Espoo seeks café or restaurant operator for plot along the Waterfront Walkway in Haukilahti
The City of Espoo is seeking an operator to run a year-round café-restaurant or restaurant in Toppelund, Haukilahti. The city will reserve the site for the selected operator. The building must be appropriately sized and fit the popular Waterfront Walkway.
The application process is open to all interested parties. Individual operators or consortiums of several operators may apply. The operator will be selected through an expression-of-interest and negotiation procedure.
Applications will be evaluated, among other criteria, on whether applicants have the necessary financial resources and previous experience in planning and implementing similar construction projects. Special attention must be paid to the building’s architecture and the preservation of trees that are important to the landscape.
The permitted building volume on the plot is 500 gross m2, although it does not need to be used in full. The building must be appropriately sized to fit the site. Parking spaces must be provided within the plot. The area of the plot is approximately 3,500 m2.
In the current detailed plan, the plot is designated as a block area for sports buildings. The café or restaurant project may require an amendment to or deviation from the detailed plan.
Windsurfing activities will continue in the area
Part of the plot is currently leased to a windsurfing club for storage containers used to store windsurfing equipment. The club’s activities in the area will continue to be accommodated. The selected operator must allocate space within the project for the windsurfing activities.
The decision on the recipient of the planning reservation will be made by the Business and Competitiveness Subcommittee of the City Board.
The application period starts on 26 October 2026 and ends on 10 February 2027. More information about the application process is available on the City of Espoo website.