main Food Hall, has many unique features, such as the hand-finished floral cornices. The bourgeois atmosphere pervade in the restaurant into the smallest of details: from the own label porcelain, through to the gold leaf glasses. In the basement, the brasserie is decorated in Art Nouveau style. Custom made chairs and sofas have been upholstered with the finest fabrics. Enamel tables with old Russian names and pictures of produce recreate the atmosphere of the beginning of the 20th century. The hand painted wall pattern is in harmony with the original features of walls and ceilings of the famous old basement warehouses. On the ground floor, the coffee shop spreads from the extensive ornate food vitrines of mouth watering desserts to the retro style red sofas located under a gigantic tropical palm tree. Freshly ground coffee and world teas are prepared to your taste with homemade viennoiserie and cakes served as the perfect accompaniment. The branding of the new Kupetz Eliseevs Food Hall, was initiated by the current owners and Rui Miguel De Sousa, general manager, who have done extensive research to preserve and reintroduce the ambience of the early 20th century into a modern retail environment. With over 180,000 visitors a month the Kupetz Eliseevs Food Hall is set to become one of the key tourist attractions of Saint Petersburg and one of major historical importance within UNESCO World Heritage Site. Name Elisseeff or Elisseieff is the spelling favored by Elisseeff family (rus. Елисеев). Alternate spellings are Eliseev, Elyseeff, Eliseyev, Eliseef, Eliseief, Eliseieff, Yeliseyev, Jelissejew and Jelissejew. Architecture The architect managed to incorporate some parts of older buildings in this structure, made the entire building appear as if it were one giant shop window. Over one half of the façade consists of a single arch. The arch is a giant stained glass window that opens several floors to the street. The Art Nouveau stained glass contrasts with the granite surface of the building adorned by allegorical sculptures of Commerce, Industry, Science and Arts by Estonian sculptor Amandus Adamson. Inside there were three large retail halls. Above ready clothing and general retail space, bank, public commercial courses (college-level business classes funded by Elisseeff and open to general public), and a performance theater. The theater is still there, albeit its lavish Art Nouveau interiors were destroyed in a 1960s renovation. Underneath the building were walk-in and drive-in coolers and refrigerator rooms for