Best Lunch 2021 providers from Salo, South Ostrobothnia and Iitti

Kuopio was the most successful of the municipalities

In the Finland's Best Lunch 2021 online vote, the country's best lunch restaurant 2021 was decided. The contest took place from 30.8. to 3.10.2021. Of the municipalities, Kuopio did best, with 6 restaurants rising to top 50 positions.

In the 2021 competition, restaurants earned popularity through social media activity, as the activity on the restaurant's own channels motivated local communities to vote. JJ's BBQ from Salo was at the top with its social media activity, Varicko restaurant from Seinäjoki took second place, Emberin Ruoka Oy from Lapua took third place and Vanha Sampo from Iitti took fourth place. The best start to the competition was taken by JJ's BBQ from Salo, which beat the others specifically with its own activity on social media and with the help of competition advertisements displayed in the restaurant.

Various restaurants of different styles have done well in the competition. According to the voters, the best lunches have been enjoyed in both steakhouses and vegetarian restaurants. Restaurants that are only open on weekends have also received votes. Restaurant lunch is therefore not limited to weekday lunches only, says Laura Kuusela, director of sustainability at Edenred Finland, which organizes the competition.

The largest rise is from Kuopio

Kuopio has up to 6 restaurants among the 50 best lunch restaurants of 2021. Such extensive attention is unusual for a single locality in the top group of the Best Lunch competition. Hygge BRO ranked highest of the restaurants from Kuopio, by falling to the 9th place.

Seinäjoki also held the flag high. 3 restaurants from that city ranked in the top 50.

It seems that restaurants that do well in the voting can be found all over Finland. It speaks of the culture around lunch and the fact that restaurant lunch is not the exclusive right of the urban milieu. In smaller local communities, the importance of a restaurant as a meeting place can be even stronger than in cities, Kuusela states.

Of course, the geographical diversity among those restaurants that have now succeeded in the voting also speaks of the tasty lunch offer across the country. People hardly vote for mere support and sympathy. It require a tasty lunch, Kuusela adds.

The power of social media is significant

The early weeks of the Suomen Paras Lounas 2021 competition showed the importance of social media for restaurants. The more actively the restaurant promotes the competition, the better they will do in the competition.

In previous years, restaurants have noticed that the competition increases community feeling around the restaurant. It has also had positive effects on the employer image, and thus on finding employees. The positive effects are of paramount importance, especially when the covid-19 period has been unreasonably difficult for restaurants, says Kuusela.

The winning restaurants will receive winning posters and marketing materials with the theme of Finland's Best Lunch. In addition, Edenred highlights successful restaurants in the annual FInland's Best Lunch contest on social media. Edenred is Finland's leading provider of employment benefits.

Finland's 10 best lunch restaurants in 2021:

1. JJ’S BBQ, Salo 
2. Emberin Ruoka, Lapua 
3. Vanha Sampo, Iitti 
4. Varicko, Seinäjoki 
5. Eflatun, Tampere 
6. Mimosan Aito, Kouvola 
7. Lempilounas, Turku 
8. MEKANI by HUIKOO, Pori 
9. Hygge BRO, Kuopio 
10. Cantina viva Zapata, Järvenpää 

See the entire TOP list and other years' results here.