When I went to Helsinki, I was really surprised by the amazing quality of food there. I mean, we all know that Scandinavians appreciate a drink or five, but in terms of food, well… But not Finland, oh no, they are something like the France of Scandinavia when it comes to culinary delights (I’m serious, and just in two words: Reindeer Sashimi). So it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Finns would be the inventors of a treat that is called Restaurant Day. The idea is simple: You open your own restaurant – for a day. You choose the location – your home, your mom’s office, a rooftop – and your menu – vicious omelettes, killer cakes, vodka pickles – and voilà, off you go.
Restaurant Day happens about every three months, and has spread from Helsinki to over 50 different cities worldwide, boasting more than 300 restaurants within just one year. And yes, Restaurant Day is about to happen again, this Saturday, May 19 (and there is still time to sign up). It has even been imported to Berlin, albeit only in one spot so far: the tempting-sounding Blick Burger in Neukölln, on a private balcony with a beautiful Blick over, erm, Neukölln.
Photography by Hanna Anttila (top) and Roy Bäckström / Courtesy of Restaurant Day
