Restaurant Day enthusiasts sell food that they have prepared themselves in locations as creative as the fare they serve up – in parks, on street corners, in courtyards, or in their kitchens. The foodfest takes place roughly every three months. It offers anyone the opportunity to set up a restaurant, coffee shop or bar, for just one day, without having to apply for official permits – as long as alcohol is not on the drinks list.

Facts

Restaurant Day is the world’s biggest food carnival and happens worldwide four times a year. All together 9600+ one-day restaurants by estimated 38 500+ restaurateurs have catered for estimated 1 060 000+ customers in the past Restaurant Days.

21 May 2011: 45 restaurants, 13 cities
18 August 2011: 190 restaurants, 30+ cities, 4 countries
19 November 2011: 287 restaurants, 40+ cities, 2 countries
4 February 2012: 304 restaurants, 50+ cities, 12 countries
19 May 2012: 711 restaurants, 90+ cities, 19 countries
19 August 2012: 784 restaurants, 100+ cities, 17 countries
17 November 2012: 702 restaurants, 130+ cities, 25 countries
17 February 2013: 629 restaurants, 130+ cities, 31 countries
18 May 2013: 1701 restaurants, 200+ cities, 30 countries
18 August 2013: 1683 restaurants, 220 cities, 35 countries
16 November 2013: 1383 restaurants, 190 cities, 31 countries
16 February 2014: 1210 restaurants, 27 countries
One-day restaurants have so far popped up in 56 different countries including Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, USA and Uzbekistan.
Please note that all restaurants with a clearly commercial, political or religious aim, or restaurants linked to existing commercial brands, or advertising a commercial space or a business, will be removed from the service.

Restaurant Day Map

http://yle.fi/uutiset/restaurant_day_celebrates_finlands_growing_culinary_diversity/6648419