The Cultured Traveller - Fourth Anniversary Edition, September-November 2018 Issue 23

SAVOY A Helsinki institution utterly deserving of all the praise that’s regularly lavished upon it, Savoy first opened its glamorous doors to the public on 3rd June 1937 and has been a Finnish restaurant legend ever since.

After prohibition ended in Finland in 1932, people were re-invigorated to enjoy life and have fun once again. Around the same time, the country’s largest industrial company decided to build a swanky new office building for its workers at 14 Eteläesplanadi, in Helsinki’s city centre. The 7th and 8th floors were reserved for restaurant and conference purposes and are still occupied

by Savoy today, more than eighty years later.

Since then, Savoy has seen marriage proposals, breakups and huge celebrations - companies being started, wartime scheming, celebrities dining and pop stars brunching. Basically, it has all happened at Savoy, at one time or another.

The museum-like restaurant’s beautiful minimal style is the hallmark of Finnish master architect and designer Alvar Aalto and the then newly-founded Artek. Aalto’s hallmark is evident throughout Savoy - from the reception to the warm, oblong main dining room and beyond. Every inch of the place has been lovingly preserved in complete splendour, and a big part of the joy of dining at Savoy is the gorgeous environment in which you’re seated while you eat. The venue is truly an utter delight, and the delicious, classic fare perfectly complements the surroundings in which it is served.

Savoy’s food is reassuringly expensive yet creative semi-fine dining, without being over pretentious. You won’t leave Savoy hungry, that’s for sure. Expect ample portions of indulgent, well-prepared old-style cuisine, without the stuffiness of a Michelin-starred restaurant, served with warmth and style. High-end comfort food is a good description, for at the Savoy ordering one dish à la carte or going for a five-course tasting menu are equally acceptable behaviour.

On a clear sunny day, Savoy’s covered and enclosed glazed outdoor terrace, overlooking Helsinki’s rooftops and Esplanadi Park below, is a strong contender for the city’s best dining spot, the spectacular wide vista being pretty hard to beat. www.ravintolasavoy.fi/en NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU