the beer and my sister is out front with him. We rotate our beers every week, there’s always new beer every Friday. Today we’re doing a new Coal Harbour beers and Field House tap. We are working with a lot of little breweries; we get to be apart of their beer releases. We get to bring our beers as soon as their ready and have a little bit of a restaurant party, it’s a blast.

A drink I would recommend right now is Coal Harbours orchid. It was aged in an oak barrel and picks up some of that oak flavour.

Which dish would you recommend?

If you’re very hungry, I like recommending the hotdog because it surprises’ people as soon as they see it. The name of it is Fenrir which is Loki’s wolf from folklore. If you don’t want a ton of meat then I lean towards the smoked duck pizza with the fig jam. The pizza is a bit sweeter; it starts out smoky and salty then it comes through nice and sweet. Often the go-to is the Valhalla platter, that one is all of our brine smoked meats; it is done in a more Danish style with large chunks of meat served cold.

Are there any events or promotions going on?

Next weekend Container Brewing is opening down the street. We are doing a tap takeover with them; we get their beers and serve it before they open. It’s fun to team up with the business down here and we have live music on Friday as well. Friday, September 13th Back Country Brewing is doing a scary cask, we’re doing a fun scary beer. Come on down and check it out!

Learn more at: www.finfolk.ca