Foija's History
Foija is competing with Helsinki’s Kaivohuone and Kaisaniemi - all of them opened at the same time - for the title of Finland´s oldest still active restaurant. Foija’s history began as a theatre restaurant with the opening of The Swedish Theatre in Turku on 21.1.1839, when three rooms and a kitchen were rented on the teatre premises for restaurant purposes. The name Foija is based on the French word ”foyer”, which means lobby.
Foija has gone through a lot during the decades – for example the fire of the theatre house in 1881 and the years of prohibition (1919-1932) – with numerous restaurant keepers during its existence. After the Second World War Foija changed into a with dance and with a lunch restaurant downstairs. In the mid 1960’s the restaurant was changed into a night club, which during almost a decade was the most popular in Turku. At that time it was known as ”The House of The Rising Sun”, as, in the summertime, one would see the rising sun shining through the night club windows before closing hours at 4 a.m.
At the beginning of 1980’s the reconstruction of the whole block into a modern shopping centre, ”Hansa”, started. Due to the opening of a new entrance Foija lost part of its premises and decided to move to its present locations in the neighbouring house, it’s former wine and coal cellar. This house was built in 1866 and is today protected by the National Board of Antiquities and Historical Monuments. Present-day Foija has has been operating in these premises for over twenty years with a full renovation in spring 2004. The strategic location at the market square, the versatile and personal menu, investing in good food and service offer both regular customers and tourists a restaurant experience they will want to renew.