have you noticed that more and more restaurants are offering low-alcohol and non-alcoholic options on their drink menus? in recent years, there has been a surge in demand for low-alcohol and alcohol-free beverages. as a result, a low-alcohol restaurant revolution is underway, and many restaurants are beginning to offer a variety of drinks that cater to customers who want to drink less.

we recently had the pleasure of speaking with three restaurant gurus who are making waves in this movement: Susanna Pitkäniemi from Ravintola Kuukuu, Iisa Nuotio from Sushibar + Wine, and Tomas Forsman from Grön all shared their thoughts on the trend and how their restaurants are incorporating low-alcohol drinks into their menus.

Susanna, who works as a shift manager at Ravintola Kuukuu in Helsinki, shared that her restaurant is definitely meeting the demand for low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks. Kuukuu offers a range of different drinks, with half of their cocktail list being low-alcohol options based on Kåska spirits and almost all of their cocktails can be made completely without booze. Pitkäniemi noted that the restaurant's extensive selection of non-alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks has been well-received by customers, and she believes that this trend will continue to grow. according to Susanna, one of the major upsides of serving low- & no cocktails is the ability to enjoy both mixed drinks and wines without going overboard, especially during weekday dinners.

Tomas, who is a sommelier at Grön, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Helsinki, is passionate about responsible and unique wines. although he has a strong background in wine, he believes that wine doesn't always have to be the go-to drink for food pairings and that other beverages can be just as exciting. at Grön, they offer six different drink pairings, including non-alcoholic options, to complement their menu of sustainably sourced ingredients.

Tomas and the team have been able to create surprising and delightful experiences with low-alcohol beverages, including using products like our Kåska Casual Sprit for it's bright local spruce flavours. according to Tomas, "using Kåska products in cocktails gives you a possibility to create complex, full flavoured drinks even with a considerably lower amount of booze, which is fantastic!"

Iisa Nuotio, the sommelier of Sushibar +Wine, a chain of restaurants in Finland, also sees the value in offering low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks. Nuotio explained that her restaurants have always offered a range of beverages, including wines, sake, and cocktails, but in recent years, they have expanded their selection to include low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks. the Sb+W cocktail menu currently boasts only low- & no alcohol drinks, making Sushibar +Wine one of the true pioneers in this field.

"low alcohol cocktails have been a source of constant positive surprises to both our customers and friends. Especially our Kåska & Koivu cocktail has been a big hit! so far, the feedback has only been positive. We have chosen to work with Kåska because the products and values correspond to our own vision", Iisa states.

so next time you're out for a meal, why not give a low-alcohol or non-alcoholic drink a try? who knows, it might just become your new go-to!