It’s hardly hyperbole to state that the Fifties and Sixties represented a golden age in Finnish architecture and design, their influence still felt in the work of a great many contemporary studios.
This explains the quality of timelessness evoked by the refurbished Palace Restaurant, its views of Helsinki’s harbour, the market square and the old town much as they were when the Viljo Rewell-designed Palace Hotel opened in 1952.
SARC Architects worked with the Helsinki City Museum to reconfigure and protect Olli Borg’s original features like the mahogany and elm panels in the ceiling and the lobby area, while Stockholm-based Note Design Studio added fresh earthy colours, mustard terrazzo, customised pink serving trolleys, and re-upholstered Borg’s original furniture.
The light-infused space sets the stage for executive chefs Hans Välimäki and Eero Vottonen to present their take on modern Finnish cuisine including truffle-scented turbot, and Challans duck breasts, their earthiness nicely balanced with sour plums and cabbage.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Eteläranta 10
10th floor
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
We gaze into our crystal ball to predict the tech hits (and misses) of 2026The shape of things to come: seven technologies that will define the year ahead, from robotics, AI, aviation and more
-
This documentary tells the story behind Louis Vuitton’s monumental Snakes and Ladders runway setThe new film offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse at how Pharrell Williams and Studio Mumbai conceived the 2,700 sq ft Snakes and Ladders board, which backdropped the house’s S/S 2026 menswear collection last June
-
This remarkable retreat at the foot of the Catskill Mountains was inspired by the silhouettes of oak leavesA New York City couple turned to Desai Chia Architecture to design them a thoughtful weekend home. What they didn't know is that they'd be starting a farm, too
-
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
-
The Wallpaper* team’s travel highlights of the yearA year of travel distilled. Discover the destinations that inspired our editors on and off assignment
-
Wallpaper* Design Awards 2026: City of the Year shortlistExplore the nominated urban locations making an impact in design, architecture and contemporary culture
-
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’
-
Why Finland’s oldest city prides itself on its future legacyRediscover Turku, a city of islets and saunas, which is growing and changing with tradition, sustainability and climate as its guides
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the worldCelebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Finland has been named the happiest country in the world, again – here’s what to do in this Nordic utopiaIf you want a taste of life in a country deemed the happiest in the world for eight years running, be sure to check out Wallpaper* editors’ favourite spots while you’re there
-
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