Restaurant Day & Arrentrödel

A Finnish Idea, a Wuppertal Phenomenon

The Restaurant Day is originally a Finnish idea: on a designated day, private individuals open their homes, backyards, balconies, or gardens as pop-up restaurants – legally, easily accessible, with their own menus. In Wuppertal, the association Aufbruch am Arrenberg e.V. has adapted the format and made it a regular fixture in the district's calendar since 2008. The neighborhood festival is now one of Wuppertal's characteristic summer events and is now being copied in other districts.

2026 Programme: 19th Edition – Now Citywide

The 19th edition will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 9 a.m. to midnight. The center remains the Arrenberg district west of Wuppertal's city center, with Robert-Daum-Platz as the hub and the adjacent streets Kabelstraße, Nützenbergerstraße, and Viehhofstraße. New in 2026: The districts of Cronenberg and Ronsdorf are also participating for the first time — making the Restaurant Day comprise around 60 stations citywide. A map of all hosts will be published in advance on restaurant-day.de.

Arrentrödel as an Extension

Parallel to the Restaurant Day, the 'Arrentrödel' takes place in Arrenberg: a decentralized garage sale where residents transform their garages, carports, and front yards into short flea market stations. This creates a mix of food, browsing, and encounters – and the district turns into a walkable living room for a day. Anyone who wants to see all the stations will be on their feet or on their bikes for several hours.

No Classic Catering: Everyone Cooks What They Can

Unlike commercial street food festivals, every host is their own chef here. There's Turkish Lahmacun next to vegan apple cake, next to Polish pierogi, next to a Thai curry bowl, next to a cup of coffee with homemade crumble cake from Grandma's recipe. Prices are usually symbolic (donation basis up to approx. €5 per portion). Reservations are not necessary – if you see a queue, you know: someone is cooking really well.

Wuppertal, Districts, and a Social Format

Wuppertal is located in the Bergisches Land region in southern North Rhine-Westphalia and is famous for its suspension railway, the Pina Bausch dance theater, and its unusual topography. Arrenberg is a district that has been significantly upgraded in the past 15 years through civil society engagement – the association 'Aufbruch am Arrenberg' is considered a model case for neighborhood organization. The Restaurant Day is the most accessible way to make this neighborhood work visible to the outside world.