A somewhat staid Helsinki fixture, traditional dining room König has exchanged its classic identity for the lighter tone of Restaurant Michel. Now featuring a simple menu of brasserie favourites, Caesar salads and Angus beef club sandwiches as well as dedicated seasonal offerings - popular with the chic locals of the city’s nearby shopping district - are in tune with the new interior created by Finish designer Joanna Laajisto. Best known for her coolly understated spaces, a large marble and stainless steel bar takes centre stage, augmenting a low-key colour palette of ash, cognac leather and brass, while Eero Saarinen-designed tulip tables reference Finland’s distinguished design heritage. Evenings see a lively crowd soaking up the downtown atmosphere, while the next morning’s brunch crowd rolls in for the kitchen’s huevos rancheros and jam-smothered pancakes.
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ADDRESS
Mikonkatu 4
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Roland and Karimoku expand their range of handcrafted Kiyola digital pianosThe new Roland KF-20 and KF-25 are the latest exquisitely crafted digital pianos from Roland, fusing traditional furniture-making methods with high-tech sound
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Fulham FC’s new Riverside Stand by Populous reshapes the match-day experience and beyondPopulous has transformed Fulham FC’s image with a glamorous new stand, part of its mission to create the next generation of entertainment architecture, from London to Rome and Riyadh
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A contemporary Mexican hotel emerges from a 16th-century ruin in MéridaA renovation project by Zeller & Moye, Mérida’s new Hotel Sevilla wears its architectural interventions lightly, mixing new brutalist elements into listed interiors and a palm-filled courtyard
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Form... and flavour? The best design-led restaurant debuts of 2025A Wallpaper* edit of the restaurant interiors that shaped how we ate, gathered and lingered this year
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The Wallpaper* team’s travel highlights of the yearA year of travel distilled. Discover the destinations that inspired our editors on and off assignment
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Wallpaper* Design Awards 2026: City of the Year shortlistExplore the nominated urban locations making an impact in design, architecture and contemporary culture
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A local’s guide to Helsinki by Finnish-Karelian sculptor Anna PesonenAnna Pesonen shares her essential addresses in the Nordic region’s ‘alternative little sister’
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Finlandia Hall apartments: now, you can stay at a modernist masterpieceThe two Finlandia Hall apartments, Finlandia Homes, have now been restored to their former glory and are open to the public for booking, offering stays at Alvar Aalto's modernist masterpiece
