Kirjala Roastery – About Us

April 5, 2024

We are Kirjalan Paahtimo – a micro-roastery based in Mikkeli, founded in late 2018. Our roastery began in the heart of Kirjala’s old wooden house district, from where it moved in the spring of 2020 to Heimari, in the pulse of Lake Saimaa. At the same time, we began our café operations in the Nuijamies district of Mikkeli.

Roastery

Olli first got the idea for his own roastery when he tasted a “mind-blowing” coffee during a trip to Porvoo. It was coffee from a micro-roastery. After that, Olli began an intensive journey of research and study into the world and secrets of coffee, which continues to this day. The first roaster was designed together with a local blacksmith friend, but this homemade roaster has since been replaced by a Giesen W15, with which Olli roasts Kirjala’s coffees several times a week, sometimes even on weekends.

Coffee

Coffee is the heart of our operations. In our selection, you will find unique and carefully curated coffees from all over the world. Our range includes light, medium, and dark roast options, each offering a unique flavor experience. We find the right recipe for every coffee to ensure quality and a perfect final result. You will also find decaffeinated coffee options if you enjoy coffee moments but not the caffeine rush.

High-quality and responsibly produced coffee is of primary importance to us. We source our beans from South and Central America as well as Africa, ensuring that the coffee we offer is both delicious and responsibly grown. Freshness and quality are core values for us in coffee preparation to offer the best flavor. Each coffee bean is roasted as artisanal work and ground fresh from the beans so that we can preserve the coffee’s aromas for as long as possible.

Café

In our coffee service, we also focus on aesthetics and visual sophistication. Our staff is trained in preparing the perfect milk-based coffees and latte art so that we can offer our customers Instagrammable and visually delightful coffee moments. Additionally, we use cute coffee cups that we have managed to find at flea markets and recycling centers, which also partially supports a circular economy. Filter coffee is our customers’ most popular choice, but we also offer various espresso-based milk coffees and seasonal treat drinks, which have grown in popularity quickly.

We certainly don’t forget our tea lovers! We offer high-quality tea varieties prepared using different methods, and our café selection includes options ranging from steeped teas to house-blended chai lattes. We source our teas from TeeMaa in Helsinki, which imports high-quality loose-leaf teas and matcha to Finland.

Delicious pastries and dishes from our own kitchen!

In Kirjalan Paahtimo’s kitchen, every item served is prepared with love and care. Each of our employees participates in kitchen tasks, and the foundation of our cooking skills is years of experience and inspiration that we find from the world around us and the internet.

Over the years, we have refined our selection to meet our customers’ wishes and have kept our finger on the pulse by sensitively following changing trends. New ideas can originate from, for example, trips around the world, and we always strive to adapt them to the style of our own café. For instance, Kirjala’s Italian-style focaccia was born from inspiration during a trip to Italy and has received praise for its delicious yet simple toppings.

Special diets are an important part of our selection, and we offer a large portion of our sweet pastries as gluten-free options as well. Our customers’ favorites have become specifically almond croissants and breakfast rolls, which attract visitors even from outside the capital region to come and enjoy our offerings.

Sourdough bread and the surprisingly vegan Carrot Cake are also popular choices. At breakfast, various egg dishes and breakfast combos have also gained great popularity among our customers.