Solar delicacies delight people at Kalasatama

The combination of summer sun, a love for food and innovative design are capturing the hearts of Helsinki residents in a completely new way. The Kalasatama district is the site of a restaurant built by volunteers, a place where natural forces are being harnessed to produce gourmet experiences for city residents.

Design capital partner Lapin Kulta has, in cooperation with Finnish restaurateur Antto Melasniemi and Catalonian designer Martí Guixé, created a pop-up restaurant that is built of huge mirror-like solar cookers.  Restaurant customers can watch their food being prepared and enjoy delicious meals and refreshing beer.

Living in the moment, flexibility and naturalness are good ways to describe the Lapin Kulta Solar Kitchen experience. Introduced for the first time at Milan Design Week, a top restaurant operated by solar power is on display at Helsinki’s Kalasatama district for 10 days in August.  The Solar Kitchen has been travelling around Finland all summer and has already been set up in Turku, Rovaniemi, Mäntyharju and Oulu. In the autumn, Solar Kitchen will be moving on to Stockholm. 

The uncertainty of Finnish weather conditions guarantees that meals will be unique and enjoyable. Depending on the amount of sunshine, the restaurant prepares everything from steak to salads, and plans are changed if the weather turns rainy or cloudy. Quick decisions are made depending on the conditions, and customers are sure to have a communal experience.

The Kalasatama restaurant is open on sunny days from noon to 3 pm on 4-14 August. The lunch menu changes daily and is priced at EUR 15.