Kawe kelder, Restaurant basement in central Tallinn, Estonia
Kawe Kelder is a basement restaurant located in central Tallinn accessed through the ground floor of a building on Pärnu maantee. The underground space features rough stone walls, low ceilings, and a simple layout that preserves the character of its former warehouse use.
The building was constructed in 1924 following architect Artur Perna's design and originally served as a warehouse for the Kawe chocolate factory. The structure survived numerous political transitions and maintained its basic form through the decades.
The name references the Kawe chocolate factory that once occupied this building. Today, the ground floor retains traces of its industrial past through exposed walls and simple furnishings that echo the original use.
The restaurant is situated in a densely built area and is best reached on foot or by public transport, as parking is limited in this central location. Visitors should be aware that low ceilings and narrow passages are typical features of the converted warehouse space.
During the Soviet era, the underground space was briefly repurposed as detention cells before later becoming a public dining venue. This silent record of shifting uses reflects how the same rooms adapted to radically different purposes across the years.
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