Check out our pick of the Danish capital's affordable eats, from stylish bistros to veggie tasting menus and atmospheric wine bars, plus a great-value restaurant-hopping tour
Looking for affordable restaurants in Copenhagen? A weekend foodie break in the Danish capital can be affordable. Copenhagen is renowned for its Michelin-starred restaurants and clever Nordic cuisine, but we have wandered the city's neighbourhoods including Vesterbro and Nørrebro to create our guide to the best value foodie spots. Find out where locals eat and drink in Copenhagen – where they grab coffee on their morning commute, the affordable street food stalls from which they get their lunchtime fix, where they enjoy a leisurely brunch at the weekends, and their favourite secret drinking dens. Copenhagen's best affordable places to eat and drink Atelier September – for bistro lunch This pretty café and gallery is hygge at its best – Danish crockery in neutral tones sits snuggly in chic dressers, bottles of wine are elegantly aligned on white shelves, and stylish locals slouch around the large communal table at the café’s heart cupping polkadot mugs of Swedish Koppi coffee. Order warm, cinnamon-infused apple juice and a traditional poppy seed-covered Te Birkes pastry. For lunch, harissa is stirred through a pumpkin purée sprinkled with crunchy toasted buckwheat and fresh coriander, while lemon oil, zest and fresh tomatoes add a citrusy kick to creamy straciatella. cafeatelierseptember.com Den Vandrette – for natural wine You’ll find this cosy, candlelit wine bar, sunk down from the pavement, just around the corner from the colourful buildings of Nyhaven. Dried flowers hang from arched ceilings, fur throws are draped across wooden benches and vintage rugs add warmth to concrete floors. Sune Rosforth, Copenhagen’s pioneering natural wine importer, has selected an imaginative list of natural wines to choose from. Try elegant Nas del Gegant rosé, La Sorga’s sparkling Belzebrut, or orange wines from Georgia. Nordic small plates include smoked celeriac with oyster leaf and crisp black chickpeas, Norwegian scallops with sea buckthorn and habanero, and Christiansø herring with brown butter and crème fraîche. denvandrette.dk Lille Bakery – for local bakes Cycle across the river, past Noma’s greenhouses, to vibrant Refshaleøen where you’ll find this warehouse turned bakery. The airy building has had a lick of white paint, but its earthy interiors remain intact, putting the open bakery and prep area (where colourful salads are chopped on the counter and daily bakes sit on cooling racks) in the spotlight. It’s difficult to choose between umami-rich Danish pork sausage rolls with apple and fennel seeds, cod with lentils, leeks and cavolo nero, and carrot, pumpkin and ricotta tart. All dishes come with homemade bread, and drinks – think hibiscus iced tea or iced coffee – are homemade. lillebakery.com Høst – for great-value set menus There’s an indoor-outdoor feel at this contemporary Nordic neighbourhood bistro in Nørrebro, while potted trees, hanging plants, reclaimed wood and French windows create cosy nooks. The playful three-or-five-course set menus are peppered with foraged Danish ingredients and come with plenty of extras in between – warm bread with wheatgrass butter, seaweed and dill waffle topped with Danish crayfish, rhubarb doughnuts – making them brilliant value. Dishes might include smoked scallops with horseradish cream, white currants and dill oil followed by a choice between dried ramson-flecked chicken schnitzel in creamy garlic sauce or grilled beef tenderloin with fermented black garlic purée and Madagascan pepper and morels sauce. Finish with the likes of rhubarb and cardamom parfait, vanilla tuilles and warm caramel. The matching wine pairing is generously poured and for an extra 100 krona you can bookend your meal with a glass of crémant and coffee and petits fours to finish. cofoco.dk Moveat – for affordable restaurant hopping Connect several eclectic stops in a great-value, self-guided restaurant hopping tour. Pick the neighbourhood, buy your ticket on the app (approx. £50) and choose your pace to hop between open sandwiches at quintessential delis, bitesize seafood dishes at new Nordic restaurants and slices at trendy pizza joints. The routes might take you along the city’s rectangular lakes, through Assistens Cemetery (where Hans Christian Andersen is buried) and down residential cobbled streets, making it a fresh way to explore the city’s eclectic neighbourhoods. moveat.co Lidkoeb – for cocktails Cool ‘cocktail house’ Lidkoeb is set back from busy Vesterbrogade (factor in time to find it!). Work your way up this three-storey building (previously a pharmacy) to the whisky den beneath the exposed beams of the attic, or stick to the lounge downstairs to watch mixologists create cocktails at a bar that spans the whole of one wall. Sink into a low, stylish chair by the fire to watch Nordic ingredients and local spirits being shaken into superb cocktails. To create Rimfrost, the braces-clad barman infuses Bulliet Rye whiskey with fresh dill and combines it with St. Germain elderflower liqueur and bitters then tops with Champagne. lidkoeb.dk Reffen – for street food Refshaleøen island is home to Copenhagen’s most vibrant street food market, a flock of sea containers strung together by colourful lights and Nordic flags. Reduce and reuse is the mantra here, so food businesses serve organic, local ingredients where possible to create globally inspired dishes. Apartamento 16 serves Italian charcuterie and wines amongst washing lines of jeans, Baobab use local vegetables to make hearty Gambian peanut stew, domoda, and Thrilla in Manila does a brisk trade in spicy Philippine skewers. There are also Nordic Hotdogs made with South Jutland sausages and Crispy Pig roast pork sandwiches for those in search of classic Danish street food. reffen.dk Hart Bageri – for sourdough treats This mini chain of artisan bakeries from Danish chef Richard Hart spotlights sourdough in innovative sweet and savoury treats. Try doorstopper Danish ham and cheddar rye sourdough sandwiches, seasonal custard-filled croissant tarts and rotating Danish pastries. Relax by the water in the branch in maritime district Holmen or on the cobbled street patio in Nørrebro. hartbageri.com Dyrehaven – for all-day casual dining With black leather booths, patterned tabletops lit by sunset-coloured lampshades and a wood-panelled bar this hip Vesterbro hangout has a distinctly retro vibe. On weekend nights the DJs come out and cocktails are served but visit during the day and you’ll be rewarded with generous smorrebrods, the Danish open sandwich. Try homemade rye piled high with new potatoes, smoked cheese mayo, crunchy asparagus, cucumber and crisp onions. Dyrehaven also does an epic Flaeskesteg – roast pork (complete with crackling) served with red cabbage, red onion and pickled gherkins on a toasted sesame-topped burger bun. Or, pop in for breakfast and start the day with a red grapefruit laced with ginger syrup and mint, or one of Denmark’s breakfast plates ­– avocado on malt bread with lime, olive, radish and fresh chilli, eggs Benedict and Icelandic skyr. dyrehavenkbh.dk Grød – for porridge and risotto bowls Grød is Danish for porridge, which is the speciality at this pared-back micro chain of restaurants. Go for breakfast and choose between oat porridge with caramel sauce, fresh apples and roast almonds or gluten-free acai-chia porridge made with almond milk and topped with fresh berries, nuts and organic skyr yoghurt. In the evening its custom-made ceramic bowls are filled with comforting risotto. Our favourite is dyed red with beetroot, thickened with parmesan and served with finely sliced rainbow beetroot, whipped ricotta and fresh thyme. If it’s a nice day, sit outside on wooden picnic-style benches. groed.com Vækst – for a great-value plant-forward tasting menu Nordic veggies and herbs are at the heart of the menu at this plant-filled restaurant, where – to reinforce the message – tables are centred around a greenhouse that’s been constructed inside the building. The three-course tasting menu is excellent value, the dishes peppered with amuse bouches and palate cleansers to extend the experience. Sourdough with lovage butter kicks things off, followed by chive oil-drizzled mushroom soup, pickled celeriac and lemon cream, and pan-fried halibut on parsley root purée with mussel sauce. Mains are accompanied by notable sides such as mash with smoked cheese and fried buckwheat, and crunchy green beans, green tomatoes and buttermilk dressing. cofoco.dk Hija de Sanchez – for tacos Rosio Sanchez is a Mexican, Noma-trained chef who’s now running a taco stand. This popular street food spot in Copenhagen’s Torvehallerne covered market does wonders with corn tortilla tacos ­– think spit-roast pork with little chunks of pineapple and onion topped with coriander, roast chicken in a rich chocolaty mole sauce, or grilled two month-aged, Mexican-style grilled cheese (albeit made from organic Danish milk) served with punchy guacamole and spicy morita chilli salsa. For dessert try Mexican ‘paletas’ – ice pops that combine Danish and Mexican ingredients (frozen avocado with freeze-dried raspberries, hibiscus tea with mezcal and oialla chocolate with Lakrids liqourice), or sip on a silky Aztec hot chocolate. hijadesanchez.dk Café det Vide Hus – for ice cream A favourite of Noma chef Rene Redzepi, Café det Vide Hus is a tiny spot with a view of fairytale Rosenborg castle and a penchant for locally foraged finds. Such special ingredients are used to compliment homemade ice creams – go for sea buckthorn sorbet dipped in white chocolate or elderflower ice cream dipped in chocolate and bee pollen. On cooler days, climb up the spiral staircase and find a seat in the snug lounge to sip on coffee from Copenhagen’s renowned roaster, The Coffee Collective. facebook.com/detvidehus Torvehallerne – for market shopping For high-end groceries and snacking, spend some time in Copenhagen’s biggest food market. Over 60 stalls sell Danish produce (local seafood and meats, open sandwiches, pastries, regional akvavits) as well as Mediterranean delicacies, exotic spices and freshly brewed coffee. The weekend crowds create a welcome buzz. Mikeller – for craft beers When maths and physics teacher Mikkel Borg Bjergso taught two of his students to brew they ended up taking the lesson so strongly to heart that they opened this seriously cool bar, with a staggering 40 micro-brewed beers on tap, along with over 200 bottled beers from Mikkeller, To Ol and other small-batch breweries. Shiny turquoise floors reflect onto bespoke pale wooden structures that create intimate corners and cubbyholes in the otherwise clean-lined canvas of the original Nørrebro bar. mikkeller.dk Kiin Kiin Bao Bao – for Thai tapas Danish chef Henrik Yde has recently opened a wallet-friendly alternative to his restaurant Guldbergsgade Kiin Kiin (the first Thai restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star). This more laid-back venture is a shimmering room that blends Thai and Danish design: soft grey walls, sleek tables and chairs, rounded sofas, globe lanterns and intricate teak panelling. The menu is tapas-style and there are over 25 small plate options – try the classic milky, fluffy bao with braised pork, peanuts and sweet hoisin sauce; a bowl of crispy kale chips with vibrant miso and pea mayo; fat, creamy Norwegian scallops in a mild ginger broth; and the 62 degrees egg, so silky and soft, with XO sauce and dried shrimp. Barabba – for late-night Italian Local chefs head to this buzzy Italian restaurant for post-shift plates of pasta, punchy cocktails and natural wines. The vibe is shabby chic, with ornate chandeliers on the rough walls, antique dressers on terrazzo tiles and wooden tables and chairs laid with vases of white flowers. Try silky folds of pappardelle with rich hare ragu, juniper and taggiasche olives, gnocchi with wild mushrooms or spaghettone with savoy cabbage and mussels. For a more substantial meal, follow your pasta course with a small but perfectly formed piece of brill, cooked on the bone with quince and citrus cream. Then finish with a crunchy, chocolatey semi-frozen hazelnut “rocher” with sour cherry coulis. The kitchen stays open until 2am with a late-night menu and there are regular negroni-fuelled parties, so keep an eye on Barabba’s Instagram feed to be kept in the know. barabba.dk Now you've got your list of restaurants and places to eat in Copenhagen, check out where to stay below... Where to stay in Copenhagen All hotels have been chosen and reviewed independently by our expert locals. Hotel Alexandra – for design-led comfort Double room from £97 per night based on two people sharing; check availability at booking.com, Michelin Guide For a primer on mid-century Danish design that’s almost as good as a trip to Copenhagen’s Design Museum, book a room at this stylish hotel. The hotel owner has curated pieces built in Denmark in the 1950s and ‘60s, so the bedrooms’ wooden floorboards and large windows form the perfect backdrop to a collection of rattan headboards, graphic turquoise armchairs and wooden writing desks. Larger suites are like decorative tributes to individual designers – one is dominated by Jens Risom’s sleek sofa and wooden geometric side table, the Verner Panton suite comes complete with a groovy orange living area. The stylish lobby area doubles up as an all-day hangout, with an honesty bar, complimentary wine hour and a record player ready to play the hotel’s selection of vinyl. In the morning, head down to connected bistro Godtfolk and create your own breakfast wheels from the continental buffet laid out in the conservatory – dill gravalax, Danish sausages, holey cheeses and slices of seeded, malty rye. The hotel is perfectly situated for exploring all of Copenhagen’s foodie neighbourhoods in one weekend, with Vesterbro’s Meatpacking District 15 minutes’ walk West, Torvehallerne food market a brisk 10-minute walk through Ørsteds Park, and Tivoli and the train station less than 500m away. Central Hotel og Café – for pint-sized café chic Rooms from £285 per night based on two people sharing; check availability at Central Hotel og Café The first floor of this wonky one-up, one-down building is home to a single-bedroom hotel. The pint-sized coffee shop below doubles up as the reception; pop in for a Risteriet coffee, old-fashioned milkshake or thick hot chocolate in the morning before mooching over to sister café Granola for brunch. Coffee aromas follow you upstairs to a matchbox room, perfectly befitting of a hotel in Hans Christian Anderson’s hometown. Oak beams, dark green walls and a traditional writing desk add to the hygge vibe. Luxurious finishes are kept local – Geismars bed linen is woven in a nearby mill, bespoke Tromborg toiletries await in the tiny bathroom, and contemporary art by Danish artists hangs from sage green wallpaper. Borrow a yellow bike free of charge to explore trendy neighbourhood Vesterbro. Nimb – for luxury set in the grounds of Tivoli Gardens Rooms from £390 per night based on two people sharing; check availability at booking.com, Hilton, Mr & Mrs Smith This five-star luxury hotel is nestled on the edge of the iconic Tivoli Gardens theme park, and reservations come with free access to Tivoli Gardens and all its rides. Original Moorish-inspired palatial features intertwine with contemporary Scandinavian design to create a uniquely serene space adorned with chandeliers, trickling fountains and antique furniture. The original façade’s signature starry pattern is worked into trellising and even woven through bedding and ties of the attentive concierges. All but one of the 38 rooms face onto Tivoli Gardens, and most have balconies and sweeping terraces to soak up the fairground vibes. Each is unique while consistently catering to every luxury, including four-poster beds, two-person Agape bathtubs and complimentary danish treats in the mini bar. A large brasserie-style space serves Scandi French fusion, with prime positioning to watch Tivoli’s Friday night concerts, while old school frills and seasonal smørrebrøds are served park-side at Fru Nimb. Set on its own boating lake in the gardens, The Japanese Pagoda curates a rotation of residencies from Michelin-starred restaurants across the world, a recent gem being Nicolas Min Jørgensen’s greenhouse-like Tri perched in the Danish North Sea fjords. Amble back beneath twinkling lights to Nimb’s ballroom turned bar for fairytale themed cocktails, such as forest margaritas laced with pine tree liqueur, sipped by the striking fireplace. First published January 2017, updated November 2019 and June 2025
Learn all about what makes the cuisine of the Finland so special during the festive season and beyond from Finish restaurateur Laura Styyra
Learn all about what makes the cuisine of the Finland so special during the festive season and beyond from Finish restaurateur Laura Styyra. From cardamom buns to 'lucky porridge' and cured fish, there is plenty for foodies to enjoy. Plus, we share some of the top places to eat in the capital city Helsinki and our picks of the best places to stay. Want to learn more about regional cuisine? Check out our guides to the cuisines of Trentino in Italy, the Algarve in Portugal, the Isle of Skye in Scotland, Cork in Ireland or Istria in Croatia. Finland cuisine: 10 things we love Lucky porridge Winter mornings often begin with a bowl of rice porridge topped with sugar, cinnamon and a knob of butter. On Christmas Eve it’s tradition to hide an almond in the pot, and the person who gets it receives a wish or good luck for the next year. Christmas Eve traditions In Finland we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. At midday, in the old capital of Turku, the declaration of Christmas peace is read from the balcony of the old town hall and broadcast across the country. Locals gather in the square or round their TV to watch – in our family we drink glögi (apple juice heated with spices and topped with almond flakes and raisins to mix in) while watching and it marks the official start to Christmas for us. Cured fish Whole sides of fish, usually salmon, are cured in coarse salt, sugar and occasionally spices, then thinly sliced and served with white pepper and fresh dill. This is very typical to eat at Christmas. We also preserve herring in spiced brine and eat with rye bread as an aperitif. Rye bread Rye is deep-rooted in Finnish culture. Years ago farmers would make hard, round breads at harvest time and hang them from the ceiling to preserve and eat through the winter. Nowadays it’s a staple side at most meals and there are often at least 10 different varieties available in most shops. Another popular dark bread is archipelago bread where rye is mixed with wheat, dill seeds, cumin and malt to make it sweeter. Check out our rye bread recipe. Pea soup Thursdays Pea soup made with ham hock is an ancient Finnish dish that’s been passed down through many generations. On Thursdays many lunch restaurants and offices serve the simple soup as a lunch option, with oven-baked pancakes and berry jam for dessert (if I’m feeling bougie I also have whipped cream on top). Lohikeitto Salmon soup is a traditional Finnish dish that’s served all year round in everyday settings or big family celebrations. I think it’s best in its most simple form: Finnish potatoes, carrots and sautéed leeks cooked in a fish stock with cubed salmon added just a few minutes before serving. Finished off with cream and plenty of fresh dill. Finnish Christmas meal traditions In our family, and many I know, we begin our Christmas meal with a selection of fish with boiled potatoes and fish roe. The main is a leg of ham – my mother cooks it overnight on a low heat in a rye flour crust. Traditional casseroles accompany, including spiced carrots in syrup, swede and potatoes, where starch is lured out of the potato and starts to sweeten. Voisilmäpulla (butter eye buns) We have many varieties of buns in Finland – cinnamon varieties are similar to Swedish but softer and fluffier. The most ‘Finnish’ are voisilmäpulla, baked with a knob of butter in the middle with cardamom sugar that melts in the oven. When I was a kid my mother made these every Friday and I still associate them with the weekend commencing. Kahvia (filter coffee) Finland consumes the highest amount of coffee per capita throughout the day. When anyone comes over or has a meeting, the first thing asked is always, would you like some coffee? A light roast filter coffee is the most popular, as our water quality is so high, so we embrace the water in a delicate roast rather than trying to mask it. I love stopping by the market squares to have filter coffee and a bun. Lihapiirakka (meat pastries) This typical Helsinki street food was traditionally eaten after a night out but these days you can pick it up from most corner shops and markets. They are like pasties – a fried dough filled with mince and rice – and the best ones are made by Eromanga bakery. You can get them in the main market square in the centre or in the Hakaniemi market square. Where to eat in Helsinki Kuurna One of the first in the bistro boom of the early noughties, our restaurant turns 20 next year. We bought it off our mentors and the focus is on a small, rotating menu that showcases Finnish produce with a twist from our chefs. It’s an ideal spot to enjoy seasonal plates and enjoy time with the people you love. kuurna.fi Kosmos I go here if I want an old-school meal of panfried vendis (small fish) with mashed potatoes or vorschmack – a rich, salty meat and herring slow-cooked dish paired with snaps. The restaurant actually celebrated its centenary this year. It used to be an artist hangout and there are still paintings on the walls that they donated to cover their tabs. kosmos.fi Café Success This ancient café dates back to 1957 and is the perfect spot to enjoy a comforting bowl of lohikeitto, a creamy salmon soup topped with mountains of fresh dill. Alternatively, go for breakfast and knock back a Finnish coffee and a korvapuusti cinnamon roll. succes.fi Bar Petiit Restaurant Plein in Puu-Vallila neighbourhood is one of my favourite restaurants. Across the street, the previous owners run this buzzy bar that serves undiscovered wines and hosts live music evenings. It’s a great place to hangout with friends and meet locals. @petiitbar Canvas Canteen This small, homey spot is open for midweek lunches when the chef owners aren’t catering private events. There are just two dishes to choose from each day and the food is super seasonal, fresh and comforting. @canvascanteen Where to stay in Finland Hotel Lilla Roberts, Helsinki Located majestically amid the design district, this elegant hotel embraces a cosy feel. A wooden fireplace crackles beside a wall of birch logs, and leather chairs are perfectly placed to watch hip passers-by. Bedrooms come with cosy fur blankets, plush rugs on parquet flooring and velvet armchairs in deep plums, mustard yellows and teals. Funky touches such as elephant lamps, zebra print throws and monochrome vases tie in with the glamorous feel, and bathrooms are stocked with Neal’s Yard toiletries. The hotel bar, Bar Lilla E, is a destination in itself for those in the know on Helsinki’s hip cocktail route. The dramatically spot-lit wooden bar (it just happens to sit next to a crackling fire) makes a stylish backdrop to a menu of Nordic-inspired cocktails. Doubles from £145, check rates and availability at booking.com or lillaroberts.com Billnäs Gård, Billnäs Take some time out from the festive buzz at this wellbeing-focussed rural retreat just an hour’s drive or train ride from Helsinki. There’s a commitment to slow living and sustainable Finnish design principles throughout, from using natural materials that ensure low impact on the surrounding forest to the healthy Finnish-French cuisine embracing local ingredients, such as foraged mushroom soup, pickled herring with dill-flecked malt crumble and vegetarian foie gras with marinated apples. The six rooms in the restored 1912 manor are uniquely designed – Natura’s bathroom has been built around an existing fireplace while The Nest boasts a bath looking over the garden. Start the morning with a pine tree extract shot, berry clafoutis and homemade levain bread with local pumpkin hummus. Soak up the magical snowy surrounds with a day’s sledging, ice skating or cross-country skiing. Wild herb tea awaits on your return to sip under a handwoven blanket in front of the crackling fire before a session in the meditation spa and sauna. Check rates and availability at billnasgard.fi More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Puglian cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Northern Ireland cuisine: 10 things we love
Gothenburg, Sweden: where to eat and drink
Discover our pick of where to eat and drink in Sweden's coastal city, including local hotspots, chef favourites and where to stay, plus day trip ideas to the archipelago and beyond
Looking for Gothenburg restaurants? Want to know the locals favourite bars in Gothenburg? After the best cinnamon bun in this vibrant city in West Sweden? Check out our favourite local places to eat and drink in Gothenburg below, then check out our guide to Swedish cuisine plus our foodie guide to Stockholm, Sweden. Jump to: Where to stay in Gothenburg Foodie day trips from Gothenburg Best restaurants in Gothenburg olive's top 10 must-visits for foodies in Gothenburg Here are our favourite spots in the city, or scroll down for insider information about what to order where, plus plenty more places to visit. Think we've missed somewhere? Comment below with your suggestions. Where the chefs eat: Bar Bulot The tasting menu: Human The coffee shop: Da Matteo The no-frills meal: Fiskbar 17 Where the locals really eat: HOZE The bakery: Cum Pane The brunch spot: Kafe Magasinet The pre-dinner drink: Champpagnebarren Forssen Oberg The date night spot: Koka The brewery: Spike taproom Where to stay in Gothenburg Clarion Hotel Post This iconic building is ideally located next to the central train station, botanical gardens and Gothenburg's old town and restaurant hub. The rooftop is home to a pool with spectacular city views as well as a space for chefs to grow ingredients for the glamorous on-site restaurant, Vra, where Nordic and Japanese influences fuse together. The restaurant stays true to the hotel building's former life as a post office, embellishing original pillars, lights and ceiling with Icelandic lava tables and striking glass partitions above the circular booths. Doubles from £171, check availability at booking.com. Hotel Flora This uber-trendy boutique hotel, in the centre of Gothenburg, combines an airy workspace, buzzy bar and rooms kitted out with huge beds, monsoon showers and Swedish teas and coffee stations. In summer, the shaded terrace on the hotel’s first floor is a pleasant, secluded spot to enjoy some quiet al fresco time (at night it’s lit by flickering lanterns). Come morning, the breakfast counter is laden with cold meat cuts, tubes of Kalles caviar to spread on thin wheels of Leksands crisp bread, and freshly baked croissants from Johnséns in the city’s Haga district. Add in your choice of Bramhult Swedish juices, or speciality teas from Johan & Nyström. Doubles from £85, check availability at booking.com. Foodie day trips from Gothenburg Styrsö island – for a taste of the archipelago Catch the ferry to the archipelago for a taste of Styrsö’s car-free island life. There are cinnamon buns, Swedish BBQs and a pop-up g&t bar and on-site ice cream parlour at charming Café Obergska. Walk through forested nature trails and take a brisk dip off one of the sandy beaches. Jonsered – for a riverside brewery and bakery outing Hop on the train from Gothenburg to Jonsered, a tiny riverside hamlet home to popular Poppels Bryggeri, where you can taste a range of Swedish beers matched with the likes of torched shrimp, ricotta and chanterelle ravioli, and Swedish roe scooped up with crisps. Round the corner is Brödfabriken, where you can chill out with classic cinnamon bun and coffee fika under a blanket by the river. The Gotaleden walking trail – for foodie walking trails From Jonsered, follow the Gotaleden walking trail, treading through forests blanketed with tiny flowers, winding along rivers and clambering over rocks around Lake Aspen. Reward yourself at Garage Fromage, where owner Hans curates speciality cheeses from remote parts of Sweden to sell in his converted garage shop. Continue the riverside trek or take a short train ride to spend the night at Nääs Fabriker, an old cotton factory built in 1890, now home to a stylish hotel with onsite restaurants, shops, bakery and brewery. Wrap up in your robe and pad to the al fresco lakeside spa before enjoying a seasonal Swedish dinner in the plant-adorned conservatory room. Doubles from £107, check availability at booking.com. Our pick of the best restaurants, cafés and bars in Gothenburg Bar Bulot – for Swedish bistro vibes Chefs Gabriel Melim Andersson and Emil Bjelke both grew up on the west coast of Sweden. They showcase their homeland’s ingredients in contemporary French-inspired dishes, both at the main restaurant and in a casual market bistro. At the latter, a set lunch kicks off with golden yellow, home-churned kefir butter to slather onto homemade sourdough along with a cup of the soup of the day. Next, pick between the likes of glazed pork belly in a spiced tomato and aubergine ragu, baked ling with remoulade sauce on unripe tomatoes and rhubarb, and apple-braised endive topped with roast Jerusalem artichokes, chestnuts and honey-infused raisins. The smarter – yet still unstuffy – experience at the restaurant proper offers a tasting menu of raw shrimp with tempura-fried corn; wild mushrooms with caramelised onions; halibut with vin blanc sauce; and dry-aged côte de boeuf with tomato salad and caramelised wild pepper jus. Finish with a seasonal dessert such as blueberry sorbet with malt cookie or apple financier and fig leaf mousse. bulot.se Human – for new Nordic tasting menus Swedish chef of the year winner Martin Moses headed up Michelin-starred SK Mat & Människor before opening his own restaurant in late 2021. The small space has a particularly cosy vibe, with a velvet curtain at the entrance, brass oil lamps and a hushed but happy atmosphere; it’s as if you were dining in Martin’s home. A vintage drinks trolley stocking the likes of Hernö gin sits in the corner and a deep blue tiled counter provides a stage for Martin and his team to prepare new Nordic dishes. A succession of snacks to start include lamb heart grated onto buckwheat crackers, a picture-perfect mini hamachi fish tart, and tiny crab croquettes topped with langoustine emulsion. Next, some of which Martin brings to the table himself, comes Swedish peas and beans with burnt lardo, buttered onion beurre blanc and raw liquorice powder; fired Arkør prawns with tangy fennel salad and local tomatoes; and turbot on a bed of wild foraged mushrooms, crisp fava beans and dill flowers. Dessert on our visit was tart raspberry sorbet to cut through rich white chocolate mousse and a warm, silky caramel sauce to pour over the top. humanrestaurang.se Da Matteo – for coffee It’s hard to miss Da Matteo Coffee Roasters in Gothenburg, so many branches are there. Sit high on a stool in the original Victoriapassagen branch and watch people squeeze through the tiny passage while eyeing up sleek stationery in Rum for Papper opposite. Alternatively, recline on the terrace outside Da Matteo Panetteria, or hop over to Da Matteo Torrefazione to enjoy cinnamon and cardamom buns fresh from the on-site bakery and brews straight from the in-house roastery. Interiors in each one fit their Scandi-cool clientele down to a T – concrete, exposed brick and stainless steel are cosied up with Swedish throws and cushions to sink in to. Blends rotate seasonally and, rather than ordering a flat white, cappuccino or macchiato, the house blend is served in three sizes only, along with filtered coffee by the cup. Make sure you wind your way through the warren of coffee sacks to the sun-soaked courtyard at the back of Da Matteo Panetteria. Here you can enjoy your brew surrounded by potted trees and perfectly trimmed bushes spilling out from neighbouring plant emporium, Floramor & Krukatös. damatteo.se Cum Pane – for eco Swedish fika This organic eco bakery is worth the quick tram ride out of the city centre for some of the city’s most sought after cinnamon and cardamom buns and rustic sourdough bread. Slide into the single table to enjoy your fika (Swedish afternoon tea) with a front row glimpse into the small open bakery at the back. If you’re visiting with friends, buy a large cardamom, vanilla or dark chocolate poppy wreath to pull apart and share. cumpane.coop Spike Brewery and taproom ­– for innovative Swedish craft beers Gothenburg boasts 40 breweries, making it the Swedish capital of craft beer, as well as a destination for beer lovers across Europe and beyond. The city’s beer scene is primed for innovation – rather than seeing new breweries as competitors, established brands welcome them as colleagues and all the small breweries work together and share ingredients, customers and knowledge. It's this kind of collaboration that allows creative thinking and quality to thrive. Spike launched the first taproom in the city, and owner David has dedicated his time to transforming this area of the city, previously a collection of slaughterhouses, into a creative and fun hub for food, art and music. His brand-new brewery and taproom, next door to the original, will be the focal point for an eclectic mix of live music, pop-up kitchens and art exhibitions. His ethos is to open up people's minds to great beers. Spend an evening at the taproom tasting the likes of Back in Business double IPA, refreshing Aciid lemon and lime sour and the vanilla and coffee notes of the velvety Doppler Effekt stout. spikebrewery.com Vrå ­– for Nordic Japanese fusion Nordic and Japanese influences fuse together in this glamorous restaurant at the lively Clarion Hotel Post. The restaurant stays true to its former life as a post office, embellishing original pillars, lights and ceiling with Icelandic lava tables and striking glass partitions above the circular booths, made by the same producer as the delicate glassware, Orrefores. Start by picking your sake cup from a selection curated from Tokyo's Kappabashi Street. The four-course menu changes every season to work in ingredients grown on the hotel roof. Even the soy sauce is made from Swedish fava beans and umami-rich miso soup from locally grown yellow peas. Things kick off with sashimi, such as yellow fin tuna with Swedish autumn tomatoes and shiso leaves, both grown on the roof of the hotel. Next comes wild chanterelles and frizzled leeks in a mushroom soup, followed by butterflied pine perch with cauliflower purée, Savoy cabbage and homemade tare sauce. Dessert is a refreshing finish, on our visit raspberry ice cream, fresh cheese and yuzu with citron verbena oil, fluffy white chocolate and macademia nuts. restaurangvra.se Wine mechanics – for urban wines Sweden’s only urban winery celebrated its first vintage in 2017 and has been making unique bottles ever since. Grapes are transported from eight vineyards across Europe to press in Gothenburg city centre. Owner and former professional footballer Kenneth Gustafsson and his friends have a maverick attitude to wine, with plenty of fun involved, from the grape combinations to labels designed by local artists. Sustainability is important in Gothenburg, and Wine Mechanics is committed to popularising climate-friendly cans, including the funky Loire chenin blanc, Real Bad Looking. Wine tastings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, or you can try in various restaurants in the city centre, including at Clarion Post hotel. If you’re in town on the last Saturday of the month, join one of the leisurely lunches at the winery, with themes such as lobster and chardonnay or barolo and truffle. winemechanics.se Koka – for Michelin-starred dining Koka is Bjorn Persson's casual and contemporary dining affair. The sleek, quintessentially Scandi, room is lined with planks of pale fir while dramatic panels of burgundy fabric framing an original, 19th century, glass ceiling hinting at more traditional influences. Cutlery sits on a little wooden box that slides open to reveal the menu of the evening. In the kitchen, Koka focuses on contemporary gastronomy from West Sweden, with many locally foraged ingredients. Sweet and crunchy charred white asparagus is served with butter mushrooms shavings, grated egg yolk and nettle emulsion. Juicy slow-cooked charcoal pork belly is sweetened with a purée of beetroot and Koka’s unique blackcurrant mustard (it’s worth going for this alone), or served on a bed of cabbage with an emulsion of blue mussels. Blueberries are semi-dried and soaked in Scandinavian spirit Akvavit. Wine pairing is a must, perfectly complementing the excellent dishes – Chenin Blanc is fresh and fruity, terracotta-aged Chardonnay lets the grapes speak for themselves rather than adding oaky notes and a dessert wine has fig and plum notes with nuttiness from the oak barrels. Viktoriagatan 12, restaurangkoka.se Kafe Magasinet – for lunch and aperitifs Head through an archway off trendy Tredje Langgatan and transport yourself into a large conservatory brimming with plants and flooded with light from a glass ceiling. There are cosy seating areas everywhere you look, and shaggy fur throws to snuggle into. The café's simple menu features bagels (brisket and mushroom, turkey and mango, salmon and cucumber), salads and inventive pizzas. We suggest the stunning vegan pizza slathered with silky artichoke cream and topped with crispy onions, crunchy asparagus, radishes, new potatoes and dots of citrus cream. Keep it vegan and tuck into a bowl of Asian-style coconutty tomato stew with lentils, crunchy toasted peanuts, cauliflower florets and tasty toasted nut crackers to finish. Head here in the early evening to make the most of the long summer nights and soak up the buzz of the beautiful young crowd sipping on Aperol Spritzes. Tredje Langgatan 9, kafemagasinet.se HOZE – for Scandinavian sushi With only six seats at the counter, this minimalist sushi bar is mighty difficult to get into. If you’re lucky enough to secure a spot, expect traditional sushi crafted using the freshest Scandinavian fish. Chef José Cerda was born in Gothenburg but marries this Scandinavian influence with a Mallorcan heritage - and has a passion for the Japanese concept of achieving kaizen (perfection). These three strands meet in a traditional omakase menu that leaves the choice to the chef but may well include the likes of seared halibut, mackerel roe, Scandinavian-style sushi and kakigori or strawberry dessert, all served on beautiful handmade Japanese crockery. HOZE has a back-pocket dining concept, Bifangst, allowing just two diners at a time to enjoy a menu driven by the Nordic seasons, using home-grown and foraged ingredients alongside leftovers from the main restaurant to ensure that each ingredient fulfils its purpose. These may include elderflowers, unripe strawberries, spruce shoots and scallops. Stigbergstorget 17, hozerestaurant.com Champpagnebarren Forssen Oberg – for Champagne This champagne bar was set up by two female friends who wanted to take the stuffiness out of the champagne world. The result is a tiny bar in a pretty flower-filled courtyard where locals sip from flutes under the shade of trees. The girls regularly visit the Champagne region to ensure they are bang on trend with the latest vintages and independent producers. There are currently over 775 bottles to choose from, with plenty by the glass (including a complex and briochy Guiborat). Salty Swedish oysters from Grebbestad and a glass of champagne make a perfect pre-dinner pairing. Or indulge in a cheese and charcuterie board. Otherwise, you can enjoy a three-course seafood menu of mackerel with radishes and buckwheat, artic char with summer cabbage, beurre blanc, trout roe and delicate elderflower, and a Swedish-style eton mess of strawberries with meringue, crème fraiche and lemon verbena. The bar also has a reputation for live jazz, to the extent that last year they opened a jazz bar in the same courtyard, with live music every night. Kyrkogatan 13, forssenoberg.com Tacos and tequila – for Mexican This lively taco joint has a round-the-clock party vibe, with laidback staff carting a constant stream of sloshing margaritas (there are five varieties) back and forth between tables and out onto a suntrap terrace. The food is fresh and vibrant, focusing on ceviches (spicy tuna, scallop, salmon) and, of course, tacos. Tuck into roast pork belly, spicy pineapple, roast coconut flakes and grilled bell pepper cream; panko-fried cod with watermelon and ginger mayo; or grilled Portobello mushroom with black beans, roast almonds and chipotle salsa. There are sharing bowls of corn chips and guacamole, pimped up with unusual toppings such as strawberry and feta or papaya and pickled red chilli, and a house chilli for something a bit heartier. Tredje Langgatan 9, tacosandtequila.se Folk – for vegetarian food in a theatre Make like a trendy Gothenburg local and enjoy vegetarian food in the foyer of arts theatre Folkteatern below a glittering disco ball. The tasting menu at Folk is a great value way of trying the vegetarian small plates on offer – raw celeriac with basil pesto, hazelnuts and watercress; butter baked cauliflower with mushroom mayonnaise and punchy pieces of fried ginger; and fried butter ice cream with skin-on poached pear topped with bursts of pomegranate seeds and crunchy caramelised hazelnuts. Pair the food with natural wines: we enjoyed the delicate citrus and mineral notes of Domaine Montanet-Thoden Bourgogne Vezelay Le Galerne 2014. Olof Palmes plats 3, folkgbg.se Alvar & Ivar Surdegsbageri – for sourdough and buns Though these guys specialise in sourdough bread, this tiny neighbourhood café also sells the best cinnamon buns in town. In-the-know city dwellers queue round the block every morning to bag one of Alvar & Ivar’s organic, freshly-baked loaves. Try the fruktbröd sourdough packed with fruit and nuts, or indulge in a semla cream bun. If you’re lucky, bag one of the two seats inside, or take your bread to the pretty local park, apparently home to one of every type of tree in Scandinavia. Kastellgatan 11, alvarochivar.se Café Husaren – for giant cinnamon buns Take a stroll through the film set-worthy cobbled streets of Haga and you may well stumble across this café. Its large windows are piled with giant cinnamon buns and we strongly advise you go inside and try the doughy, sugar-sprinkled spirals for yourself. Slide your tray, canteen style, past display cabinets brimming with baked goods (including sweet vanilla drömmar biscuits and dense and sticky chocolate kladdkaka cake) and prawn sandwiches. Settle into a booth with a hot chocolate and take in the café’s stunning 19th century glass roof and stucco work. Haga Nygata 28, cafehusaren.se Johan & Nyström – for coffee This organic coffee roaster and tea merchant from Stockholm slid into the West Coast city in November 2017 with three new concept stores. Contemporary wooden interiors decorate a space where you can learn about beans and blends, as well as finding the perfect brewing method, from Aeropress to Syphon. Once you’ve found your preferred coffee, browse the sleek shelves for packs to take home, or linger over a cup and a cardamom bun at one of the jade green tables. Kungsportsavenyen 21/Östra Hamngatan 46-48/Nordstadstorget 10, johanochnystrom.se Hagabion's Cafe Kino – for Swedish craft beers On busy shopping street Linnegatan, inside a huge red brick building, is this indie cinema with its own, pint-sized, cellar bar. The pull here is the Swedish craft beer and imaginative vegetarian food (goat’s cheese on homemade walnut bread and wild mushroom tortellini with a cream sauce). The bar’s arty customers perch wherever they can in the tiny room – at the bar, on a piano stool or around low tables on mismatched chairs. When it’s warm enough, extra pull-out chairs spill onto the wide cobbled pavement outside and the clean Swedish air fills with animated chatter. Linnégatan 21, hagabionscafe.se Brewers Bar At this specialist beer bar on trendy Tredje Langgatan there’s a rotation of international and local brews on tap, along with a wide range of bottles from across the globe. Some local breweries to look out for are Beerbliotek (try its Whoop Ass sour or the citrusy and aromatic Bobek citra American pale ale), Orebro Brygghus in central Sweden, and All in Brewing, offering a wide range from Hustle imperial chocolate hazelnut stout to the SOMA Indian pale ale. Participate in a two-hour beer tasting, and be guided through 8-10 beers, from treacly stouts to IPAs. Brewers Bar does pretty great sourdough pizzas too, so it’s an ideal spot for a casual evening out with your beer-loving mates. Tredje Langgatan 8/Magasinsgatan 3, brewersbeerbar.se Olstugan Tullen This traditional Swedish pub is extremely popular, so prepare to play sardines at its long, beer tap-lined bar while you wait for your ale of choice. The pub dates back to 1892, and nowadays hip young things squish in next to old timers. If it’s nice outside, line up on the wooden bench that hugs the building’s exterior, throw a blanket over your lap and enjoy the bar’s take on classic Swedish comfort food (try the meatballs!). Andra Långgatan 13, olstugan.se Cielo rooftop bar This rooftop bar on the seventh floor of glamorous Hotel Bellora, is the place to head for upmarket cosmopolitan vibes. Gothenburg’s party-goers pack themselves into the narrow space to enjoy the 180 degree views of the city and groove along to the live DJ. There’s a bar at one end, well-stocked with Italian liqueurs and aperitivi. Slide into one of the white cushioned seats set under a flower-strewn pergola. Sip a refreshing cielo summer cocktail of aperol, gin, elderflower, lemon and soda and watch the sun set over the city’s rooftops. Kungsportsavenyen 6, hotelbellora.se Café Obergska Catch a ferry out to tiny Styrsö island and head straight for Café Obergska, a charming café that sits in a picturesque white picket-fenced herb garden. Relax on a squishy vintage armchair on a raised platform set into a dramatic rocky backdrop and listen as reggae pulses through the air and children clamber over flowerpots to eye up their parents’ platters. Order a burger from the bearded Swedish blokes on the BBQ and treat yourself to a G&T from the tiny wooden bar in the corner. Suited and booted gin master Olof crushes juniper berries, liquorice and peppery paradise seeds into a tea strainer before infusing the mix into Tanqueray gin and homemade tonic. Don’t miss pillowy, sweet, lightly spiced carrot cake, and make sure you visit the tiny pastel-coloured ice cream parlour inside for a DIY ice cream cone to accompany your stroll through the island’s woodland and fisherman’s houses. Styrsö island, obergska.se Photo credits: Semrén & Månsson, Tina Stafren, Sofie Flensburg Mantzaris More travel guides Best Morocco food trips Best French food trips Best Spanish food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best country house hotels in the UK Best Scottish hotels
Create a Scandinavian-inspired feast at home with some of our favourite recipes, from Swedish meatballs and gravadlax to cinnamon buns and Daim bar cake
Looking for easy Swedish and Finnish recipes? Want the best cinnamon buns? Try our ideas here. Create your own Scandinavian midsummer picnic with showstopping gravadlax, skagen toast and beetroot salad. Or serve a large plate of Swedish meatballs for the whole family, followed by fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon or cardamom buns. We also have recipes from executive chef Henrik Ritzén at Nordic restaurant Aquavit in London. Not spotted your favourite Scandinavian dish? Do you know an awesome Swedish chef or food writer that you’d like to see featured here? Email us or contact us on social media at @olivemagazine to let us know! Tuck into your Scandinavian food and escape to Sweden virtually with our foodie trip to Skåne. Next, try our top Eurovision recipes and Midsummer party ideas. Easy Scandinavian recipes Easy cinnamon buns Check out our easiest ever cinnamon buns. Bake and enjoy now or save for a weekend breakfast – just make sure to eat them warm from the oven. Cardamom buns Our cheat’s take on classic Scandi treat uses bread mixes as a genius shortcut – just add butter and spices for the ultimate swirl bun. The smörgåsbord This Swedish-inspired sharing feast makes for an impressive spread. Featuring cheese, fish, potato and egg, it's a great alternative to a buffet if you're feeding a crowd at a gathering. Swedish-meatball inspired nachos Classic nachos have taken a Scandi-inspired twist, topped with pork meatballs, lingonberry sauce and fresh dill – perfect for when you're hosting a movie night. Danish potato crunch with preserved lemons This Danish potato recipe comes from Danish chef and food writer, Trine Hahnemann. Trine says: “We need to celebrate the potato as a worthy staple in the northern hemisphere. The tubers store well in winter and, because of the starch they contain, make a great binder that is useful in a lot of vegetable cooking. Their CO2 footprint is also lower than that of other carbohydrates, such as pasta and rice. Potatoes deserve their place in everyday cooking, not only as a side dish, but as the main event, in all its endless variations.” Classic gravadlax This melt-in-your-mouth salmon dish is cured in the traditional Scandinavian way with sea salt, dill and pepper. Serve on toasted rye bread à la Scandi or with one of our salads below. Swedish meatball bake with cucumber salad This Swedish-style meatball bake is perfect for sharing with family and friends. Drizzle with soured cream and serve with a homemade cucumber salad and some crusty bread. Red cabbage, apple and pomegranate salad Another Danish recipe from Trine Hahnemann. She says: “This is a classic Hahnemann recipe and I make it whenever I can find pomegranates… In Denmark, we used only to be able to find pomegranates around Christmas time, but now I see them much more frequently. Still, in my kitchen, they remain a real winter treat.” Danish fig tart with brandy cream "Figs are sweet and surprising, promising adventures and new frontiers," says recipe author Trine Hahnemann. Try them in this fancy filo tart, served with warming brandy cream. Scandinavian scallops Scallops, leeks and reindeer are served on a bed of mussel sauce in this recipe from Joni Ketonen, the Finnish head chef at Eldr restaurant in Belgravia. Cardamom and raspberry Swedish buns Try these delicious filled buns inspired by classic Scandinavian baking. Made with a brioche-style dough and filled with raspberries, the family will love them. Swedish meatballs with mash and lingonberry sauce We all love meatballs and pasta - but have you ever tried them with mash, Swedish-style? Lingonberries are a European relation of the cranberry - you can buy lingonberry sauce from Ikea, or just use cranberry sauce instead. Swedish mushroom soup Try an authentic Swedish mushroom soup garnished with cauliflower, fried mushrooms, cress and roasted hazelnuts. Created by the chef and owner of the restaurant, Human. Skagen toast Invented by Swede Tore Wretman in 1958, skagen is now firmly established as a traditional Scandinavian dish. It's really easy and makes a nice, sophisticated change to a prawn cocktail. Finnish lohikeitto (salmon and potato soup) Flavoured with dill and allspice, this salmon and potato soup is a Finnish classic. Try it all year round for a comforting dinner. Jansson's temptation Scandinavian food has a reputation for simplicity, dishes taste of their core ingredients and made with little fuss. In Sweden, where this dish originates, it would be made with cured sprats rather than anchovies. Beetroot and gin-cured salmon gravadlax Try our zesty and boozy gravadlax, perfect for lunches, canapés or as a show-stopping centrepiece for Midsummer's Eve. Wear gloves when you're grating the beetroot to avoid getting stained hands. Venison tartare with blueberries and juniper This dish is courtesy of executive chef Henrik Ritzén at Nordic restaurant Aquavit, London. Soft and beguiling venison tartare is joined by spicy blueberries. Aquavit uses scraps of batter for crunch, but you can also serve with croutons or toast. Smoked mackerel on rye This recipe for smoked mackerel on rye with horseradish cream and pickled radish makes for a great lunch or lighter dinner for one. The horseradish gives it a punchy kick. Scandi-style salmon with pickled potato salad A sophisticated meal for two, this quick and easy salmon fillet with sharp and creamy potato salad is exactly what you need to lift you out of that mid-week work slump. Apple salad Sliced fennel, apple and smoked mackerel come together in this fresh Nordic salad. Serve at lunch or as a starter accompanied by good bread. Salt-baked beetroot with herby yogurt dressing This hearty, rugged salad is inspired by the Bar Tartine cookbook. Salt baking will intensify the taste of earthy beetroot. This recipe is perfect for a midweek salad or a sharing starter for any summer meal. Shrimp Skagen (Skagenröra) This simple prawn starter is courtesy of executive chef Henrik Ritzén at Nordic restaurant Aquavit, London. If you can’t get fresh horseradish, use 1 tbsp of horseradish sauce instead. Vodka-cured herring with dill blinis Herring is a staple on the Swedish Midsummer table. Blinis with herrings cured in vodka and soured cream make the best canapés. Making the blinis is easy and the cured herrings are quick and easy to do, then leave to marinate until you need them. Nordic gravadlax with mustard and dill sauce Traditionally-cured salmon is a classic smörgåsbord all over the Nordic region and this dish is picked up with a pokey mustard and dill sauce. This starter is courtesy of executive chef Henrik Ritzén at Nordic restaurant Aquavit, London. Celeriac, mustard and lovage This smörgåsbord dish is also from executive chef Henrik Ritzén at Aquavit. Showing off Nordic flavours at their simplest and best, this dish is really easy to prepare. If you can’t find lovage use parsley instead. Beetroot, caper and dill salad A quick and easy salad that takes minutes to prepare. Leave for the flavours to mingle then serve with hard-boiled eggs and fresh dill. Scandi prawn salad A zesty, Scandinavian-inspired prawn salad that would work really well as a festive dinner party starter. Frozen Daim bar and almond cake Recreate this adored treat created by Jonas Karlsson of Linnea restaurant in Kew. Frozen Daim bar parfait is topped with caramelised chopped almonds and amaretto sauce. Listen to Swedish chef Niklas Ekstedt chat about Midsummer traditions on our podcast... View oEmbed on the source website
From squidgy cinnamon buns in Stockholm, to farm-to-table food in West Sweden, Scandinavia is a foodie hub for cool cafes and seasonal food
Looking for the best food holidays to take in Scandinavia? Check out our guide to the best Scandi and Nordic food trips, from a gander around Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, to wood-fired cooking in style in Stockholm, Sweden. Gothenburg, Sweden West Sweden's coastal city is a foodie hot spot, particularly in the spring and summer when the city's courtyards and terraces come to life. Try cinnamon buns and coffee at Da Matteo, flash-fried herring at quirky food truck Strommingsluckan and bags of plump prawns by the river outside the charming ‘fish church’ seafood market. Head out on the ferry to the archipelago for a taste of Styrsö’s car-free island life and cinnamon buns at charming Café Obergska before a brisk dip off one of the sandy beaches. Check out more local favourites in Gothenburg here Where to stay in Gothenburg: stay at über trendy Hotel Flora, a boutique hotel in the centre of Gothenburg combining an airy workspace, buzzy bar and rooms kitted out with huge beds, monsoon showers and Swedish teas and coffee stations. In summer, the shaded terrace on the hotel’s first floor is a pleasant, secluded spot to enjoy some quiet al fresco time (at night it’s lit by flickering lanterns). Come morning, the breakfast counter is laden with cold meat cuts, tubes of Kalles caviar to spread on thin wheels of Leksands crisp bread, and freshly baked croissants from Johnséns in the city’s Haga district. Doubles from £171, check availability at expedia.co.uk or booking.com. Aarhus, Denmark The 2017 capital of culture, Denmark’s second city, Aarhus, is the perfect spot for a cosy winter getaway. No trip to Scandinavia is complete without a pastry, so start the day at Langenæs Bageriet for a cinnamon horn and chocolate Danish. Wash that down with a coffee (roasted in house) from La Cabra, or join a class and learn how to brew at home. If you want to step away from the traditional Nordic cuisine, book a table at Nordisk Spisehus where you can expect dishes like blackberries with marzipan and honey. Read all about the best places to eat in Aarhus, here Where to stay in Aarhus: Hotel Oasia have simple Scandi design in light-filled rooms with gingham beds and wooden floors. The central location is close to the train station and shopping districts. Don't miss the breakfast buffet before a day of exploring. Doubles from £121, check availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or bestwestern.com Copenhagen, Denmark The Danish capital is packed with high-end restaurants, but we’ve found the coolest (and most affordable) places to eat and drink in this vibrant city. Meyers Bageri is a must visit for snegls – a take on a cinnamon bun, which is more buttery and topped with thick chocolate. For a weekday brunch, head to the aptly named Granola for a breakfast plate of golden pancakes, muesli, chopped fruit, yogurt, almond cake and whipped chocolate spread. And don’t leave before paying a visit to Lidkoeb – a stylish yet cosy cocktail bar with its own whisky den. Check out our guide to affordable restaurants in Copenhagen here. Where to stay in Copenhagen: for a primer on mid-century Danish design that’s almost as good as a trip to Copenhagen’s Design Museum, book a room at stylish Hotel Alexandra. The hotel owner has curated pieces built in Denmark in the 1950s and ‘60s, so the bedrooms’ wooden floorboards and large windows form the perfect backdrop to a collection of rattan headboards, graphic turquoise armchairs and wooden writing desks. The stylish lobby area doubles up as an all-day hangout, with an honesty bar, complimentary wine hour and a record player ready to play the hotel’s selection of vinyl. In the morning, head down to connected bistro Godtfolk and create your own breakfast wheels from the continental buffet laid out in the conservatory – dill gravalax, Danish sausages, holey cheeses and slices of seeded, malty rye. The hotel is perfectly situated for exploring all of Copenhagen’s foodie neighbourhoods in one weekend, with Vesterbro’s Meatpacking District 15 minutes’ walk West, Torvehallerne food market a brisk 10-minute walk through Ørsteds Park, and Tivoli and the train station less than 500m away. Doubles from £125, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk Helsinki, Finland Head to Finland’s seaside capital for your fix of vegan and veggie-friendly cafes and restaurants. Begin your day with a trip to Andante – a flower and coffee shop. Expect matcha lattes and raw cakes (think blackcurrant and lingonberry cupcakes). If you’re there in the summer, visit design shop LOKAL for stylish Scandi homewear and a scoop of blackcurrant leaf ice cream. If you want classic Scandinavian dishes, visit Vinkkeli for fuss free seasonal dishes like white chocolate panna cotta with redcurrants. Read all about the best places to eat in Helsinki, here Where to stay in Helsinki: Art-Deco themed boutique Hotel Lilla Roberts makes a statement from the moment you enter the stylish lobby. Relax in the quiet courtyard or make the most of the free hotel bikes to epxlore the city. The hotel bar, Bar Lille E, is a destination in itself for those in the know on Helsinki’s hip cocktail route. The spot-lit wooden bar (which sits next to a crackling fire) makes a stylish backdrop to a menu of Nordic-inspired cocktails. Each cocktail comes with a little extra, be that a tiny cheese triangle and small cup of black coffee on the side, a little juniper salmon smorrebrod or a tiny bed of grass to enhance the freshly mown smell. Doubles from £130, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk Trondheim, Norway The Norwegian city of Trondheim is renowned for its striking location in the central Nordic fjords, a buzzy cycling culture which boasts the world’s first bike lift, and its unique gastronomy. Michelin-starred Heidi Bjerkan is one of the city’s culinary pioneers. Her contemporary restaurant Credo transforms the very best of the region’s produce into dishes such as scallops, blackcurrant leaf oil, apricots and ginger, or brioche bread with fermented plum jam, sea urchin, finger lime and lardo. Meanwhile, stylish, nature-focussed wine bar Spontan Vinbar specialises in small plates, including monkfish with cloudberries, and local cheeses with rye bread and apple purée. But the cosiest spot in town has to be Sellanraa Bok & Bar, a café-bookshop that serves up local coffee roasts, fresh-baked cinnamon canelés and chocolate tortes with salted caramel. Where to stay in Trondheim: the Brittania Hotel is the definition of elegance. Every inch of the hotel has been designed to be luxurious, dripping in marble or gold. The beds have special mattress made for enhancing sleep, the breakfast buffet has endless pastries along with local produce like cured meats and cheeses, the bar serves cocktails made with foraged ingredients and the staff are incredibly welcoming. The hotel's own Michelin-starred restaurant makes an extra memorable holiday experience for dinner. Doubles from £249, check availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or lastminute.com Gotaleden walking trail, West Sweden Hop on the train from Gothenburg to Jonsered, a tiny riverside hamlet home to popular Poppels Bryggeri, where you can taste a range of Swedish beers matched with the likes of torched shrimp, ricotta and chanterelle ravioli, and Swedish roe scooped up with crisps. Round the corner is Brödfabriken, where you can chill out with classic cinnamon bun and coffee fika under a blanket by the river. From here, follow the Gotaleden walking trail, treading through forests blanketed with tiny flowers, winding along rivers and clambering over rocks around Lake Aspen. Reward yourself in Lerum at psychologist-turned-fromager Hans’s Garage Fromage. Hans takes great pride and joy in travelling to remote parts of Sweden to source speciality cheeses to sell in his converted garage shop. Try the likes of clotted cream-like Vallattinge, award-winning Hagbard hard cheese from nearby Halmstad and Mellanbocken, a five-year-aged goat’s cheese from the far north of Sweden. Where to stay in West Sweden: take a short train ride to spend the night at Nääs Fabriker, an old cotton factory built in 1890, now home to a stylish hotel with onsite restaurants, shops, bakery and brewery. Wrap up in your robe and pad to the al fresco lakeside spa to sink into the jacuzzi, dip in the lake and warm up in the sauna. Book a table in the plant-adorned conservatory room in the main restaurant for dishes such as grilled scallop with fried chorizo crumble, venison tenderloin with Swedish mushrooms and blackberries, and lingonberry and malt hop sorbet. Doubles from £93, check availability at expedia.co.uk or booking.com North Jutland, Denmark Say Denmark, think Copenhagen. But travel further north and you’ll be rewarded with pristine coastal views, beautiful architecture and cleverly cooked seafood. In Jutland, the most northerly part of Denmark, begin in the region’s biggest city, Aalborg, and then head north towards Skagen, Lønstrup and the Grenen sandbar, where the North Sea and Kattegat Sea collide in a tumult of frothy waves. Here, white beaches lie undisturbed, the sea is as clear as it is cold and the houses are clean, white and unfussy. Dress like the Danes, who never go anywhere without a big woolly scarf. A must-visit restaurant is Villa Vest in Lønstrup, 50 minutes north of Aalborg by car. Impossibly romantic, it looks as if it’s floating on the sea and makes the most of its happy situation with panoramic windows. Watch the sun set while enjoying beautiful plates of grilled oyster brioche, turbot with hollandaise and pine powder, and white chocolate mousse with sharp rhubarb sorbet – food worthy of a Michelin star, although the chefs here are only interested in making ‘ordinary people’ happy. Read the full review of our hygge trip to North Jutland Where to stay in Jutland: the accommodation in Jutland tends to be understated, but also genuinely characterful and even inspiring at times. Brøndums Hotel in Skagen, for example, might have shared bathrooms (private bathroom options are also available in the annex) and no TV to speak of, but the sumptuous 1840s building – adorned with oil canvases painted by those bohemian artists who flocked to Skagen in the 1920s – is breathtaking, and our room, though small, felt as if it was once lived in by a romantic poet. Plus we loved the Edwardian basins and radiators. Doubles from £119, check availability at booking.com Stockholm, Sweden Sweden’s capital is a must visit for cinnamon buns, rye bread and glasses of glögg. Start the day at Il Caffé for squishy cardamom buns and a cup of filter coffee. If you want lunch café-style, head to Katarina and order the reuben sandwich on rye bread. For Michelin-starred food, Ekstedt is a must visit. Wood-fired ovens create new Nordic dishes like birch-grilled pork and wood-fired almond cake. Read more about where to eat in Stockholm, here Where to stay in Stockholm: design-led Hotel Skeppsholmen is set in lush grounds by the water on Skeppsholmen island, connected to the city by a small bridge, making it a peaceful bolthole after a day of eating, drinking and site seeing. Peruse the breakfast buffet selection that includes likes of cured salmon, holey cheese and cinnamon buns from Dalarö Bageri out in the archipelago. Enjoy on the awning-covered terrace and look over delicate pink flowers in planters to the water, also an idyllic spot for lunch. Doubles from £256, check availability at booking.com, marriott.com or expedia.co.uk Stockholm archipelago Take the ferry from Stockholm harbour or hire a boat with friends to sail past granite islands home to quintessential Swedish red fishing huts and mansions. Begin at waterfront Finnhams Café on Ingmarso island with freshwater bass, dill flecked Skagen toast and hand-picked chanterelles. Hike the Båtuffarleden trail winding through forests, taking dips in the water and rowing a wooden boat between granite rock stations. Stable-turned-bakery, Ingmarso Bageri, emerges from the forest like a mirage for a well-deserved fika of heavenly cinnamon buns, chocolate espresso balls and apple cream-filled pastries beneath pretty parasols. Complete your visit with a Get out Kayak tour to discover nature only accessible by kayak, then warm up in the dinky sauna and hot tub while looking out over the archipelago. Where to stay on the archipelago: Stay overnight in the baker’s cottage at Ingmarso Bageri, or sail on to Harö Natur, where your bed for the night is a unique choice between a floating greenhouse, boujie boathouse or glass-fronted treehouse. In the summer months, two Italians take residence to man the pizza ovens, or you can opt for the evening tasting menu; a succession of contemporary Swedish dishes that might include roe with dill oil and horseradish cream, smoked char with celeriac and cucumber celery jus and woodfire oven lobster with jalapaño cream. Check rates and availability for Harö Natur at 59north18east.com/reservation Östersund, Sweden Situated in the middle of Sweden, Östersund is a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy and boasts one of the highest numbers of small-scale food artisans and organic farmers in the country. Innovative bistro Republiken Bar & Kök (republiken.net) serves everything from moose carpaccio to cellar-matured goat’s cheese from local farmers. Nästgårds Farm Restaurant (open in summer) and its sister BUA (nastgard.se) create menus with sustainability at their heart, with dishes such as halibut with coriander seeds, rose pepper, green tomato and fried sourdough. The menu at Hamngatan 12 (hamngatan12.se) fights against food waste by using surplus produce and with upcycled dishes including its potato and leek soup topped with crispy pork belly. But for something iconic to the region, Wedemarks Café (wedemarks.se) is where the smörgåstårta was invented, a savoury layered ‘sandwich cake’ of rye bread, shrimps, salmon and pickled vegetables. Tallinn, Estonia Estonia is the first Baltic country to get its own Michelin guide, and here you can enjoy excellent-value tasting menus in diverse locations, from Tallinn’s trendy UNESCO city centre to birch-lined beaches and lakeside houses. Tallinn'ss two star-receiving restaurants both lie on the water outside of the city centre. In a contemporary building with views over Tallin Bay and the Gulf of Finland, chefs at NOA Chef’s Hall use open fire to cook Norwegian scallops, Canadian lobster and locally foraged herbs in a contemporary seven-course tasting menu. In the harbour, 180° by Matthias Diether boasts a large, U-shaped open kitchen, where creative, modern tasting menus are prepared. For reasonably priced dining experiences, take a tour of the Bib Gourmand winners, including Tallinn’s buzzy all-day brasserie Härg, Mediterranean-style dishes at Mantel ja Korsten in a pretty clapboard house on the edge of Kadriorg park, and modern harbour-front bistro Lore Bistroo. Fjaerland Fjordstove, Norway Bedrooms are slightly on the spartan (and, in some cases, small) side at this friendly, family-run hotel in Norway but staying here is all about the fjord and the food. Owner Bård fishes for trout and mackerel straight from the balcony overlooking the spectacular Sognefjord and locally-caught halibut and monkfish (fished at depths of up to 500m) are regularly on the menu (and sometimes cooked over the large outdoor fire pit). Hardcore fish fans can enjoy mackerel in tomato sauce and sour herring for breakfast, as well as waffles and brunost “brown cheese”, a sort of caramelised cheese that’s beloved of Norwegians but an acquired taste for most of the rest of us. Deer, honey, vegetables and dairy are sourced locally and herbs come from the hotel’s own garden. Doubles from £198, check availability at booking.com Hrifunes Guesthouse, Iceland A cosy guesthouse in the remote southeastern corner of Iceland, Hrifunes’ isolated location means the wi-fi's a bit dodgy but who cares when the views (including the northern lights, if you’re lucky) and food are this good? The two-course dinners are jolly affairs, served at a long communal table with other guests from all over the world. There are no options – you get whatever the owner Hadda feels like cooking – but it’s always delicious and as wild, local and seasonal as possible. Hadda and her husband, Haukur, are both licensed hunters so you could be served wild goose or puffin, or sea trout from a local farm, Icelandic lamb from the neighbours or berries, mushrooms or herbs foraged nearby. The freshly-baked bread at breakfast is also well worth getting out of the very comfy beds for. Doubles from £129, check availability at booking.com Helenekilde Badehotel, Denmark In Tilsvideleje, on the 'Danish riviera', Helenekilde has been a classic bathing hotel since 1904 but was bought and done up – extremely stylishly – in 2009 and is now a hip yet hyggelig seaside retreat favoured by Copenhagen’s cool crew (here's where they eat and drink when in the city). Swim in the sea, play petanque, have a massage, practice yoga in the outdoor pavilion or borrow one of the hotel’s bikes to go exploring, Danish style. Food is simple, seasonal, modern Nordic, with fish provided by the local fisherman Johnny and wines from nearby Ørby Vingaard, where owners Søren and Birthe handpick the grapes themselves. Try one of Ørby’s whites with a starter of oysters with buttermilk, horseradish and cucumber, or one of their dessert wines to go with a classic Danish dessert of red porridge with double cream and strawberry sorbet. Doubles from £271, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk Sund Nergården, Sweden Just an hour south of Stockholm but tucked away in the rolling Sörmland countryside, this Swedish b&b is a real find. Niklas and Johan, the charming and talented couple who run it, have decorated the rooms in quirky, shabby chic style (think old doors as headboards) and, in the summer months, you can stay in one of two dreamy glamping set-ups overlooking Lake Sillen, complete with outdoor showers and hammocks. Organic and biodynamic produce is sourced from local farms and suppliers and Johan is a skilled sommelier, so let him choose you a natural wine to go with plates of moose salami, pickled spruce shoots or pikeperch fresh from the lake. Start the morning with a dip (warm up in the sauna on its floating pontoon on chilly days) before tucking into a breakfast buffet that includes homemade almond and apricot bread, pickled herring and rosehip soup. Doubles from £350 per night, check availability at sundnergarden.se The Norrmans, Denmark Swedish interiors stylist Anna Norrman and her chef husband Lars made the leap across the Øresund to open The Norrmans, a stylish boutique b&b in Stevns, an hour south of Copenhagen. Breakfast comes on a tray, which you can take up to your lime-plastered, earthy-hued room, or out into the glorious garden. You can also order a picnic lunch to take as you explore the surrounding area. Dinner is a communal affair, consisting of whatever Lars fancies rustling up – it could be wood-fired pizzas, a French-inspired feast or a barbecue in good weather. Either way, it’s all served with plenty of good wine and interesting company. Doubles from £173 per night, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk Words by Tatty Good, Gurdeep Loyal, Alex Crossley, Kathryn Good More travel guides Best Morocco food trips Best French food trips Best Spanish food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best European city breaks Best foodie city breaks by train
Malmö, Sweden foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
New Nordic cuisine, traditional Scandinavian cooking and multicultural influences, the city has it all. If you want to track them down in one fell swoop, read on for the best restaurants, cafés, bars and food shops in Malmö
Looking for restaurants in Malmö? Want to know where to eat in Sweden's southern city? Skåne’s capital city is a forward-thinking foodie hub that capitalises on its location between culinary trend-setting Copenhagen and the Skåne’s region's fruitful larder. Our local and in house experts share their insider tips for the best restaurants in Malmö, along with where to find the best kannebuller (cinnamon buns), coffee and pizza. Next, hope over the bridge to Copenhagen (we've highlighted some affordable restaurants), check out our foodie guide to Stockholm, Sweden and our top European city breaks. olive's top 10 must-visits for foodies in Malmö We've included insider information about what to order where below, plus plenty more places to visit, but for those who want a quick insight into our favourite spots in the city, here is our pick... The hottest seat in town: Bise or Vastergatan Where the locals really eat: Lyran The classic fika spot: Lilla Kafferosteriet The no-frills lunch: Saltimporten The fine dining restaurant: Vollmers The tour worth booking: Moveat The buzzy hangout: Far I Hatten The brunch spot: Smak The ice cream shop: Kold The brewery: Malmö Brygghus Where to stay in Malmö MJ's Flamingos and flowers adorn the floors and furniture of this striking urban hotel. The lobby doubles up as a cocktail bar where little alcoves are given a cosy feel with floral fabrics, squishy chairs and well-stocked bookshelves while the restaurant and breakfast atrium have a tropical vibe with peachy-pink walls, lush plants and pretty parasols. In the atrium look up, beyond the parasols and palms, to admire the greenery garlanding the glass roof. mjs.life Doubles from £99, check availability at booking.com Story Hotel Studio Each element of this concept hotel in Malmö is resolutely on-trend – a juice bar, minimalist working spaces, coded keypads to unlock doors. The vast wooden auditorium that serves as a reception area may not immediately shout “warm” but the friendly folk who work there quickly put guests at ease. Pared-back rooms are functional and typically scandi-minimal with lots of little luxuries – glamorous burnt orange chairs, a bag of ‘energy mix’ to keep you going and bespoke STORY toiletries in the slick bathrooms. Rooms have fab views, but head to the 14th floor to get the full works. Here a huge rooftop terrace boasts panoramic views of the city’s old town in one direction and the port in the other. There are blankets on the stools in case you get chilly, but if you can’t face the cold during the winter months, the floor-to-ceiling windows in the restaurant mean you can still enjoy those views. Breakfast is buffet-style, with cold meats and cheeses, fresh bread (complete with DIY toaster), and a coffee and tea bar stocked to satisfy even the most hardened Swedish coffee aficionados. Make sure you pick up a toothpaste-like tube of caviar; it’s very traditional and a must-try. storyhotels.com/studiomalmo Doubles from £89, check availability at booking.com Self-catering choice If you prefer self-catering over hotels, this stylish two-storey apartment inside an old church makes for a memorable stay. Striking double-height windows flood the living room with light, making it the perfect spot to sit and plan your day exploring Malmö. The generously sized kitchen is ideal for keen cooks, with plenty of equipment, a large dining table and even cookery books to browse for inspiration. From £139 per night, check availability at airbnb.com. Our pick of Malmö's best restaurants, cafés and bars Lyran – for neighbourhood bistro vibes Stylishly light and Nordic but warm and welcoming, this Folkets Park restaurant is the kind of place you’d happily move house for in order to have it as your local bistro. Get a spot by the tiny open kitchen and watch the laidback cooks composing dreamy dishes from ingredients such as birch sap elixir, local goat’s cheese and Swedish cantaloupe melons. “Now we’re going to embrace you with the forest of Sweden”, says owner and head chef, Jörgen, as he steps out of his open kitchen and sets down a plate of white mushrooms in mushroom dashi with fermented elderflower and chewy pine nuts. He describes another dish as “fire” – rainbow trout roe that pops in the mouth with dried black olives, homegrown tomatoes and orange marigold petals. For dessert, sea buckthorn is whizzed into a sharp, citrussy sorbet and topped with roasted white chocolate crumb and mascarpone from La Treccia, a Danish dairy across the Oresund bridge in Copenhagen. Jörgen’s wife puts a Scånian twist on her negronis with Lyran’s crowberry liqueur, served by the centilitre. We suggest ordering the full 4cl, served in a pretty tea glass. lyranmatbar.se Vollmers – for Michelin-starred dining Malmö's only restaurant to boast two Michelin stars, Vollmers stands out for the sheer obsessiveness with which Ebbe and Mats Vollmers source their produce. In spring, white asparagus, wild garlic, forced rhubarb and local fish and shellfish have their chance to shine on its set menus. Västergatan This cosy fine dining restaurant is hidden away on a cobbled street of the same name in the centre of Malmö. Mini loaves of cold yeast bread with homemade butter kicked things off, followed by mixed meat tartare with smoked paprika, oven-baked celeriac with anchovies, wild garlic seeds and radishes, and slow-baked trout with burnt leek oil, roast chicken stock and pickled shiitake mushrooms. vastergatan.se Saltimporten Canteen – for trend, no-frills lunches A go-to lunch spot for trendy Malmöites is portside restaurant Saltimporten. Set in a former salt warehouse, stripped-back simplicity prevails. Brushed-oak tables span the width of the concrete room, a wall of glass gives views out over the water, while another wall is dominated by a concrete counter where you slice fresh sourdough while waiting in line to order from a choice of two daily lunch dishes – one meat, one veggie. The vegetarian (often vegan) dish works just as hard as the meat option – think fine ribbons of celeriac laid on springy black quinoa with beansprouts and black sesame. Coffee from Malmö roaster Solde is on tap, and served in cute vintage teacups. saltimporten.com Scandwich – for Swedish sandwiches The three Lind brothers got their idea to set up Skåne’s favourite sandwich shop after their Sunday ritual of creatively using leftovers from their family restaurant. This small café takes the open sandwich to new levels by pickling, confiting, frying or baking Skåne-sourced ingredients. The brothers bake their own sourdough then fry it (to make it super crisp) and top it with the likes of roasted corn, confit cabbage, asparagus and broccoli with tarragon mayo. scandwich.se Köld – for Swedich ice cream Peter, the self-dubbed “glasstronom”, gives vegans an ice cream option beyond the standard sorbets, using coconut and cashew creams, made from scratch, in place of dairy. He is constantly inventing new vegan flavours, from the classic Swedish chokladboll cake (made using 72 per cent chocolate and a little coffee) to golden turmeric latte, and strawberry with vanilla and balsamic ripple. For those who want a refreshing hit, sorbet choices include tart and zingy raspberry and hibiscus, mango spiked with lime and ginger, and pear with white wine and gingerbread. kold.co Far I Hatten – for pizza and beers This unique spot in the middle of Folkets Park is a must-see for its quirky interiors and a slice of local life. The cuckoo-clock style cottage, built in 1892, houses a natural wine bar and restaurant complete with wood-fired oven. Its sourdough pizzas are fab – we tried thin and crisp pizza bianca topped with goat’s cheese, zucchini, pistachios and black pepper. There’s a vast outdoor area (filled with green, blue and red garden chairs), and a covered space that sits somewhere between indoor and outdoor. Retro touches include vintage brown carpets on wooden floors, frilly curtains at little windows that poke through white-panelled walls, and dusty pink Scandinavian chairs to slouch into. In the summer months Far I Hatten opens for lunch, but it’s a party spot all year round; Malmö’s trendy locals come to drink bespoke Czech beer and dance to live DJs and bands well into the night. farihatten.se Malmö Brewing Co & Taproom – for craft beers For ales brewed in the centre of Malmö, try Skåne’s largest brewery. Its craft beers are available at Malmö Brewing Co & Taproom, in the city’s buzzy Möllevången area. malmobrewing.com Lilla Kafferosteriet – for traditional cinnamon buns The oldest café in Malmö is still one of the most popular for a reason. Owner Filip Åkerblom set up Sweden’s first micro-roastery back in 2016, and Lilla Kafferosteriet is where the latest roasts are showcased. Sitting just off Malmö’s main square, Lilla Torg, the 16th century building houses a warren of rooms spanning two floors. The cosy feel of its former life as a family home remains, with mismatched tables and chairs, quiet nooks and low ceilings. There’s an atmospheric cobbled courtyard at the back with an ivy-covered gazebo, little lanterns dotted around, and large blankets on the back of every chair. Make sure you throw in a cinnamon or cardamom bun from popular local bakery, St Jakob’s Stenugnsbageri. lillakafferosteriet.se GRAM – for sustainable food shopping This food store has a low-waste ethos. It is Sweden’s first packaging-free grocery store, and encourages shoppers to fill up their own containers with more than 200 Swedish products. There’s a focus on low mileage, too – vats of Swedish quinoa and rapeseed oil sit above boxes of owner Joel Lindqvist’s broken cloudberry chocolate and reusable glass bottles of kombucha from the city’s own Roots of Malmö brand. grammalmo.se Noir Vin & Kaffekultur – for coffee and wine The Swedes are obsessed with coffee, so the standard of coffee shops across the country is extremely high. Noir is one of our favourites due to its parasol-lined terrace, unfussy interiors and fab coffee. Pull up a seat outside and watch Malmö locals and Scandi tourists mooch past, or take shelter in the white-tiled seating area inside, with its marble-topped tables and big cushions lining wide window seats. Try a sauna-smoked sourdough baguette, open rye bread sandwiches topped with wild mushrooms, local cabbage and Västerbotten cheese (from north Sweden), or homemade cakes (we loved the ricotta cake with lemon and blueberries, and the rich chocolate ganache cake decorated with berries and coconut flakes). Though the Swedes generally prefer filter coffee, Noir has blended its own espresso with Lund’s Love Coffee Roasters for creamy cappuccinos and killer cortados. facebook.com/noir-kaffekultur Smak – for artsy brunches Smak is where the cultural elite of Malmo gathers for jazz-themed brunches, thanks to its location at Malmö Konsthall gallery. The owner was one of the early adopters of green cuisine, so you can enjoy sustainable and veggie-focused dishes, including a wine and veggie burger brunch. All lunch and brunch dishes come complete with access to a free salad bar, a well-stocked bread station and unlimited filter coffee. Enjoy dishes such as pickled pumpkin risotto with leek, celery and almonds while surrounded by the café’s earthy interiors or beneath the trees and chandeliers of its walled outdoor terrace. Entertainment ranges from live jazz to DJs and poetry readings, so check out the list online before you visit and pair your food with your cultural accompaniment of choice. smak.info Moveat – for restaurant hopping If you want to try a variety of restaurants while you’re in Malmö, join locals and friends on one of Moveat’s self-guided restaurant hopping afternoons. Locations rotate each time, but you might find yourself savouring plates of seasonal ferments at upmarket bistros, queuing for fresh-from-the-oven pizza slices and sipping the region's wines at urban wine bars. These interactive, sociable tours pop up throughout the year across cities and towns in Sweden, whether its cycling between traditional bakeries, outdoor terraces and whisky distilleries in the archipelago, or stringing together Stockholm's restaurants and street food spots on foot. moveat.co JORD – for vegan brunch Jord, meaning ‘earth’ in Swedish, is one of Malmö’s best specialist vegan restaurants. Stop by this light and bright corner café for one of its all-day vegan breakfasts beneath the warm glow of exposed light bulbs – hummus bowls with baked red cabbage and carrot topped with hazelnuts and herb vinegar, perhaps, pea pesto toast with pickled cucumber ribbons and chive, or granola bowls filled with blackberries, coconut shavings and mint. Vegan bakes include raw brownies sprinkled with chocolate, cloves, walnuts and sea salt, and squidgy carrot cake; pair them with a silky filter coffee. jordmalmo.se Foodie day trips from Malmö Örum119, Löderup After try Malmö's city centre restaurants, add on a night in Skåne's lush countryside. Örum119 is an hour's drive East and ticks all the right boxes when it comes to a luxurious country hotel experience: rows of green wellies available to borrow, spoiling spa treatments, clogs and fluffy bathrobes in the romantic bedrooms, roaring fires, and top-notch food. Seasonal produce leads the way with a typical three-course set menu (there are also five-course and à la carte options) including 64-degree egg with parsley and trout roe, wild duck with artichoke and elderberries and hazelnut fromage with apple and watercress. The breakfast buffet – a mix of traditional favourites and hipster options (smashed avocado toast, algae drinks…) is well worth getting up for. Borrow a bike and visit nearby Mandelmanns Trädgårdar organic gardens or Kinbageri for freshly baked sourdough. orum119.se Doubles from £213, check availability at booking.com Ängavallen, Vellinge Just 20 minutes from Malmö but in peaceful country surroundings, Ängavallen is an uncompromisingly organic oasis (even bedlinen in the cosy bedrooms is organic). Almost all the food Ängavallen serves is grown on site, from ethically reared cows, sheep and pigs to organically cultivated vegetables and herbs. An on-site dairy, bakery and farm shop means you can pick up a round of Vita (a brie-like cheese) or some charcuterie to take home with you. If you happen to be staying in November, this is the place to enjoy Sweden’s only 100% organic gåsamiddag – a Scånian gut-busting goose feast which uses all parts of the goose and kicks off with svartsoppa, a sweet-and-sour black soup made from bird blood and broth. angavallen.se Doubles from £113, check availability at booking.com More travel guides Best Morocco food trips Best French food trips Best Spanish food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best country house hotels in the UK Best Scottish hotels
Stockholm, Sweden: where locals eat and drink
Discover our pick of where to eat and drink in Sweden's effortlessly cool capital, including local hotspots, chef favourites and foodie neighbourhoods, plus day trip ideas in the magical archipelago
Looking for Stockholm restaurants? Want to know where to get the best cinnamon bun in Sweden's capital? Check out our favourite local places to eat and drink in Stockholm below, then check out our guide to Gothenburg restaurants and Swedish cuisine. Stockholm: olive's top 10 must-visits for foodies Here are our favourite spots in the city, or scroll down for insider information about what to order where, plus plenty more places to visit. Think we've missed somewhere? Comment below with your suggestions. The bakery: Svedjan Bageri The tour worth booking: Moveat The classic brasserie: Sturehof Where the locals really eat: Bar Montan The over-fire stalwart: Ekstedt The tasting menu: Adam/Albin Pizza by the slice: 800 Grader The food hall: Östermalms Saluhall Fast food fix: Strömmingsvagnen The craft beer spot: Omnipollos Hatt Foodie neighbourhood spotlight: Slakthusområdet Hop off the metro at Globen, skirt the huge golf ball shaped shopping centre and discover the first murmurings of a foodie hub in the city's former meatpacking district. Stockholm Roast keeps punters fuelled with coffee, snacks and sweet treats during the day, and has recently opened cosy wine bar and Swedish small plates restaurant, Bar Montan round the corner; already proving popular with trendy Swedes on the food scene. Solen is apparently the place to be... it's a beautiful space boasting a large outdoor area strung with fairy lights, while inside the restaurant opens out into a stunning, light-filled concrete room. The focus is on open-fire cooking, with dishes including red shell prawns in harissa butter, flank steaks in pistachio spice butter and oyster mushroom kebabs with pickled chilli. After dinner, head to trendy listening bar, Hosoi, its contemporary space home to a selection of wines on tap and beers from Omnipollo brewery. Through the back you’ll find the hidden speakeasy cocktail bar, clad with soft furnishings in block colours, where cocktails are stirred rather than shaken, so as not to disrupt the music. We’ll be keeping an eye out for more openings in this up-and-coming area, so watch this space. Stay in the neighbourhood: A five-minute walk from Globen, this spacious apartment is filled with houseplants and has a sunny balcony overlooking the park, ideal for soaking up the Stockholm sun. The large kitchen is perfect for foodies when you want a night in, complete with oven, cooking essentials and a Nespresso coffee machine. From £165 per night, check availability at airbnb.com. Where to stay in Stockholm Hotel Skeppsholmen This design-led hotel is set in lush grounds by the water on Skeppsholmen island, connected to the city by a small bridge, making it a peaceful bolthole after a day of eating, drinking and site seeing. The historic yellow building was built in 1699 for the king's soldiers and has been restored with a commitment to Swedish furnishings, details and local produce. Peruse the breakfast buffet selection that includes likes of cured salmon, holey cheese and cinnamon buns from Dalarö Bageri out in the archipelago. Enjoy on the awning-covered terrace and look over delicate pink flowers in planters to the water, also an idyllic spot for lunch. Choose from Swedish classics such as meatballs with creamy mash and lingonberries or cured salmon folded into a rose tower with dill potatoes. Over a footbridge on the water is a terracotta skating pavilion that the king had built as a shelter to enjoy hot chocolate after skating in the winter, now available to book for private events. Doubles from £132, check availability at booking.com Hellstens Malmgård This 18th century mansion turned hotel provides a tucked-away, peaceful contrast to all the trendiness in Stockhom's Södermalm. Wake up to its classic Scandi breakfast buffet (best eaten out in the garden in good weather). Doubles from £71, check availability at booking.com Foodie day trips in Stockholm's archipelago Ingmarsö Bageri – for a hike to a bakery cottage Take the ferry from Stockholm harbour or hire a boat with friends to Ingmarsö island. Hike the Båtuffarleden trail winding through forests, taking dips in the water and rowing a wooden boat between granite rock stations. Stable-turned-bakery, Ingmarsö Bageri, emerges from the forest like a mirage for a well-deserved fika of heavenly cinnamon buns, chocolate espresso balls and apple cream-filled pastries beneath pretty parasols. Owners Victor and Lina met in a Swedish ski resort, worked in Stockholm's hospitality industry then upped sticks to take part in island life in 2020. The result is a thriving archipelago hub during the summer months. Lunch and dinner menus include shrimp skagen, smorrebrods and shellfish pizza with a special emulsion sauce. A bun boat hops around selling fresh bakes and strawberries to locals on their boats, and there's an onsite shop that stocks Swedish cookery implements, homemade preserves, apple juice and salt made with herbs picked on the island. Stay overnight in the quintessential red wooden baker's cottage, set back in the trees with a view of the water, to wake up to the gentle aroma of fresh bread and buns for breakfast. ingmarsöbageri.com <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2017/11/Ingmarso-Bageri-99ed8a2.jpg" width="3000" height="2196" alt="A plate of cinnamon buns on a wooden table at Ingmarso Bageri Stockholm Archipelago Take the ferry to this restaurant and hotel, where your bed for the night is a unique choice between a floating greenhouse, boujie boathouse or glass-fronted treehouse. In the summer months, two Italians take residence on the pizza ovens, or opt for the tasting menu sitting; a succession of contemporary Swedish dishes that might include roe with dill oil and horseradish cream, smoked char with celeriac and cucumber celery jus and woodfire oven lobster with jalapaño cream. Take a dip in the clear waters and warm up in the hot tub and dinky sauna, perched on its own pier, while sunset casts a pink and orange glow over the archipelago. 59north18east.com" title="Ingmarso Bageri Stockholm Archipelago" /> Harö Natur – for a unique night of Swedish hospitality Take the ferry to this restaurant and hotel, where your bed for the night is a unique choice between a floating greenhouse, boujie boathouse or glass-fronted treehouse. In the summer months, two Italians take residence on the pizza ovens, or opt for the tasting menu sitting; a succession of contemporary Swedish dishes that might include roe with dill oil and horseradish cream, smoked char with celeriac and cucumber celery jus and woodfire oven lobster with jalapaño cream. Take a dip in the clear waters and warm up in the hot tub and dinky sauna, perched on its own pier, while sunset casts a pink and orange glow over the archipelago. 59north18east.com Get Out Kayak tours – for a nature-filled archipelago adventure Get Out Kayak rents out kayaks and puts together adventure itineraries on the Stockholm Kayak Trail. Bespoke tours include transfers from the city and a full kit for camping, including food packages so you can cook your own Swedish meatballs with mash and lingonberries or creamy chanterelles pasta over a stove in the wild. The pack even includes a kåsa, a drinking vessel originally crafted by Lapland's Sámi community, so you can sip on Swedish beer or cloudberry juice while on the move. getoutkayak.se Our pick of the best restaurants, cafés and bars in Stockholm Sturehof – for classic seafood Opened in 1897, this brasserie is an institution amongst Stockholm foodies. The warren of dining rooms vary in décor, including a library-themed room upstairs, but there’s an unstuffy sophisticated feel throughout. The restaurant works with local fishermen to encourage sustainable fishing practices, and highlights of the seafood-focused menu include fish gratin topped with creamy pommes duchesse swirls and Våsterbotten cheese, and grilled turbot head with shoestring fries and bearnaise sauce. Meatballs in a rich, bubbling gravy is served with creamy mash and bowls of lingonberries. Stock up in the mini food hall before you leave on fresh seafood, chanterelles and lingonberries as well as pretty tinned souvenirs. sturehof.com Svedjan Bageri – for artisan bakes Those in the know flock to this trendy Södermalm hang out for its traditional grain bread and pastries. Highlights include classic cinnamon buns, a laminated cinnamon swirl and saffron buns filled with sea buckthorn cream. We also love the dinky ‘fralla’ bread rolls, a Swedish favourite, filled simply with a slice of Västerbotten cheese (the bakery is an offshoot of the acclaimed Svedjan dairy farm in Västerbotten region). instagram.com/svedjanbagerisoder/ Moveat If you want to try a variety of restaurants and dining experiences while you’re in Stockholm, join locals and friends on one of Moveat’s self-guided restaurant hopping afternoons. Locations rotate each time, but you might find yourself savouring plates of seasonal ferments at upmarket bistros, chatting in the queue for fresh-from-the-oven pizza slices and tucking into seafood tacos, learning about traditional chocolate making techniques at 100-year-old confectioners on the way. Book your place and make some new Swedish friends while you’re at it. moveat.co Bar Montan The folks behind Stockholm Roast collaborated with chef friend Max Duhs to open this cosy bistro, round the corner from its roastery in meatpacking district Slakthusområdet. Next-level hunks of sourdough are charred and slathered in whipped butter, setting the bar high for Swedish small plates to follow. Cured arctic char is dressed with pickled cucumber, fresh peas, dill and punchy horseradish; slivers of filet mignon carpaccio lie atop creamy fried chanterelles, and grilled cabbage is dressed with whipped goats cheese, croutons and fragrant tarragon. Wines come by the glass or bottle, and recommendations from the staff are informed yet approachable. This, combined with the simple décor of vintage rugs, soft lighting and rich painted walls create a cosy at-home vibe. Get there early to nab one of the handful of tables, as you can’t book and it’s a popular spot. barmontan.com Ekstedt Niklas Ekstedt revives old Swedish cooking traditions at his Michelin-starred restaurant. Watch the chefs use birch in open fire pits and wood-fired ovens to create stunning New Nordic dishes such as reindeer baked in embers, birch-fired pork and wood-fired almond cake. ekstedt.nu Östermalms Saluhall Since 1888, this market hall has been a thriving foodie hub. Browse the traditional wooden market stalls packed with fresh fish and cured meats, then stop off for a fish soup at fisherman’s daughter Lisa Elmqvist’s seafood restaurant, or pick up a healthy wrap and fresh juice to go from Mesh. ostermalmshallen.se Brasserie Riche Brasserie Riche has been around for over 100 years, welcoming everyone from Stockholm’s high society to bright young things. Sit at the bar beneath champagne-glass chandeliers and knock back a ‘hot shot’ (a tiny glass filled with coffee, liqueur and whipped cream), or set up camp in the conservatory for a shellfish brunch or beef fillet rydberg with sautéed potatoes. riche.se Katarina Those in the know head to this tiny deli-café and order the reuben sandwich on rye bread, packed with home-cured pastrami, Swiss cheese and gherkins. The bar is lined with colourful cans and bottles of craft beers; take your pick, perch on one of the high banquettes and tuck in. katarinaolkafe.se Adam/Albin The focus at this restaurant is on simple, seasonal Swedish flavours served in a contemporary space. Diners gather around sharing tables for five-course menus, or sit at the bar to order à la carte. Try porcini mushroom dumplings, caramelised langoustines with Iberian pork cheeks, and rye sourdough and beer pancakes. adamalbin.se Omnipollos Hatt Join the party at this spruced-up dive bar, a hip spot where the Omnipollo brewery showcases everything from small-batch pale ales on tap to ice cream stouts. Pair with a pizza slice, popped between gigantic purple lips into the pizza oven (unique toppings include Korean beef, juniper-smoked sausage, and chorizo with padrón peppers). omnipolloshatt.com Ett Hem Snuggle under blankets with a warm glass of glögg (mulled wine) in the lantern-lit courtyard of this stylish townhouse hotel. Or make yourself at home in its farmhouse-style kitchen, then order from a three-course menu to eat in front of the open fire – guinea fowl with chanterelles, perhaps, or steamed cod with roast cauliflower. etthem.se Operakällaren This opulent restaurant sits within Stockholm’s grand Royal Opera House. Dress up to visit this famous wood-panelled dining room, or choose the building’s more laidback counter bar, The Hip Pocket, and tuck into traditional meatballs or herring gratin from the archipelago. operakallaren.se Lilla Ego Star chefs Daniel Räms and Tom Sjöstedt’s unpretentious bistro (the chefs painted the walls themselves) is at the forefront of the city’s current trend for serious cooking in laid-back surroundings. Vegetables take centre stage – one of the most popular dishes, grönsakskärlek (literally ‘vegetable love’), is a culinary poem to all things green and good. lillaego.com Café Pascal Coffee aficionados flock for speciality coffee, lightly roasted and hand-dripped through ceramic filters. Don't miss the heavenly chokladbiskvi (a rich chocolate, buttercream and almond pastry). cafepascal.se Nystekt Strömming For classic Swedish fast food, you can’t beat this permanent food truck based on Södermalmstorg. Snack on a ‘knäckis’ (freshly-fried herring on crisp bread) or herring with proper mash. Green Rabbit Much lauded and awarded chef Mathias Dahlgren is on a mission to bring back Sweden’s traditional grain – rye. His bakery uses only organic rye flour from small Swedish mills. Try the Svedjeråg, which uses an ancient type of rye with a unique flavour. greenrabbit.se Rosendals Trädgård There can be few lovelier ways to spend an afternoon than under the apple trees at this café enjoying a kardemummabulle – more subtly spiced than the ubiquitous kanelbullar (cinnamon pinwheel rolls). rosendalstradgard.se Meatballs for the People A deli/restaurant that specialises in moose, dill and fennel seed or rooster, ginger, chilli and coriander meatballs, all made using impeccably sourced meat, game, fish and fowl. meatball.se
Chef Håkon Solbakk shares his favourite things about the food of his homeland, Norway, and why he believes it's well worth the trip
Want to learn more about Norwegian food? Looking for Norwegian recipes and dishes to try? Read our guide below then check out our guide to Swedish food, Icelandic food and Hungarian cuisine. Norwegian food: Håkon Solbakk's guide Local food Local food is key to Norwegian cuisine. In many homes and restaurants, people are turning to small farms to get their meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables. Many hotels get their produce from no more than a few kilometres away, and will often point you in the direction, should you want to go and buy some yourself. It's normal for hotels to produce their own honey, cheese and butter, smoke their own salmon and cure meat to make salami – some even make apple juice and roast coffee. As a result, every ingredient tastes sensational and changes throughout the country. Honey, for example, has a smoky, bitter flavour when taken from hives surrounded by heather, but has sweet notes of vanilla if collected from bees in the forest. Fantastic foraging There's a bounty of ingredients just waiting to be picked along Norway's rugged coastline, in the fjords and mountains, and in the forests. Many Norwegians believe foraging is vital as it stops all this food going to waste. There's even a law called “allmennhetens høstingsrett" which gives everyone the right to forage. Popular picks include lingonberries, blueberries, chanterelles, hedgehog mushrooms and ceps. Seaweed and kelp are plentiful, too. All these wonderful ingredients are used at home, in restaurants and in Michelin-star kitchens. There are experts who forage for the top restaurants in Norway, and will take you on guided foraging tours. They can show you what's in season and ensure your safety. At Britannia Bar, head bartender Øyvind Lindgjerdet uses meadowsweet and pinecone vermouth to make their signature drink, Moonshine. It's fantastic. Sustainability Norway is rich in natural resources, so there's no need to rack up air miles to create delicious dishes. Chefs, like myself, start by looking as close as possible for ingredients and will always try to find a Norwegian replica, instead of importing from another country. I've discovered that instead of vanilla, we can use ground meadowsweet flower, and truffle seaweed is commonly used to give the same umami flavour as the fungus. All over the country, there are farmers who are passionate about growing fruits, vegetables and herbs, as well as producing meat and dairy, in a sustainable way. The goal is to live in harmony with nature and give back to the land. Modern techniques Chefs in Norway are open-minded and willing to experiment, especially in the Michelin-star restaurants, of which there are 14 in Norway. At Speilsalen, we like to push the boundaries of Norwegian cuisine. We take well-loved ingredients, like scallops and langoustines, and present them in mind-blowing ways. Recently, guests loved our glittering shell with langoustine and pumpkin. Making the most of summer produce When the long, dark winter turns to spring, there's a feeling of rejuvenation and excitement in the air here – we call this "Våryrhet." As light returns, the snow melts from the mountains, frozen fjords give way to waterfalls and things bloom and grow all over. Apples, strawberries, blackcurrants and raspberries burst into life – the flavour of these becomes intensely sweet and sharp over summer. Many people take up outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking and foraging. In small fishing villages, like Veiholmen, there are communal barbecues for grilling the catch of the day. Local families gather together around tables to share meals and chat long into the night. Preserving for winter The Norwegian word "mørketiden" means the dark time. It refers to the time of year between November to January when night can last for up to 20 hours and, in some parts of Northern Norway, the sun doesn't rise for weeks. We will prepare for this during summer, that's when we salt, pickle and preserve the best of the season. Once the dark days roll in, we'll light a fire and invite a few friends over. Sour, sweet and salty What stands out about Norwegian cuisine is the intensity of flavours, created by our extreme climate. Chefs enjoy bringing these together and finding ways to enhance them even more. Think hasselback potato cooked in bacon fat with fermented and pickled gooseberries and sea urchin mayonnaise. Or silky creme brûlée topped with lip-smackingly tart sea buckthorn purée. Dishes inspired by nostalgia There's a distinct feeling of creativity in Norway that inspires chefs and home cooks, but we also draw from nostalgia. At Speilsahen, I draw inspiration from my childhood days spent in a fishing village where my grandmother would create dishes using what she had, such as oats and seasonal fruits. If you ask Norwegians about nostalgic food, they will urge you to try the warm pancakes filled with brown caramelised goat's cheese, served on the ferry. I prefer waffles and I make them at home, so I can enjoy them crisp and fresh. We strive for the best Not just in Michelin-star restaurants, this ethos filters down to every farmer and producer. To us, it means only settling for the most delicious, sustainable and top-quality food. From our bread, butter and cheese to caviar and seafood – we are always looking for ways to build on what we have. Above everything, pride So many of us are passionate about shaping and protecting Norway's food identity. It's why we use local produce whenever possible, forage to find flavour alternatives and eat with the change of the seasons. I truly believe Norwegian food is something to write home about – and something you'll be telling all your friends about when you get home. Where to stay in Norway Britannia, Trondheim An elegantly renovated heritage hotel set in the centre of Trondheim and its striking surrounding fjords. Every corner of this luxuriously renovated building is coated in opulence – chandeliers suspended from high ceilings, gold-adorned columns rising from polished floors and an iconic mirror-lined marble staircase. The rooms ooze character, with original cornicing, high ceilings and large windows modernised with chic grey upholstered furniture and carrara marble bathrooms. The Hästens beds even have special mattresses made for enhancing sleep. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, the lavish penthouse Tower Suite built into the dome of the building includes a private wine cellar, grand piano and gold bathtub. Pad down to the luxurious spa to rotate between gentle laps in the heated pool, dips in the mineral waters and sessions in the three Nordic saunas, steam room and infrared cabin. Michelin-starred Speilsalen curates a tasting menu that showcases Norwegian produce in dishes such as grouse with forest mushrooms and lingonberries or mountain char with white asparagus, enhanced with wine or juice pairings. Stylish Vinbaren specialises in small plates, including monkfish with cloudberries, and local cheeses with rye bread and apple purée, while Jonathan Grill offers an interactive, Japanese-style grill-at-the-table experience. Taken in historic 1918 dining hall Palmehaven, the breakfast buffet groans with delicacies, all homemade or curated from Trøndersk producers. Think warm cinnamon buns, local cured meats and cheeses, honey from hives on the hotel’s roof, house-cured salmon and cold-pressed apple juice from Braattan Gaard farm. Cooked-to-order dishes include seasonal chia pudding, house-cured ham and Norvegia cheese on frisée salad, and fluffy Norwegian pancakes topped with brown cheese, cream and caramelised hazelnuts. Doubles from £200, check rates and availability at booking.com or britannia.no. Håkon Solbakk is executive head chef at Speilsalen, Britannia, where he's been since 2019. He helped the restaurant get its first Michelin star and recently won Nordic Chef of the Year in 2022. He grew up in a fishing village called Nærøysteine and likes to combine tradition with modern techniques in an elegant and playful way. Up Norway offers tailor-made, off the beaten path itineraries to Norway, from glaciers to cities and fjords. Experience authentic adventures with upnorway.com/journeys More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Istria cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love
Swedish itineraries for food lovers to explore
Start in the capital then add on a few days or a week in some of this Scandinavian country's most stunning towns and rural destinations
Build your own trip to Sweden with our foodie destinations, routes and itineraries. Looking for more inspiration? Stockholm – for capital grazing Sweden’s capital is a must visit for cinnamon buns, rye bread and glasses of glögg. Start the day at Il Caffé for squishy cardamom buns and a cup of filter coffee. For lunch, head to Katarina and order the reuben sandwich on rye bread. For Michelin-starred food, Ekstedt is a must visit. Wood-fired ovens create new Nordic dishes like birch-grilled pork and wood-fired almond cake. If you want to try a variety of restaurants while you’re in the city, join locals and friends on one of Moveat’s self-guided restaurant hopping afternoons. Locations rotate each time, but you might find yourself savouring plates of seasonal ferments at upmarket bistros, queuing for fresh-from-the-oven pizza slices and tucking into seafood tacos, learning about traditional chocolate making techniques at 100-year-old confectioners on the way. Foodie neighbourhood Hop off the metro at Globen, skirt the huge golf ball shaped shopping centre and discover the first murmurings of a foodie hub in the city's former meatpacking district. Stockholm Roast keeps punters fuelled with coffee, snacks and sweet treats during the day, and has recently opened cosy wine bar and Swedish small plates restaurant, Bar Montan round the corner; already proving popular with trendy Swedes on the food scene. Solen is apparently the place to be... it's a beautiful space boasting a large outdoor area strung with fairy lights, while inside the restaurant opens out into a stunning, light-filled concrete room. The focus is on open-fire cooking, with dishes including red shell prawns in harissa butter, flank steaks in pistachio spice butter and oyster mushroom kebabs with pickled chilli. After dinner, head to trendy listening bar, Hosoi, its contemporary space home to a selection of wines on tap and beers from Omnipollo brewery. Next stop: ferry to the archipelago train north to Östersund train south west to Gothenburg Östersund, Sweden – for visiting Swedish artisan producers Situated in the middle of Sweden, Östersund is a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy and boasts one of the highest numbers of small-scale food artisans and organic farmers in the country. Innovative bistro Republiken Bar & Kök serves everything from moose carpaccio to cellar-matured goat’s cheese from local farmers. Nästgårds Farm Restaurant (open in summer) and its sister BUA create menus with sustainability at their heart, with dishes such as halibut with coriander seeds, rose pepper, green tomato and fried sourdough. The menu at Hamngatan 12 fights against food waste by using surplus produce and with upcycled dishes including its potato and leek soup topped with crispy pork belly. But for something iconic to the region, Wedemarks Café is where the smörgåstårta was invented, a savoury layered ‘sandwich cake’ of rye bread, shrimps, salmon and pickled vegetables. Stockholm archipelago – for rejuvenating nature Take the ferry from Stockholm harbour or hire a boat with friends to Ingmarsö island. Hike the Båtuffarleden trail winding through forests, taking dips in the water and rowing a wooden boat between granite rock stations. Stable-turned-bakery, Ingmarsö Bageri, emerges from the forest like a mirage for a well-deserved fika of heavenly cinnamon buns, chocolate espresso balls and apple cream-filled pastries beneath pretty parasols. Stay overnight in the quintessential red wooden baker's cottage, set back in the trees with a view of the water, to wake up to the gentle aroma of fresh bread and buns for breakfast. ingmarsöbageri.com Or stay at Harö Nature, where your bed for the night is a unique choice between a floating greenhouse, boujie boathouse or glass-fronted treehouse. In the summer months, two Italians take residence on the pizza ovens, or opt for the tasting menu sitting; a succession of contemporary Swedish dishes that might include roe with dill oil and horseradish cream, smoked char with celeriac and cucumber celery jus and woodfire oven lobster with jalapaño cream. Take a dip in the clear waters and warm up in the hot tub and dinky sauna, perched on its own pier, while sunset casts a pink and orange glow over the archipelago. 59north18east.com Get Out Kayak rents out kayaks and puts together adventure itineraries on the Stockholm Kayak Trail. Bespoke tours include transfers from the city and a full kit for camping, including food packages so you can cook your own Swedish meatballs with mash and lingonberries or creamy chanterelles pasta over a stove in the wild. The pack even includes a kåsa, a drinking vessel originally crafted by Lapland's Sámi community, so you can sip on Swedish beer or cloudberry juice while on the move. getoutkayak.se Gothenburg – for cutting edge seafood and brewery hopping West Sweden's coastal city is a foodie hot spot, particularly in the spring and summer when the city's courtyards and terraces come to life. Try cinnamon buns and coffee at Da Matteo, flash-fried herring at quirky food truck Strommingsluckan and bags of plump prawns by the river outside the charming ‘fish church’ seafood market. Head out on the ferry to the archipelago for a taste of Styrsö’s car-free island life and cinnamon buns at charming Café Obergska before a brisk dip off one of the sandy beaches. Next stop: drive to Bohuslan for a coastal adventure walk the Gotaleden trail train 1.5 hour south to Halmstad train 3 hours south to Malmö Gotaleden walking trail – for foodie walking trails Hop on the train from Gothenburg to Jonsered, a tiny riverside hamlet home to popular Poppels Bryggeri, where you can taste a range of Swedish beers matched with the likes of torched shrimp, ricotta and chanterelle ravioli, and Swedish roe scooped up with crisps. Round the corner is Brödfabriken, where you can chill out with classic cinnamon bun and coffee fika under a blanket by the river. From Jonsered, follow the Gotaleden walking trail, treading through forests blanketed with tiny flowers, winding along rivers and clambering over rocks around Lake Aspen. Reward yourself at Garage Fromage, where owner Hans curates speciality cheeses from remote parts of Sweden to sell in his converted garage shop. Continue the riverside trek or take a short train ride to spend the night at Nääs Fabriker, an old cotton factory built in 1890, now home to a stylish hotel with onsite restaurants, shops, bakery and brewery. Wrap up in your robe and pad to the al fresco lakeside spa before seasonal Swedish dinner in the plant-adorned conservatory room. Doubles from £107, check availability at booking.com. West Sweden’s Bohuslän – for coastal, seafood-fuelled road trips From Gothenburg, pick up a car and drive north for an hour to reach West Sweden’s Bohuslän coast, a series of islands and peninsulas (Orust, Skaftö, Tjörn) jutting into the North Sea. Drive through forests and pass by quintessential coastal villages strung between rugged rocks, stopping off for Swedish fika in forest huts, local craft beers on sun-soaked wooden jetties and quiveringly-fresh fish inside painted clapboard cafés. Ladfabriken b&b, Hälleviksstrand, Orust On the very Western peninsula of Orust island, sunshine bounces around this quirky fish crate factory turned b&b. Owners Johan and Marcel serve family-style dinners such as cod fillets in buttery leek sauce and 'east meets west' coconut and lemongrass fish soup using catch of the day from neighbouring Skargrak Sea via Larsson’s fish shop in nearby Mollösund. Breakfast is a similarly homely affair, seeing the table laden with Priest cheese, Swedish emmental, Leksand crackers and an array of homemade preserves – rosehip marmalade, cowberry, lingonberry and more. Local strawberries get plenty of light throughout the long summer days, so they’re extra sweet and served with fresh mint. During the day, take a kayak out on the crystal-clear water, go wild swimming in the archipelago, kick back with a book on a deckchair in the rocky garden, or clamber over rocks following blue dots to the picture-postcard Swedish hamlet of Edultshall. Here, among red and white clapboard houses, families gather around barbecues on little jetties outside their boathouses. Ladfabriken.eu Lysekils seafood safari, Grebbestad, Lysekil Hop off the jetty at Grebbestad harbour into ‘Signe’; fisherman Lars’ boat was built in 1952 and named after his grandmother. Chug out of the harbour through the clear waters until a tiny black hut comes into view on Lars’s private island. Hop off the boat and help Lars cart up nets filled with fresh mussels and oysters before a lesson in shucking from the master (his current record being 100 oysters in 30 minutes). After a lesson in shucking, duck into the cosy throw-lined cabin and cook mussels in a pale blue pot on a traditional stove. Lysekilsostronomusslor.se Fiskebäckskil, Skaftö A 100-year-old shipyard is an unlikely location for a hotel, but Slipens Hotell & Pensionat has become a destination for foodies thanks to its restaurant, Brygghuset. Each of the nine rooms is designed around a local character, from Anna-Stina, the area’s first female taxi driver, to Sander the ferryman, who ferried passengers to and from the island in times gone by. Before dinner, wrap up in a fluffy white robe and pad down the harbour’s long jetty to Slipens’ floating spa. A red wooden hut with an open roof houses a large jacuzzi and sauna, so you can soak up the steam as well as the serene harbour life (and enjoy a sparkling wine/Swedish beer or two at the same time). Popular restaurant Brygghuset Fiskebäckskil focuses on seasonal seafood caught straight from the Atlantic by a fisherman named Manfjärd – mussels in the summer, lobsters in the autumn, oysters in winter and mackerel in spring. Start with crayfish with wild garlic followed by cod in a rich shellfish sauce with deep-fried, crouton-like potatoes. Finally, a chocolate pie is given a Swedish twist with liquorice ice cream and liquorice panna cotta. Peruse Sweden’s largest selection of whiskies (1600 varieties and counting) at Joeys Whisky Bar; if you’re finding it hard to choose plump for the apple and woody spice notes of hyper local Smögen Swedish single malt. Slipenshotell.se, Brygghusetkrog.se Halmstad – for beachside dining Halmstad serves as the urban hub for a vast, scenic stretch of coastline in southwest Sweden characterised by pristine dunescapes, rocky outcrops, and picture-perfect pine forests. Between the dunes of Tylösand beach you’ll find restaurant concept Fyr, by chef Jacob Holmstrom. A Halmstad native, Holmstrom sold his two-Michelin starred Gatrologik in Stockholm to return to his homeland, and his food at Fyr is characterised by vibrant, clean flavours from produce-led plates. Succulent turbot, cooked on the bone over open fire, is a stand-out, served with seasonal veg, herby potatoes and a signature split sauce that elevates the local bounty to fine dining heights. For an unusual and idiosyncratically Swedish dessert, Holmstrom’s take on kalvdans, a custard-like milk pudding made from colostrum – the first, nutrient-dense milk produced by a cow after the birth of her calf – is a must. The café at 1920s guesthouse Steninge Kuststation just up the coast (a pleasant bike ride, if that’s your thing) from Halmstad itself offers wholesome breakfasts (including twice world championship winning porridge!) in a welcoming setting. The faithfully preserved interiors are a radical departure from the urbane and distinctly contemporary setting of Fyr but are no less memorable. Just a pebble’s throw from Tylösand beach, Tylebäck Hotel is hard to beat on location. The resort offers a range of different accommodation options, from excellent value hotel rooms to detached self-catering cottages nestled in coniferous woodland. Guests can pay extra for use of the hotel’s spa facilities. Rooms from £122. Check availability at booking.com Next stop: train 15 mins north to Falkenberg cycle the Kattegattleden trail train 1 hour south to Malmö Falkenberg – for small town charm Although small, Falkenburg has much to offer, both for a tranquil coastal escape and old-town charm. Its cobbled, historic centre clings to the sprawling mouth of the river Ätran, while its outer reaches are demarcated by dune-crested beaches and the waters of the Kattegat sea. In recent years, Falkenberg has established itself as a food destination, too. Take a stroll along Skrea Strand beach to the restaurant at Ocean Hotel for a great-value lunch in plain view of the breaking waves. For the equivalent of a little over £10 you’ll enjoy a main course (expect simple but well-prepared fish dishes – salmon with a roe sauce, or a catch-of-the-day gratin topped with pommes duchesse) plus buffet-style salads and soups, coffee and sweets. To experience a dose of fika – that Swedish rite of breaking for coffee and a sweet treat in order to talk and connect with one another – Falkenberg boasts no shortage of artisanal bakeries. Borgmästargården bakes all its exquisite pastries on-site, and serves them with coffee from two Falkenberg roasteries; which one depends upon whether you order espresso-based or filter (for an authentic Swedish fika experience, grab a cardamom bun and cup of filter). Come evening, local institution Gustaf Bratt serves elevated takes on Nordic classics in a vast, elegant former granary overlooking the iconic Tullbron bridge, while Neapolitan style pizzeria Lilla Napoli has been the talk of the town since setting up shop in an abandoned parking lot in 2015. The airy, high-ceilinged rooms of Hotel Hamngaten 27 offer views to the old town and out across the Ätran river. Guests in this former warehouse enjoy large windows with low sills, and tasteful vintage-style décor that nods towards the building’s grand age. Rooms from £100. Check availability at booking.com Kattlegattleden trail – for fika-studded coastal cycling Now ten years old, the Kattegattleden trail on Sweden’s west coast was the country’s first national cycling route. With its windswept sandy coastlines, picturesque pine forests and undulating hillsides, it’s not difficult to appreciate the charm. Beyond the scenery, the trail is peppered with mouthwatering pitstops. You’ll find plenty of foodie gems along the 75-mile stretch between the fishing village of Torekov and the town of Varberg to its north. Thora vineyard just outside Torekov produces a range of wines made from the locally productive solaris grape, but also, uniquely for the region, several from traditional old world varieties like chardonnay and pinot noir. Book a tasting to experience the full breadth of their output, including a rambunctious pét-nat which is only available on-site. A few miles along the coast you’ll find the spectacular Norrviken gardens, the vistas of which spill out across the sea. Its Orangeriet restaurant offers delicious lunches and panoramic views. Beyond the pretty resort town of Båstad it’s well worth taking the time to stop soak up the scenery. The ethereally vast sandy beach of Mellbystrand stretches on for miles: take a moment for a fika break here – Brød & Co bakery on Laholm is only a short detour away – on windswept dunes or between the pine woodlands of Hökafältet nature reserve. Next, saunter up the coast to Halmstad, the largest city in the region (more of that above). From here the trail moves north-west to Falkenberg, a small town which boasts a burgeoning reputation as a food destination: artisan bakeries, small-scale coffee roasters and a renowned Neapolitan-style pizzeria called Lilla Napoli all find home here. Beyond Falkenberg, the route becomes more agrarian, marked by sprawling fields and quiet, straight roads which lead to the southern fringes of Varberg, where you’ll find Joels Brygga. This fish restaurant boasts its own smokehouse and a waterfront location, and prides itself on relationships with local suppliers. Head to kattegattleden.se/en for more information. Malmö – for urban restaurant hopping Its positioning between cutting-edge Copenhagen (just across the water in neighbouring Denmark) and Skåne's rich fertile lands means Malmö boasts many fine dining options. In the city centre Bastard has long been a place to be seen, offering meat-heavy small plates and punchy cocktails in a party atmosphere, while intimate Vollmers boasts two Michelin stars for its seasonal tasting menus, which elevate Scånian ingredients to gourmet levels. Cost restaurant Västergatan offers the likes of mixed meat tartare with smoked paprika, oven-baked celeriac with anchovies, wild garlic seeds and radishes, and slow-baked trout with burnt leek oil, roast chicken stock and pickled shiitake mushrooms. Stylishly light and Nordic but warm and welcoming, Lyran in Folkets Park is the kind of place you’d happily move house for in order to have it as your local bistro. Get a spot by the tiny open kitchen and watch the laidback cooks composing dreamy dishes from ingredients such as birch sap elixir, local goat’s cheese and Swedish cantaloupe melons. Don’t miss the great-value set lunch at stripped-back portside restaurant Saltimporten. The vegetarian dish works just as hard as the meat option – think fine ribbons of celeriac laid on springy black quinoa with beansprouts and black sesame. Coffee from Malmö roaster Solde is on tap, and served in cute vintage teacups. Next stop: drive to Österlen for a field-to-fork road trip train to Copenhagen train back up to Stockholm Österlen, Skåne – for rural field-to-fork road trips Skåne is Sweden’s most southerly region, and often dubbed the country's pantry thanks to its vibrant producers and a prime position, surrounded by forest and farmland, between cutting-edge Copenhagen (just across the water in neighbouring Denmark) and the Baltic Sea. Many dedicated professionals have been drawn to Skåne’s countryside. Seek out tiny pasta factories in old tractor repair halls, or chocolatiers in former school buildings. Fran jord till bord (from soil to table) is a deep-rooted approach in Skåne. Österlen, Skåne’s southeastern corner, is a hotspot for producers. Ulrika at Österlenchoklad is super geeky about chocolate and all things cacao. She and her partner travel the world to track down the finest beans to blend with Skåne’s unique ingredients and create super-smooth pralines – Kivik’s iconic apples, aromatics from nearby farmshop Österlenkryddor, aronia berries picked every October after the first frost, and citrussy sea buckthorn foraged from the shoreline. A Scånian trio – Per, Tilde, and Pär – run Pastafabriken in Österlen, using homegrown produce from their vegetable garden in Hedvigsdal. At Byvägen 35, owner Mati combines durum wheat, roast potato and seeds to create his fluffy devil’s loaf, while his sourdough cinnamon and cardamom swirls have gained popularity due to their extra-sour edge, gleaned from a 48-hour fermentation before baking. Blåsingsborg Gårdshotell is just outside Kivik, a small town famous for its apple orchards, and the hotel can arrange juice- and cider-tasting trips to local producer Kiviks Musteri. Housed in a classic skånegård (a four-sided farmhouse built around a cobbled inner courtyard), the hotel is friendly and family owned. Stylish bedrooms retain their rustic farmhouse feel with exposed beams and tiled floors. Owners Karin and Henrik cook and serve a three-course set dinner that changes daily and is based around the best ingredients available – a starter of own-cured monkfish with cauliflower purée, for example, followed by local beef fillet with beetroot – and a vegetarian option is always available. More travel guides Best Morocco food trips Best French food trips Best Spanish food trips Best Portuguese food trips Best European vineyards to visit and stay Best foodie city breaks by train Best Spanish hotels Best Italian hotels Best country house hotels in the UK Best Scottish hotels
Martin Moses, chef-owner of Swedish restaurant Human, shares the things he loves most about his homeland, plus a comforting recipe for creamy mushroom soup
Want to learn more about Swedish food? Looking for Swedish recipes and dishes to try? Read our guide below then check out our guide to Gothenburg's restaurants. We also have our 10 things we love about Icelandic cuisine, Austrian cuisine and Hungarian cuisine. Martin Moses, former Swedish chef of the year, headed up Gothenburg’s Michelin-starred SK Mat & Människor before opening his own restaurant, Human, in late 2021. New Nordic dishes include tiny crab croquettes topped with langoustine emulsion, fired Arkør prawns with tangy fennel salad and local tomatoes, and Swedish peas and beans with burnt lardo, buttered onion beurre blanc and raw liquorice powder. Swedish cuisine: Martin Moses's guide Shellfish celebrations Although summer crayfish parties are an iconic Swedish tradition, we celebrate shellfish all year round. Lobster and langoustine season runs from October until January. We boil them with beer and dill, peel and eat with mayonnaise, bread and salad. We celebrate New Year’s Eve with lobster or langoustine, oven baked in a creamy garlic sauce, with crusty bread, soup made from the shells, and shots of aromatic akvavit. Wild mushrooms Sweden's forests grow wild mushrooms, with chanterelles popping up in the greener forests in early June, then in autumn across pine woods and darker forests. These are served simply on toast in a creamy sauce, to add richness to gravy for classic Swedish meatballs or to accompany venison or reindeer. Fika time According to tradition, when you visit family or friends for coffee, you should be offered at least seven different types of biscuit. This evolved from the 19th century when coffee became legal to drink and kafferep (coffee parties) became popular. Modern Swedes don’t eat seven cookies every time they have fika but linger over sweet treats (including cinnamon buns, cardamom buns and more) and filter coffee most days. Foraged berries Sweden’s nature is very open and, according to the allemansrätten, you can freely forage for mushrooms and berries. Lingonberries, cloudberries and tiny Swedish strawberries carpet the forests. Blueberries are uniquely white inside, while bilberries are sweeter, smaller and juicier. These are used in desserts and bakes such as latticed bilberry tart, blueberry pie and cloudberry parfait. Saturday sweets I have two kids and this iconic tradition is still very much alive. Each Saturday, Swedes make their selection from pick and mix kiosks, including sweet and salty varieties of liquorice. Pickling and preserving Swedish chefs and households extend the life of seasonal ingredients by preserving them. Salmon is cured in sugar, salt and dill to create gravadlax, while green strawberries, pine spruce and elderflowers are pickled to prolong summer’s bounty. Archipelago day boats Sweden’s waters are free to fish. Most of the surrounding islands have their own shrimp boats, from which you can buy fresh shrimp and langoustines, sometimes cooked by the fisherman. Freshly caught shrimp from the fisherman’s Saturday boat is a unique archipelago ritual. Pickled herring During the cold season, the waters are filled with herring. On all big occasions there’s always a place for herring – for example, the traditional matjesill (pickled with dill, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and sandalwood), served with soured cream, chives, red onions and potatoes. But there are new ways of serving each year as generations adapt and evolve. Sustainable mindset Swedes have a sustainable-forward way of living, and Gothenburg in the West of Sweden is one of the world’s most sustainable cities. There’s a zero-waste attitude at the forefront of every business, from eco bakeries to wineries using environmentally friendly cans and rejuvenation of wasteland into urban farms. The city pulses with new initiatives, such as seaweed farms to create sustainable ingredients for crispbreads. Craft beer Gothenburg boasts more than 40 craft breweries, making it the Swedish capital of craft beer. The city’s beer scene is primed for innovation and all the small breweries work together and share ingredients, customers and knowledge. PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS, CLARKANDCOMPANY, IZHAIRGUNS/E+, MASKOT, WESTEND61/GETTY, HÅKAN E BENGTSSON MEDIA AB, KJELL HOLMNER/GÖTENBORG & C More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Puglian cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Trentino cuisine: 10 things we love Austrian cuisine: 10 things we love
Nordic cuisine: how to cook like a local
From dark, deeply savoury rye bread to pickled mushrooms – flavours and techniques, both traditional and modern, come together in this unique region
Want to learn about Nordic food? Looking for Nordic recipes? Read Mikkel Karstad's guide below, then check out our guides to Danish food, Swedish food and Norwegian cuisine. Recipes extracted from Nordic Family Kitchen, by Mikkel Karstad (£24.99, Prestel). Nordic cuisine Although eating seasonally, locally and farm-to-table has become more popular recently, these were always essential methods of growing and eating in Nordic cuisine. Recipes are multi-regional, made up of dishes that distinctly taste of nature from across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. Cooking styles were governed by terrains, seasons and climates where certain ingredients could only be available at specific times. This meant that the art of food preservation was fundamental in home kitchens, for surviving the food-scarce winter months. Traditional techniques of preservation such as canning, pickling, fermentation, drying and smoking were deeply integrated into what became signature styles of Nordic food prep, from smoked salmon and mackerel to pickled herring and meatballs served with lingonberry jam. The passionate resurgence of these methods with chefs and their menus is what has put the new Nordic Cuisine movement on the culinary map. It’s that unique combination of traditional and modern food integrity, one which is committed to changing ingredients with the seasons, having foods available within a close radius of their location, devoted to foraging, fishing or farming, and supportive of organic and sustainable growers and producers, which forms the foundation from which their clever creativity can springboard from. Nordic recipes Apple salad Sliced fennel, apple and smoked mackerel come together in this fresh Nordic salad. Serve at lunch, or as a starter accompanied by good bread. Pickled chanterelles Chanterelles are plentiful in Nordic countries and are ripe for foraging but you can sub in other meaty mushrooms such as oyster instead. Spruce tips give a subtle piney flavour to the pickle – these can be foraged or bought online. Seeded rye bread Nutty with rye kernels, flax, sunflower and sesame seeds, this Nordic loaf is fantastic served with salads or spread with salted butter.
Exploring the larder of this Nordic nation will yield rich rewards, from dark, earthy rye bread and cinnamon-laced bakes to pickled herring and herbal spirits
Want to learn about Danish food? Looking for Danish recipes? Read Trine Hahnemann's guide, then check out our guides to Swedish food and Norwegian cuisine. Recipes extracted from Scandinavian Green by Trine Hahnemann, (£26, Quadrille). These recipes were supplied by the publisher and not retested by us. Danish cuisine Denmark is a small country, made up of the peninsular Jutland and some 1,400 islands. Seventy-two of those have people living on them, and nowhere are you more than an hour away from the sea. Denmark is very flat and dominated by a cycling culture and a lot of outdoor activity. Danes have a saying: “There is no such thing as bad weather – only the wrong clothing.” Danes still live by the seasons and now, in winter, there are a lot of apples used for both desserts and savoury dishes, a variety of cabbage cooked in many different ways, and root veg roasted, baked or steamed. Bread is a very important part of the food culture: rye is eaten for breakfast or lunch by most Danes every day. Denmark has many smørrebrød (open sandwich) places – you might start with herring, then go for potato, and finish with Danish blue cheese. Smørrebrød has to be enjoyed with a cold beer and flavourful aquavit, made with local herbs. Locals go to their baker for cakes flavoured with cardamom or cinnamon, and also for real Danish pastries. Right now there is an ice cream revolution, with many different varieties being made. Danes don't mind queuing up for a nice ice cream, even in the winter months. Danish recipes Potato crunch with preserved lemons Trine says, "We need to celebrate the potato as a worthy staple in the northern hemisphere. The tubers store well in winter and, because of the starch they contain, make a great binder that is useful in a lot of vegetable cooking. Their CO2 footprint is also lower than that of other carbohydrates, such as pasta and rice. Potatoes deserve their place in everyday cooking, not only as a side dish, but as the main event, in all its endless variations. This dish looks spectacular and delivers that satisfying crisp crunch." Red cabbage, apple and pomegranate salad Trine says, "This is a classic Hahnemann recipe and I make it whenever I can find pomegranates. Pomegranates are very seductive, juicy, with a unique sweet and sour taste that complements the more bittersweet red cabbage here. In Denmark, we used only to be able to find pomegranates around Christmas time, but now I see them much more frequently. Still, in my kitchen, they remain a real winter treat." Fig tart with brandy cream Trine says, "Eating figs is like travelling on Aladdin’s carpet to all the exotic places we do not yet know. Figs are sweet and surprising, promising adventures and new frontiers." Recipes extracted from Scandinavian Green by Trine Hahnemann, (£26, Quadrille). These recipes were supplied by the publisher and not retested by us.
The best places to spend the summer solstice in Europe
From greenhouses in Gotland to hot tubs in a French forest, read our guide to the best places to spend the summer solstice
Want to know where to spend the longest day of the year? We’ve found the best places to spend the summer equinox. Read on for Europe’s best midsummer spots… Now discover our favourite foodie trips in Portugal. Where to celebrate the longest day of the year across the UK In a cabin in Cornwall – Kudhva An off-grid glampsite near Trebarwith Strand, Kudhva means ‘hideout’ in Cornish and this former quarry site truly immerses you in the natural world. Clamber up a ladder to get inside your cabin and spend the midsummer gazing through the full-length windows that offer views of the surrounding greenery. The lush setting means it’s a great spot for foraging (ask at reception for the site’s foraging guide), so make the most of the long day and hunt for wild strawberries or pick wood violets for cocktails. Click here for the coolest cabins for foodies In a hot tub in north Cornwall – The Scarlet Make the most of the longest day of the year and book a stay at The Scarlet, a hotel perched on the edge of Mawgan Porth. Every corner of the hotel has been designed with its location in mind, meaning floor-to-ceiling windows look out over sea and the goosebump-inducing outdoor pool is a place to see sunsets of every shade. Spend your summer solstice celebration in one of its private sunset hot tubs. The only interruption you’ll have is the natural landscape – birds, the ocean, the weather – oh, and maybe a glass of something bubbly. <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-100565798-11795693?sid=olivemagazine-89962&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fgb%2Fthe-scarlet.en-gb.html%3Flabel%3Dopensearch-plugin%3Bsid%3D1b16b13ef099cc8577ebf24c58b16d4e%3Bdest_id%3D900055693%26dest_type%3Dcity%26dist%3D0%26hapos%3D1%26hpos%3D1%26sb_price_type%3Dtotal%26sr_order%3Dpopularity%26srepoch%3D1558091286%26srpvid%3D145d4e4a073100e3%26type%3Dtotal%26ucfs%3D1%26%23hotelTmpl#hotelTmpl" target="_blank" rel="sponsored" data-id="iframe-0-anchor-2">Book a room at The Scarlet here Read our full review of The Scarlet here In a light-filled dining room in Herefordshire – Pensons Celebrate the longest day of the year with a visit to Pensons, a new destination restaurant for Herefordshire, that’s redefining the modern, rural fine-dining experience. Housed in a previously derelict 15th-century barn, the space has been dramatically restored and renovated using as many materials from its surrounds, the Netherwood Estate. Lunchtime is worth a venture, just for the light, which pours through the stylish Crittal windows, or if you’ve a night-time booking it’s hard to resist the glow of the open kitchen. Either way you’re in for a good meal. pensons.co.uk Where to celebrate midsummer in Scandinavia In a bath tub in Norway – Canvas Hotel, Treungen A unique camp, far from any road and surrounded by granite outcrops and birch forest, this is a cluster of ten stylish yurts that makes the ideal place to spend midsummer. Each tent looks onto the peaceful water, but, make the most of the tin bathtubs and celebrate the summer solstice with a glass in your hand as you look out over the lake. In a greenhouse on Gotland – Rute stenungnsbageri, Larbro Stylish Stockholmers head to this charming café for its excellent coffee and possibly the best cardamom buns on the island, but its huge greenhouse is where the spend midsummer. Sit outside and share picnic-style benches, or hunker down in the airy greenhouse complete with rustic wooden tables, pots of lavender and, for the night, a roaring fire. Where to celebrate the equinox in Europe In a hot tub in the Rambouillet forest ­– Le Barn, France Set within a 200-acre estate near Bonnelles, in the heart of the Rambouillet forest, yet only a 45-minute drive from Paris, Le Barn is a super-sybaritic rural escape, complete with stables, sauna, hamam and yoga shala. Celebrate summer solstice in its outdoor hot tub which boasts views of the woods. <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-100565798-11795693?sid=olivemagazine-89962&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Ffr%2Fle-barn.html%3Flabel%3Dopensearch-plugin%3Bsid%3D1b16b13ef099cc8577ebf24c58b16d4e%3Bdest_id%3D-1413589%3Bdest_type%3Dcity%3Bdist%3D0%3Bhapos%3D1%3Bhpos%3D1%3Broom1%3DA%252CA%3Bsb_price_type%3Dtotal%3Bsr_order%3Dpopularity%3Bsrepoch%3D1558091363%3Bsrpvid%3D0c584e71458d0356%3Btype%3Dtotal%3Bucfs%3D1%26%23hotelTmpl#hotelTmpl" target="_blank" rel="sponsored" data-id="iframe-0-anchor-8">Book a stay at Le Barn here These are the best affordable foodie hotels in Europe… On a colourful rooftop terrace in Lisbon – Portugal Ascend four levels of concrete stairway at the far end of LX Factory’s main street to find this trendy bar, set over numerous higgledy-piggledy levels. Climb higher to the upper level and venture outside onto graveled terraces. Sip pineapple rum sours under the shade of the colourful Christ the Redeemer mimic to celebrate the longest day of the year. Find more places to eat in Lisbon here In a yurt in Abruzzo – Italy Perched on the side of a hill among the mountains in Abruzzo, a little settlement of yurts look out over the rolling hills. On the longest day of the year, pull a bottle of wine out of the makeshift wine cellar built into the ground, sit out on the terrace and soak up the peaceful surroundings, or, keep cosy in the snuggly yurts and watch olive tree branches cast dramatic shadows across the canvas roof. When darkness does come, the resident fireflies carefully creep up and surround the tents with an ethereal glow. Read our full review of Fireflies and Figs here Where to celebrate midsummer in London In a West London greenhouse restaurant – Petersham Nurseries, Richmond Set within a glasshouse and adorned with jasmine, antique mirrors and Indian blinds, this tranquil west-London restaurant is flooded with natural light. Spend the longest day of the year eating seasonal Italian-inspired dishes and sipping strawberry bellinis in the sun-dappled shade. Dig into roast chicken with king cabbage, pancetta and hazelnut before a dessert of coffee mousse with hazelnuts and crème fraîche. Click here for the best restaurants with a view in London On a rooftop in East London – Boundary, Shoreditch In summer, the Boundary Rooftop is the ideal spot to rise above the streetside hustle and sip cocktails as the sun sets over a slightly hushed, 360-degree view of London. Shelter under the pergola for a summer solstice celebration and share plates of octopus and chorizo skewers, or fish or meat dishes cooked on a Robata grill. Or, make the most of the longest day of the year and sit by the outdoor fireplace nursing a digestive glass of vielle prune. Click here for the best rooftop bars in London Drinking negronis al fresco in North London ­– Westerns Laundry, Drayton Park A residential road in Drayton Park might not seem the obvious choice to spend the summer equinox, but Westerns Laundry outdoor area is the perfect spot to settle down with punchy negronis and bowls of olives among the olive trees. Long wooden benches come strewn with blankets, while trees and lush greenery add a sense of calm. Floor-to-ceiling doors draw back, so, even those sat indoors have natural light and warmth. Small plates and seafood are the focus, so expect salted sardines, pickled mussels, baked cuttlefish fideo pasta and crispy ray wing with aioli. Try Westerns Laundry's recipes for yourself here Compiled by Ellie Edwards Words by Tatty Good, Alex Crossley, Hannah Guinness, Ben Love, Laura Rowe
Jack Stein explores the heart, soul and vibe of Sweden’s edgy southern city’s food scene. Did you know Malmö has its own foodie buddha?
For more foodie inspiration in Malmö and the region of Skåne, click here... View oEmbed on the source website
Why Skåne should be your next foodie destination
With picturesque micro-bakeries, seaside vineyards and passionate producers at work in the countryside there are many reasons to visit Skåne, a corner of Sweden known as the country's pantry
Skåne is Sweden’s most southerly region, and often dubbed the country's pantry thanks to its vibrant producers and a prime position, surrounded by forest and farmland, between cutting-edge Copenhagen (just across the water in neighbouring Denmark) and the Baltic Sea. In culinary terms, there is plenty to satisfy both traditionalists (bakers following century-old recipes for cinnamon buns, the use of ancient Swedish grains, a commitment to classic Swedish dishes) and more adventurous diners (you’ll find Italian wines paired with Swedish pasta, exotic ice cream flavours and farm shops selling herb mixes inspired by Asian and South American countries). Such a breadth of choice allows Scånians to push culinary boundaries and create their own, distinctive, cuisine. Skåne has two other great selling points for foodie visitors: its diversity (the region caters for those who want to explore edgy, urban Malmö as well as the scenic countryside of Österlen and the area’s wild, white-sand-fringed coastline) and its easy-to-reach location (even the furthest coastal town is only an hour-and-a-half’s drive from Malmö, and it's only 15 minutes more, over the Oresund bridge, to Copenhagen airport). So, whether it’s an in-depth road trip or a fleeting weekend getaway, you’ll have plenty of time to get to know the region’s imaginative producers, unpretentious inhabitants and diverse food and drink scene. Here are some of the reasons why Skåne is the next foodie hotspot: CRAFT BREWERIES Over the past few years, increasing numbers of craft breweries have opened across Skåne, just one reflection of its small-scale artisan food movement. With more than 30 breweries now scattered across the region, here are some of our favourites… In the far west, Landskrona’s popular Brekeriet brewery conjures up unique sour beers and wild ales ­– Lucifer fermented with passion fruit and saffron, Pink Passion with passion fruit and hibiscus flowers, and Wild & Juicy with notes of lemon peel, pineapple and bread. The town is also home to Brygghuset Finn, which brews everything from raspberry wheat beer to fruity California lager and malty brown ale. For ales brewed in the centre of Malmö, try Skåne’s largest brewery, Malmö Brygghus. Its craft beers are available at Malmö Brewing Co & Taproom, in the city’s buzzy Möllevången area. On a smaller scale, the tiny island of Hven has its own brewery, and even MJ’s Hotel in Malmö has created its own Pilsner. For more craft breweries in Skåne click here MICRO-BAKERIES Skåne’s hip towns and stunning countryside are peppered with artisan micro-bakeries, where bakers use ancient Swedish grains to make unique flours for perfect loaves and iconic buns. Some of the best-loved buns come from Söderberg and Sara, which has a shop and café in Malmö and another in Ystad. The team uses a well-rehearsed combination of spelt and sourdough, topping its creations with sweet cinnamon and fragrant cardamom. There are many smaller operations, but our favourites include Byvägen 35, where Mati combines durum wheat, roast potato and seeds to create his fluffy devil’s loaf. Mati’s original plan wasn't selling buns, but his sourdough cinnamon and cardamom swirls have gained popularity due to their extra-sour edge, gleaned from a 48-hour fermentation before baking. For something slightly different head to Hven Bageri, which makes extra-squishy cardamom buns using durum wheat from the surrounding fields. And, if you’re passing through the coastal town of Simrishamn, pop into Kin’s bakery for buns made using spelt, sourdough and brown sugar (or, for the full Swedish fika experience, drive 15 minutes inland to Kin’s café and garden). For more micro-bakeries in Skåne click here PASSIONATE PRODUCERS Many dedicated professionals have been drawn to Skåne’s countryside. Seek out tiny pasta factories in old tractor repair halls, or chocolatiers in former school buildings, and take time to listen to the inspiring stories of these passionate twenty- and thirty-somethings. Österlen, Skåne’s southeastern corner, is a hotspot for producers. Ulrika at Österlenchoklad is super geeky about chocolate and all things cacao – she can tell the smaller Sri Lankan beans from the Peruvian, and is exacting when it comes to sourcing. She and her partner travel the world to track down the finest beans to blend with Skåne’s unique ingredients and create super-smooth pralines – Kivik’s iconic apples, aromatics from nearby farmshop Österlenkryddor, aronia berries picked every October after the first frost, and citrussy sea buckthorn foraged from the shoreline. A Scånian trio – Per, Tilde, and Pär – have recently opened a pasta factory in Österlen. At their pizza place in Malmö’s Saluhall, the team uses locally-grown toppings, many from their own vegetable garden in Hedvigsdal (which the pizza place is named after), including overnight cabbage with butter and pecorino, savoy cabbage with soy sauce and mozzarella, and green beans with Skåne cheese and brown butter. To read about more of Skåne’s dedicated producers click here FINE-DINING DESTINATIONS Though Skåne may be home to more than its fair share of rustic restaurants and earthy cafés, there are plenty of high-end options, too. Its close proximity to Copenhagen means Malmö, in particular, boasts several destination restaurants. In the city centre Bastard has long been a place to be seen, offering meat-heavy small plates and punchy cocktails in a party atmosphere, while field-to-fork restaurant Bloom in the Park has a Michelin star. Contemporary SAV and French-focussed Sture also hold stars, while intimate Vollmers boasts two for its seasonal tasting menus, which elevate Scånian ingredients to gourmet levels. The place of the moment during our visit was Västergatan, a cosy restaurant on a cobbled street of the same name in the centre of Malmö. Mini loaves of cold yeast bread with homemade butter kicked things off, followed by mixed meat tartare with smoked paprika, oven-baked celeriac with anchovies, wild garlic seeds and radishes, and slow-baked trout with burnt leek oil, roast chicken stock and pickled shiitake mushrooms. Elsewhere in the region, foodies flock to Daniel Berlin’s yellow-brick restaurant in Skåne Tranås, where the innovative chef serves his sophisticated take on vegetable dishes (there’s also game during the hunting season, shot by Daniel himself). To explore more fine-dining restaurants in Skåne click here FIELD-TO-FORK COOKING Fran jord till bord (from soil to table) is a deep-rooted approach in Skåne. The region lives up to its nickname of Sweden’s larder, with passionate producers and chefs making the most of the Scånian soil and diverse terroir (coast/farmland/forests) to bring local produce to life on the plate. Pralines made with forest herbs, intricate fine-dining dishes created from an on-site farms, and contemporary tasting menus using ingredients foraged from Malmö’s suburbs are par for the course in this part of Sweden. Click here to find five of the many field-to-fork restaurants in Skåne THE SWEDISH WINE ROUTE Skåne boasts its own wine route, linking more than 20 wineries that make the most of gentle south-facing slopes and a proximity to the sea. At Hällåkra vineyard, you can spend time picking plums and pink apples from the trees, peering into the greenhouse and admiring striking statues made by local artist Joakim before settling in for a wine dinner overlooking beds of yellow and orange marigolds. The vineyard capitalises on the unique flavour profile of Scånian terroir, with high acidity due to the short season and crispness from the Baltic Sea, and uses new grape hybrids (solaris developed from riesling and pinot gris, and rondo developed from St Laurent) to produce clean and crisp organic wines. Or, carry on to Nordic Sea Winery’s sleek tasting room in Simrishamn to sip some of Sweden’s most acclaimed wines in an ultra-contemporary setting. Check out Skåne’s many vineyards here For more great foodie spots in Skåne, click here... Written by Alex Crossley
Picturesque fishing villages, miles of open farmland and forest, hip bakeries and plant-filled cafés serving on-trend, picture-perfect dishes – Skåne is an Instagrammer’s dream
Looking to visit the most picturesque places in Sweden? Take a tip from the #olivetravels experts and read on for 10 of the best spots to post from in Skåne. Gram, Malmö The jar-framed sign in the window of Sweden’s first packaging-free grocery shop makes a striking photo-ready display. Inside there are glass bottles of kombucha, cylinders of all sorts of textured grains and boxes of jewelled broken chocolate, beautiful in its imperfection. Take your own jar and fill it with produce from Skåne’s rich larder. grammalmo.se https://www.instagram.com/p/BnboVEpg_K2/ Hörte Brygga, Skivarp This seaside restaurant is a one-off – walk over a footbridge to reach it then bag a spot on its patio, where sea buckthorn gently sways in the breeze. Inside, join the queue for the lunchtime basket special – your pot-luck cut of meat, fresh from the on-site smokehouse, could be anything from pork belly to lamb shoulder, packed with pickles, local salad leaves and bread from Söderberg and Sara. Those pickles are no afterthought; the restaurant gets through 100 kilos of them per week and jars of multicoloured ferments, drinking vinegars and herbal teas are crammed into every nook of Hörte Brygga’s tiny succession of rooms, alongside vintage vinyl and knobbly candlesticks. hortebrygga.se https://www.instagram.com/p/BsYt2sYHmYI/ Saltimporten, Malmö The current go-to spot for trendy Malmöites, portside restaurant Saltimporten is set in a former salt warehouse where stripped-back simplicity prevails. Brushed-oak tables span the width of the concrete room, a wall of glass gives views out over the water, while another wall is dominated by a concrete counter where you slice fresh sourdough while waiting in line to order from a choice of two daily lunch dishes – one meat, one veggie. Whichever you choose, both will turn out to be Instagram-ready plates packed with eye-catching flavours and textures – fine slices of pork neck over vibrant red peppers, bean sprouts and crunchy pork crackling crumb, perhaps, or a striking, almost monochrome, assembly of pale celeriac ribbons and beansprouts with black quinoa and sesame. saltimporten.com https://www.instagram.com/p/BnbJRuKgtzv/ Kin, Österlen For one of the most memorable fika experiences in Sweden, drive through Österlen’s picturesque countryside to track down this rural café. Inside an ivy-covered barn, rows of velvet cinema seats, a chandelier made from old-school glass bottles and a piano that doubles as a dressing table give a museum-of-curiosities vibe. As does a kitsch canister that decants filter coffee into flowery tea cups. If you’re into retro bathroom décor, this one gleams with hues of yellow, from a pale lemon sink to sunshine-hued tiles. If the weather’s playing ball, take a squidgy spelt bun out into the garden and eat it sitting beneath the orchard’s trees, swinging on a dainty wrought-iron swing chair, or standing beside a ladder lined with colourful pots and plants. kinbageri.se https://www.instagram.com/p/BniYJkchgi_/ Hällåkra Vingård, Anderslöv This vineyard makes the most of Skåne’s unique terroir, among rolling hills close to the Baltic Sea, to produce crisp and fruity Swedish wines. In the summer months it plays host to a lunchtime restaurant and occasional themed wine tastings. The restaurant is a colourful, Insta-ready oasis with gingham tablecloths, a pergola festooned with bunches of grapes and angel statues keeping watch over blossoming flower beds. Venture even further into the garden and you’ll find a greenhouse complete with baskets of freshly picked plums and pink apples from the adjacent trees. Continue down a small ravine and on up the other side and you’re met with miles of picturesque rolling hills. hallakra.com https://www.instagram.com/p/BnjIIRzBkbI/ Far i Hatten, Malmö The whole of Folkets Park (People’s Park) is a hotspot for quirky Instagram shots, from the Mikeller Bar residency in the park’s oriental-style pavilion to a striking fountain where water cascades from the blush-coloured petals of a giant rose. If you’re after more than just a splash of colour for your feed, however, head to Far i Hatten, a quirky restaurant and bar in the centre of the park. A gingerbread-style cottage, built in 1892, houses the main restaurant, brightly coloured chairs fill the vast outdoor patio, and the indoor-outdoor restaurant space is vintage-chic heaven, with frilly curtains at the windows, pale-pink velvet chairs and trailing ivy overhead. Food is equally close-up ready: think crushed pistachios studding a courgette and goat’s cheese wood-fired pizza bianca, or raw aztec broccoli, sliced and drizzled with broccoli pesto. farihatten.se https://www.instagram.com/p/BsXndNWn6hf/ Byvägen 35, Österlen Cool and casual Mati has got the whole family involved in the running of his bakery. After a stint in Copenhagen, he’s returned to his hometown of Sankt Olof, in the Skåne countryside, to cook up some of the best bakes around. Cinnamon buns are rested for 48 hours before baking to give a unique sour edge, while the devil’s loaf is a fluffy mix of durum wheat, roast potato and an array of seeds (nigella, pumpkin, sunflower and black sesame). You can try both at the on-site café, as well as savoury options such as pizza. For the most Instagrammable shots, head out onto the terrace and sit beneath one of its pretty white parasols – stylish blankets keep you cosy if temperatures drop. facebook.com/byvagen35 https://www.instagram.com/p/BsYPgpGng_5/ Pasta Fabriken, Österlen The latest venture from the baker trio behind Malmö’s Söderberg and Sara bakery and Hedvigsdal pizza spot, Pasta Fabriken is the friends’ take on pasta, having already cornered an eager market for bread and pizza. An old tractor repair hall in the middle of the countryside in eastern Skåne, this funky space now hosts a small pasta factory producing all sorts of shapes and sizes (hello dinosaur pasta!). Visit and you can watch the team create trays of fresh pasta from ancient Swedish grains, make sauces such as guanciale and wild boar ragu, and whizz up comforting broths such as porcini mushroom and celery root. The owners are fans of Eastern European wines (try the Serbian Maurer Furmint), so take a bottle out to enjoy on the patio and have a potter around the kitchen garden, taking shots of kohlrabi, kale, celery and artichokes in the southern Swedish sunshine. pastafabriken.com https://www.instagram.com/p/BsX2xNXH2fd/ Madamilen, Hven Island Madamilen’s self-guided food tours are an Instagrammer’s heaven. Taking place in various destinations across Skåne, including Malmö, Lund and Ångelholm, on each one (they take place on certain dates of the year, so check out the website to coincide your trip) avid foodie Lotta Ranert curates eight foodie stops for punters to cycle or walk between, with plenty of samples to taste. It’s an ideal way to get beneath the skin of a city, area or town without breaking the bank or bursting your belt. We recommend the tour around Hven, a little island between Sweden and Denmark. Pick up cardamom buns from a hatch in a thatched cottage, mackerel from a little red hut at the end of a pier and honeyed whisky at the island’s distillery (with views out over durum wheat fields). The island’s Tuna Krog restaurant is particularly pretty, with lightbulbs strung from gnarled trees over its ivy-covered veranda. Prop your iconic yellow hire bike against the fence and sip American pale ale from Hven Bryggeri. madamilen.se https://www.instagram.com/p/BneOgN7gv7f/ MJ's, Malmö Flamingos and flowers adorn the floors and furniture of this striking urban hotel. The lobby doubles up as a cocktail bar where little alcoves are given a cosy feel with floral fabrics, squishy chairs and well-stocked bookshelves while the restaurant and breakfast atrium have a tropical vibe with peachy-pink walls, lush plants and pretty parasols. In the atrium look up, beyond the parasols and palms, to admire the greenery garlanding the glass roof. mjs.life https://www.instagram.com/p/BpEh7-rhnq3/ For more great foodie spots in Skåne, click here... Written by Alex Crossley
Best vegan and vegetarian spots in Malmö
Check out our favourite plant-based restaurants and cafés in Skåne's edgy capital city, from veg-centric tasting menus to a trendy vegan brunch and vegan pizza in a park
Skåne’s capital city, Malmö, is a forward-thinking foodie hub that capitalises on its location between culinary trend-setting Copenhagen and Skåne’s fruitful larder. Not least when it comes to vegan dining, one trend that has really taken off in the city, particularly in the area around Folkets Park (People’s Park). Vegan restaurants, cafés and food shops have popped up all over in this part of the city, forming a tight-knit community of veg-focused entrepreneurs, each satisfying a different niche. There are even two food tours specifically catered to vegans in the city (Lotta Ranert’s self-guided Madamilen and Linda Dahl’s guided Matkaravan). Join one of them, or read on to follow your own vegan trail around Malmö with our pick of the city’s top plant-based spots. LYRAN – for vegetarian tasting menus While not 100% vegan, there’s definitely a focus on veg at this neighbourhood restaurant. Book a seat at Lyran’s six-person wooden counter and watch the chefs prepare pretty dishes in the small open kitchen. Jörgen and his team use ingredients from Skåne’s producers (funny cucumbers, pickled elderflower, beach rose and Swedish cantaloupe) to create imaginative dishes such as mustardy Icelandic sorrel leaf and muskmelon on Icelandic Viking bread, chargrilled leeks served with black garlic and gratings of local cheese, and tender slow-cooked beetroot in a smoky birch sap and floral wild beach rose vinegar. lyranmatbar.se SALTIMPORTEN – for trendy vegan options The current go-to spot for trendy Malmöites is portside restaurant Saltimporten. Set in a former salt warehouse, stripped-back simplicity prevails. Brushed-oak tables span the width of the concrete room, a wall of glass gives views out over the water, while another wall is dominated by a concrete counter where you slice fresh sourdough while waiting in line to order from a choice of two daily lunch dishes – one meat, one veggie. The vegetarian (often vegan) dish works just as hard as the meat option – think fine ribbons of celeriac laid on springy black quinoa with beansprouts and black sesame. Coffee from Malmö roaster Solde is on tap, and served in cute vintage teacups. saltimporten.com FAR i HATTEN – for vegan pizza This quirky space is a popular meeting place for Malmö’s twenty- and thirty-somethings. Far i Hatten has embraced the vegan movement with dishes such as aztec broccoli, sliced raw broccoli and broccoli pesto; rare cauliflower mushrooms with puffed wheat and dill; and even vegan pizzas topped with oat-based cream, vegan cheese, courgette and pistachios. We sneaked into the back for a tour and saw neat rows of jars dedicated to pickling and fermenting vegetables from Skåne’s fertile natural larder. The chefs share these ingredients with mixologists to create Nordic cocktails such as gin fizz with raspberries, rhubarb and lingonberries. farihatten.se JORD – for vegan brunch Jord, meaning ‘earth’ in Swedish, is one of Malmö’s best specialist vegan restaurants. Stop by this light and bright corner café for one of its all-day vegan breakfasts beneath the warm glow of exposed light bulbs – hummus bowls with baked red cabbage and carrot topped with hazelnuts and herb vinegar, perhaps, pea pesto toast with pickled cucumber ribbons and chive, or granola bowls filled with blackberries, coconut shavings and mint. Vegan bakes include raw brownies sprinkled with chocolate, cloves, walnuts and sea salt, and squidgy carrot cake; pair them with a silky filter coffee. jordmalmo.se GRAM – for vegan food shopping Though not 100% vegan, this food store has a low-waste ethos and many of its products are vegan. It is Sweden’s first packaging-free grocery store, and encourages shoppers to fill up their own containers with more than 200 Swedish products. There’s a focus on low mileage, too – vats of Swedish quinoa and rapeseed oil sit above boxes of owner Joel Lindqvist’s broken cloudberry chocolate and reusable glass bottles of kombucha from the city’s own Roots of Malmö brand. grammalmo.se MÖLLANS OST – for vegan cheese A cheese shop may seem an unlikely stop-off for vegans but Malmö’s Möllans Ost has a whole section dedicated to vegan cheese. Pad across its black-and-white-tiled floor to the far side of the counter to sample and buy vegan versions of smoked cheddar, parmesan and even a grillable halloumi alternative. Fun fact: these cheeses are currently all Greek because, traditionally, members of the Greek Orthodox church don’t eat animal products on fast days but wanted non-dairy alternatives, so the country is ahead of the game in the production of dairy-free cheeses. mollansost.com MITT MÖLLAN – for one-stop vegan shopping The final three vegan spots on our list are conveniently congregated under one roof at Mitt Möllan food hall, a 60s-era shopping mall in the Möllevången district that was recently reopened to house an impressive array of independent food producers. The food court offers everything from Indian food to ice cream, pizza to kombucha, and plenty of it is vegan. Take your pick from the stalls, then sit and eat at communal tables set beneath funky white lampshades. mittmollan.se 1. SCANDWICH – for vegan sandwiches The three Lind brothers got their idea to set up Skåne’s favourite sandwich shop after their Sunday ritual of creatively using leftovers from their family restaurant. This small shop takes the open sandwich to new levels by pickling, confiting, frying or baking Skåne-sourced ingredients. The brothers bake their own sourdough then fry it (to make it super crisp) and top it with the likes of roasted corn, confit cabbage, asparagus and broccoli with tarragon "mayo". scandwich.se 3. KÖLD ICE CREAM – for vegan ice cream Peter, the self-dubbed “glasstronom”, gives vegans an ice cream option beyond the standard sorbets, using coconut and cashew creams, made from scratch, in place of dairy. He is constantly inventing new vegan flavours, from the classic Swedish chokladboll cake (made using 72 per cent chocolate and a little coffee) to golden turmeric latte, and strawberry with vanilla and balsamic ripple. For those who want a refreshing hit, sorbet choices include tart and zingy raspberry and hibiscus, mango spiked with lime and ginger, and pear with white wine and gingerbread. kold.co<
5 field-to-fork restaurants in Skåne, Sweden
Fran jord till bord (from soil to table) is a deep-rooted approach in Skåne. The region is often dubbed Sweden’s larder and its passionate producers and chefs make the most of the Scånian soil and diverse terroir to bring local produce to life on the plate
Here are five of the best field-to-fork restaurants in Sweden's southern region, Skåne... then check out our foodie guide to Stockholm, Sweden. Daniel Berlin, Skåne Tranås Foodies flock to Daniel Berlin’s yellow-brick restaurant in Skåne Tranås. There are only 15 seats at this intimate restaurant, and tables are often booked months in advance, but it’s worth timing your trip around a slot at this remarkable little spot. The eponymous chef serves mainly vegetable dishes, elevating the region’s bountiful produce to Noma-like levels of sophistication. Contemporary plates include lobster propped neatly on garden turnip and lovage, fire-cooked celeriac served in a celeriac broth with celery oil and Västerbotten cheese, and a little cylinder of roe nestled in a plate of quail’s eggs. Although Daniel centres his dishes around vegetables picked from his own garden, there’s also plenty of game on the menu during the hunting season; from wild boar to deer shot by Daniel himself. danielberlin.se Lyran, Malmö At this neighbourhood restaurant, on a leafy corner of Folkets Park in Malmö, the chefs work with ingredients from Skåne’s impressive natural larder such as ‘funny’ cucumbers, pickled elderflower, smoky birch sap, beach roses and Swedish cantaloupe melons to create a clever succession of dishes. “Now we’re going to embrace you with the forest of Sweden”, says owner and head chef, Jörgen, as he steps out of his open kitchen and sets down a plate of white mushrooms in mushroom dashi with fermented elderflower and chewy pine nuts. He describes another dish as “fire” – rainbow trout roe that pops in the mouth with dried black olives, homegrown tomatoes and orange marigold petals. For dessert, sea buckthorn is whizzed into a sharp, citrussy sorbet and topped with roasted white chocolate crumb and mascarpone from La Treccia, a Danish dairy across the Oresund bridge in Copenhagen. Even the aperitifs are field-to-glass here – Jörgen’s wife puts a Scånian twist on her negronis with Lyran’s crowberry liqueur. This intense liquid is mixed with Campari and gin then pre-bottled and served by the centilitre. We suggest ordering the full 4cl, served in a pretty tea glass. lyranmatbar.se Hörte Brygga, Skivarp It doesn’t get much more field-to-fork than this cute seaside restaurant on Skåne’s wild southern coast. Chef Robert Hägg creates dishes from whatever the area’s farmers drop off that day. This could be duck with fermented strawberries and smoky birch sap reduced on an open flame, cured pike perch with smoked potato purée and liquoricey bronze fennel flowers, or rosehip sorbet with salt-roasted almonds covered in snowy shavings of frozen caramel and roquefort. Bag one of 10 seats around the kitchen table and join farmers and local producers, who bring whatever they’ve been growing to a pot luck-style dinner. In an adjoining smokehouse, Robert cooks the whole animal and works his way through the cuts for the lunchtime "basket special" – depending on where you are in the queue you could get beef fillet or lamb shoulder, pork belly or goat leg, all served (as the name suggests) in a basket, packed up with salad leaves, bread from micro-bakery Söderberg and Sara, and plenty of pickles. Horte Brygga is also big on pickling and fermenting, making the most of the Scånian larder to craft drinking vinegars, gherkins and colourful teas (think elderflower and rosehip or nettle, pineapple weed and woodruff). hortebrygga.se Ängavallen, Vellinge This 175-hectare, organic farm and hotel prides itself on its long-established farm-to-fork ethos (check out more foodie hotels in Skåne here). For farmer Rolf Axel Nordström this means largely letting his 80 pigs, 100 sheep and 80 cattle do as they please. As he says, “wouldn’t it be nice to be a cow listening to the bumble bees and eating handpicked hay from the pastures?” See his contented animals for yourself on Ängavallen’s farm safari before eating in the estate’s smart restaurant. Vibrant green leeks are sautéed in brown butter and served with white currants and pickled jalapeños. Slow-cooked veal knuckle is served with mushroom, courgette and hispi cabbage with a reduced red wine sauce, fennel and dill. Apples are cooked in butter with cinnamon and served with brown butter ice cream, candied pine nuts and liquoricey pickled chervil seeds. It’s a large operation. The farm makes its own charcuterie as well as boasting a dairy and bakery (in the latter it turns ancient grains into rustic loaves). You can buy a picnic from the farm shop to eat in the neat on-site park – baguettes, cheeses, cold dishes and juice freshly squeezed from the kitchen garden’s fruit. angavallen.se Erikstorps Kungsgård, Landskrona A leafy campsite may seem an unlikely spot for a destination restaurant, but the surrounding landscape makes this an easy win for its terroir-focussed chefs. Dion Liljegren and Ludvig Odeholm don’t use the word ‘local’ to describe their ingredients (they feel this is a given nowadays) but they do have a genuine passion for produce. A whole forest of herbs, berries and mushrooms is there for the taking right on the doorstep, while an amble down to the closest harbour provides cod and lumpfish roe, and the neighbouring beach comes up with ingredients such as sea buckthorn and beach roses. Pizzas are popular at the restaurant, made using wheat flour milled a few miles away in Tågarp, and topped with ingredients from the surroundings, in true field-to-fork style. The restaurant’s lambs, roaming the hills of Irena’s Slott castle, have “the best view in the world’ according to Liljegren and Odeholm, while up in Nyhamsläge, Alex Charkuteri supplies coppa-style cured ham and sausages. The restaurant’s beer selection demonstrates Skåne’s innovative approach to small-batch production – there are three breweries in Landskrona alone. Try the Lucifer sour ale with passion fruit and saffron or the Pink Passion, fermented with hibiscus – both from the town’s Brekeriet brewery. Check out more microbreweries in Skåne here... erikstorpskungsgard.se For more great foodie spots in Skåne, click here... Written by Alex Crossley
Work up an appetite strolling through Skåne’s verdant fields and forests – or enjoy a wild dip off its coastline – then return to one of these pampering foodie hotels to feast on the likes of wild duck with artichoke and elderberries, mussel broth with crispy cabbage or home-cured monkfish with cauliflower purée
Looking for the best foodie hotels in Sweden? Here are the best hotels for food lovers in Sweden's southern region, Skåne, from seaside shacks to countryside retreats and city pads. Don't miss a foodie weekend in Skåne's capital city, Malmö, for the best restaurants. Mellby Klockargård Mellby is what Swedes call a smultronställe (wild strawberry place) – a little gem that you would really rather keep to yourself. Newly renovated in a romantic and charmingly bohemian way, this b&b opens its seven individually decorated rooms (think painted wooden floorboards, splashes of colour and pattern and fleamarket finds) only in the summer months. Guests can also enjoy Mellby’s magical garden, full of secret spots for drinking freshly brewed espresso and day dreaming. Breakfasts are simple and delicious (and largely organic and local), with many of the fruit, vegetables and herbs served grown in the garden. mellbyklockargard.se Örum119, Löderup After try Malmö's city centre restaurants, add on a night in Skåne's lush countryside. Örum119 is an hour's drive East and ticks all the right boxes when it comes to a luxurious country hotel experience: rows of green wellies available to borrow, spoiling spa treatments, clogs and fluffy bathrobes in the romantic bedrooms, roaring fires, and top-notch food. Seasonal produce leads the way with a typical three-course set menu (there are also five-course and à la carte options) including 64-degree egg with parsley and trout roe, wild duck with artichoke and elderberries and hazelnut fromage with apple and watercress. The breakfast buffet – a mix of traditional favourites and hipster options (smashed avocado toast, algae drinks…) is well worth getting up for. Borrow a bike and visit nearby Mandelmanns Trädgårdar organic gardens or Kinbageri for freshly baked sourdough. orum119.se Doubles from £213, check availability at booking.com Blåsingsborgs Gårdshotell Blåsingsborg is just outside Kivik, a small town famous for its apple orchards, and the hotel can arrange juice- and cider-tasting trips to local producer Kiviks Musteri as well as whisky tastings on site, should you fancy something stronger. Housed in a classic skånegård (a four-sided farmhouse built around a cobbled inner courtyard), the hotel is friendly and family owned. Stylish bedrooms retain their rustic farmhouse feel with exposed beams and tiled floors. Owners Karin and Henrik cook and serve a three-course set dinner that changes daily and is based around the best ingredients available – a starter of own-cured monkfish with cauliflower purée, for example, followed by local beef fillet with beetroot – and a vegetarian option is always available. blasingsborg.se Wanås Restaurant Hotel This family-owned castle and estate is famous for the world-class sculpture park in its grounds, and the boutique hotel it opened in former cowsheds in 2017 maintains the same exacting standards. Work up an appetite wandering in the adjacent forest and exploring the cutting-edge art installations before settling down in front of a fire with a pre-dinner cocktail. The 11 bedrooms are luxurious, in an elegant and restrained Nordic style, and much of the food served comes from the estate’s own organic farm and surrounding forests. Try Wanås tartare if it’s on the menu – raw Wanås dry-aged beef with pickled artichokes, cheese, wild garlic cream, fried nettles and roasted rye. wanasrh.se Idala Gård This mid-19th century whitewashed farmhouse has been converted into a stylish b&b with elegant bedrooms and fantastic food; menus have a modern edge and international influences (head chef Matan Levy is Chicago-born and Israeli-raised). Owners Charlotte and Kristofer are Italophiles and run their own wine import business as well as organising wine tastings for guests. Wines are exclusively Italian and are knowledgeably matched with the kitchen’s seasonal menus. A five-course autumn dinner might kick off with some farm cheese, charcuterie, boquerones, homemade pickles, cultured butter and sourdough bread, and finish with a dessert of chocolate, pear, hazelnuts, toffee and black pepper. idalagard.se Talldungen Gårdshotell Österlen, with its gently rolling countryside and unique light, is often referred to as the Tuscany of Sweden, so it’s not surprising that many of the area’s restaurants include Italian influences. At Talldungen the four-course evening set menu might include rustic crowdpleasers such as porchetta with local Fagraslätt lentils and salsa verde or cod with beans and aïoli, while wines come mainly from France and are all organic or biodynamic. The hotel has its own micro-brewery on site (handily producing yeast for the delicious homemade bread served at breakfast) and bedrooms are as comforting as the food. talldungen.se En Gaffel Kort På Maritim When the fish restaurant En Gaffel Kort moved into Hotel Maritim’s distinctive blue building a few years ago it became a must-visit restaurant-with-rooms. What better place to eat seafood than on the terrace overlooking Simrishamn’s idyllic harbour on a long summer evening? Food is unpretentious, hearty and delicious – fish dishes such as whole grilled plaice with beetroot, capers and horseradish, or red snapper with salt-baked jerusalem artichokes, mussel broth and crispy cabbage are what many come for but the kitchen also does a mean slow-aged beef with trimmings for two. Walk off pudding (milk chocolate cream with dried strawberries and rhubarb and basil sorbet, anyone?) with a stroll along the harbour before rolling into one the hotel’s 14 bedrooms, many of them with sea views. engaffelkort.se Ängavallen Just 20 minutes from Malmö but in peaceful country surroundings, Ängavallen is an uncompromisingly organic oasis (even bedlinen in the cosy bedrooms is organic). Almost all the food Ängavallen serves is grown on site, from ethically reared cows, sheep and pigs to organically cultivated vegetables and herbs. An on-site dairy, bakery and farm shop means you can pick up a round of Vita (a brie-like cheese) or some charcuterie to take home with you. If you happen to be staying in November, this is the place to enjoy Sweden’s only 100% organic gåsamiddag – a Scånian gut-busting goose feast which uses all parts of the goose and kicks off with svartsoppa, a sweet-and-sour black soup made from bird blood and broth. angavallen.se Hotellet & Co Hotellet & Co is a charming boutique hotel on the harbour of Höganäs. If you can drag yourself away from your chic, sea-view room, work up an appetite exploring the beautiful Kullaberg peninsula, or enjoy a bracing swim in the Öresund, followed by a sauna in the open-air bathhouse. The hotel serves traditional Scånian and Swedish home-cooking at lunchtimes (try the skånsk äggakaka – a local twist on tortilla), before converting to Osteria il Gusto in the evenings. Dinner menus include classic Italian dishes such as vitello tonnato and ossobuco alla milanese, accompanied by northern Italian wines, grappa and prosecco. The hotel is also perfectly placed for visiting two of the area’s most exciting foodie destinations – Holy Smoke BBQ, a barbecue shack serving finger-licking brisket, short ribs and pulled pork, and Garage, a biker bar with live music and classic American comfort food, including what many aficionados deem to be Sweden’s best burgers. hotelletochco.se For more great foodie spots in Skåne, click here... Written by Tatty Good
10 of the best places to eat and drink in north-west Skåne
From the vineyards and palace dining rooms of the countryside to the sophisticated urban restaurants of Helsingborg’s waterfront, north- west Skåne caters for all culinary tastes. Whether you want traditional Scanian comfort food (think fried pork with potato pancakes and lingonberry jam), American-inspired but locally sourced soul food or tartare of char, it’s all there for the eating
Sofiero Slottsrestaurang It’s worth seeking out the former summer palace of King Oscar II, a couple of kilometres north of Helsingborg. Here, a beautiful park and gardens form a magical backdrop to one of Sweden’s finest restaurants, where you can dine like royalty among chandeliers, starched white tablecloths and candlelight. If a full five- or seven-course gourmet dinner is not your thing, you can always drop by for a more wallet- and waistline-friendly lunch. A dish of the day – perhaps guinea fowl with red-wine baked pears, puréed potatoes and pointed cabbage – won’t break the bank but will give you the chance to sample the restaurant’s masterful cooking. sofieroslottsrestaurang.se Sillen & Makrillen This sleek, glass-walled building, directly on Helsingborg's waterfront, houses the best fish restaurant in town. Push the boat out with a seafood platter and a bottle of Krug, or choose more modestly from a menu that includes tartare of char from Umeå with wasabi mayonnaise, roast sesame seeds, spring onion, crispy tapioca, sliced black radish and shiso. Carnivores won’t go hungry either, with dishes like slow-baked Skåne veal knuckle with cabbage, smoked bacon, jerusalem artichoke, crispy potatoes, apple vinegar and veal gravy. Round off with an espresso martini as you watch the sun go down over the Öresund. sillenmakrillen.se Barski Helsingborg lost a gem of a café last year when master coffee makers Koppi closed to focus on the coffee-roasting side of business. Luckily for coffee aficionados, beer lovers and ramen fans, however, this new high-end bar/restaurant by local microbrewers Brewski, on the café’s old premises, satisfies all three cravings in one. With some 20 of their own and other guest beers served on tap, Koppi coffee expertly made by a former Koppi barista and ramen by stellar chef Mike Field, ambitions and standards are high. barski.se Drottninggatan 35 Only open in the evenings, D35 is the place to go in Helsingborg for a buzzy, sociable dinner; the focus is on sharing plates of unpretentious, big-flavoured food around a long communal table. Ingredients are mainly local and seasonal but there’s input from across the world – start with a few Grebbestad oysters before sampling cod with hollandaise and cauliflower, and sweetbreads with chanterelles and fermented garlic, and don’t forget to order some truffled fries for the table. Keep an eye on the restaurant’s Facebook page as Drottninggatan 35 also opens occasionally for lunches, and for cracking Sunday brunches with a party atmosphere and classic pick-me-ups like mimosas and bloody marys. drottninggatan35.se Garage In the industrial area of Höganäs you’ll find a little corner of the American south, a restaurant serving authentic soul food to both bikers and anyone else who appreciates a world-class burger (many aficionados count them among the best in Sweden). Those famous burgers are joined on the menu by TexMex favourites such as tacos, red chilli and buffalo wings, all washed down with beer from the owners’ micro-brewery, Höganäs Bryggeri, and accompanied by live music with a hard rock edge. garagebar.se Höganäs Saluhall In the former pottery buildings for which Höganäs is famous (conveniently located right next door to Garage), you’ll find an atmospheric indoor food market/restaurant built around the old kilns. Numerous counters sell the very best produce the area has to offer, including cheeses from Vilhemsdal dairy, pork chops from Olinge gård and the company’s own breads and other delicacies. Take your food finds outside for a picnic, or head upstairs to the restaurant for a hearty lunch made from the same top-notch ingredients that are on sale downstairs. The restaurant is also open in the evenings during the summer months. hoganassaluhall.se Holy Smoke If you’re looking for fine dining and fancy service, you’ve come to the wrong place. If, however, you want to try some of the best barbecued meat you’ve ever eaten, steer a course to this BB shack out in Bräcke, in the heart of the beautiful Kullabygden region. Buy a tray of sides and then choose from between six and 10 barbecued meat options. Pork and chicken are locally sourced while prime Black Angus beef comes from Arkansas; brisket is smoked for up to 24 hours while short ribs get around eight hours in subtle oak smoke. The shack is only open during the summer season but keep your eye on the company's social media accounts for special events like cooking classes and occasional festive openings. holysmokebbq.se Mölle Krukmakeri This pottery, run by renowned local potter Lisa Wohlfahrt, occupies a charming spot near the harbour in Mölle and has been joined over the years by a garden café and an evening restaurant serving authentic Neapolitan pizzas. Open all year round, you can sit outside among apple trees or in a vine-covered orangery and eat pizzas that are slowly fermented, fast baked and topped with simple but top-quality ingredients such as buffalo mozzarella, Ligurian olives and green pepper salami from Skåne. mollekrukmakeri.se Arilds Vingård Thanks to the region’s fertile soil and relatively mild winters, Skåne has, over the past two decades, become one of Europe’s most northerly wine-growing regions. As well as offering wine tours and tastings, and cosy accommodation, this family-run winery has a restaurant serving traditional country cooking that pairs well with their own reds, whites and rosés, as well as cocktails made with their own gin. Simple, well-cooked dishes include the likes of fried mackerel, sourced from local fishermen, with boiled potatoes and a mustard and dill sauce, or local brisket with potato cakes and coleslaw. arildsvingard.se Erikstorps Kungsgård There may be a famous golf course, the Landskrona, beside this restaurant but don’t expect your average club sandwich. The kitchen at Erikstorp is run in collaboration with Skåne’s most celebrated chef, Daniel Berlin, and standards are high. Sit in the pared-back bistro and choose charcuterie from locally reared, free-range animals, local artisan cheeses or pizzas made from Ven durum wheat. Or, order a four- or eight-course tasting menu in the building’s Food Academy restaurant. Innovative dishes here might include lamb tartare with jerusalem artichoke with preserved wild garlic and currants, or brill baked in goose fat with grilled cucumber, mushroom and butter emulsion. erikstorpskungsgard.se Written by Tatty Good For more great foodie spots in Skåne, click here...
Reykjavik, Iceland foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
Wrap up this winter and discover clean Nordic flavours in the Icelandic capital, from hot smoked fish and freshly baked cinnamon rolls to waffles with rhubarb jam
Looking for Reykjavik restaurants? Want to find best cheap eats in Reykjavik? We visited Reykjavik with Icelandic chef Aggi Sverrisson, owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Texture in London, to get a local foodie’s insider tips. Enjoy ice cream by the quirky Hallgrímskirkja church, or tuck into a hotdog by the harbour, with a backdrop of the fish-like Harpa opera house and snow-capped mountains. Best local cafe in Reykjavik – Café Loki This cute cafe serves cheap and authentic Icelandic food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In Hallgrímskirkja’s dramatic shadow, this popular local spot is a great place to stop for rye pancakes or hearty Icelandic stew, followed by a pot of homemade ice cream studded with treacly flecks of rye bread topped with sweet squirty cream. Lokastígur 28, Loki.is Best traditional Icelandic restaurant in Reykjavik –Frakkar If you want to try weird and wonderful Icelandic specialities (ie fermented shark), this is the place to come. Top local chefs, including Aggi Sverrisson, would frequently visit with their families when growing up. Frakkar has managed to keep in shape while sticking to its roots – dainty lace curtains, dark green paper tablecloths and an original wooden bar create a cosy space. Frakkar was the first restaurant to serve ‘grandma’s fish hash’ outside the family home, a Friday tradition in Icelandic households, designed to use up leftover fish from the week. This is a must-try, served with dark, treacly Iceland black rye bread. Wash done a cube or two of frozen rotten shark meat with a shot of Icelandic Brennivín, an aniseedy spirit known by locals as ‘Black Death’. Baldursgata 14, 3frakkar.com Best cheap eat in Reykjavik – Lobster Hut This food truck takes a while to track down, due to its moveable pitch, but it’s worth it for the best value lobster you’ll try. Most evenings you’ll find this fuss-free truck parked up in Laekjartorg square. Order a lobster roll filled with plenty of fresh lobster, salad, creamy sauce and tortilla chip pieces for added crunch. Locals come here for post night-out food that’s a step up from a kebab or cheesy chips! Laekjartorg Square Best traditional café in Reykjavik –Mokka Shelter from the cold in this cosy, wood-paneled café, and you’ll immediately notice the specialty ­– every other table will be tucking into door-stopper waffles, served cream tea-style with ramekins of fresh whipped cream and strawberry jam. A great-value afternoon snack. The same wooden tables have been attached to the same old-school red carpet for decades, and you can tell the regulars have been coming since they were kids. There’s an atmospheric hum about the place, with the espresso machine buzzing, groups of men laughing and breaking into ditties in Icelandic and broken English, and a lady wrapped up in a fur coat and hat working on her calligraphy in the maroon leather window seat. Skólavörðustígur 3A, Mokka.is Best cinnamon buns in Reykjavik – Braud & Co If Gusti’s graffiti-covered bakery isn’t enough reason to stop you in your tracks on the gradual climb up to Hallgrímskirkja church, then the spiced aroma of freshly baked rolls is sure to pull you in. There’s plenty to keep you entertained while queuing for your bread, from the colourful mural on the outside, past the glass-fronted preparation station inside, to a huge oven, churning out humungous cinnamon rolls, loaves of caramelized rye and flaky pastries. The spiced rolls are the hero bake here, but blueberry and liquorice swirls and vanilla buns are also excellent. Stock up on all three; it’s worth it. Frakkastígur 16, Braudogco.is Best food hall in Reykjavik – Skal at Hlemmur Matholl A great option for a cheaper dinner in Reykjavik... Hlemmur food hall may be compact but it’s full of restaurants and bars offering seasonal Icelandic dishes and ingredients. Grab one of Braud & Co’s legendary buns, sip on French wines at Kröst, or pick up a wholesome juice from Rabbar Barinn, packed with fruit and veg grown in Iceland’s volcanic soil. Sit at the counter at Skal for vegan smoked carrot and avocado toast with refreshing daily cocktails. On our visit we tried a refreshing martini with Reykjavik Distillery’s rhubarb liqueur, fresh lemon juice and vodka, with rhubarb arctic salt to zest up the rim. Laugavegur 107, Hlemmurmatholl.is Best craft beer bar in Reykjavik – Microbar This basement bar was the first microbrewery in Reykjavik, and holds a fine selection of Icelandic brews. Carry out your own little tasting session with the sampler sets of five or ten beers, served with a little score card so proper beer geeks can take notes (read our guide to craft beer here). Pick up strong malty flavours and dulse seaweed notes from The Brother’s Brewery Eldfell Volcano red ale, try Belgian-style Witbier from Southern Iceland brewery, Olvisholt, or suss out dark, smooth stouts and rye IPAs from Gaedingur, the microbrewery in the North of Iceland that set up Microbar. Chat to the guy behind the bar, and test him on the pronunciation of the 64-letter longest Icelandic word. You never know when you may need that information! Vesturgata 2, Gaedingur-ol.is Best bar in Reykjavik – Dillon Whiskey Bar Icelandic rock blares out of the windows of this first-floor whisky joint on Reykjavik’s main street. Climb the concrete steps at the side of the building, and enter a sticky whisky den. Icelandic rock bands add to the grungy vibe of this wood-paneled bar. With 100-or-so whiskies to choose from, covering scotch, to Irish to bourbon, ordering can be overwhelming to a whisky novice. We recommend the local Floki whisky, single malt whisky made with Icelandic barley. For something unique, Floki also has a sheep dung smoked reserve, using traditional Icelandic methods of smoking using sheep dung to add sweet smoky notes. Laugavegur, +354 568 2424 Best patisserie in Reykjavik – Sandholt This swish bakery is bigger than it looks. Grab a ticket and wait your turn at the marble counter for sea salt and caramel truffles or passion fruit ganache covered in crisp feuilletine pieces. If you’d prefer to sit in and shelter from the cold, there’s a smart seating area where you can cuddle up over hot coffee and a perfectly glazed brown butter bun. More substantial sandwiches on squidgy sourdough (make your own here) are available for much-needed lunchtime fuel. Laugavegur 36, Sandholt.is Best hotdog in Reykjavik – Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur Walk towards town from the harbour, and you’ll most likely stumble across the inevitable queue for this simple red and white shack set up in what looks like an old car park. This hot dog stand was set up in 1937, and has become a much-loved local institution. Order “one with everything” or “the works” and the vendors will laden your hot dog with sweet mustard, ketchup and remolaòi mayonnaise sauce, along with raw and crispy fried onions. Scooch up on the picnic bench next to locals and tourists and tuck in to this fuss-free street food snack. Tryggvagata 1, Bbp.is Try our fun hotdog recipes here: - hotdog toppers - buffalo American hotdogs - kimchi hotdogs Best wine bar in Reykjavik – Port 9 Tucked away in a little courtyard off a side street in Reykjavik centre, this smart wine bar is the ideal hideout for a pre-dinner drink. Over 400 bottles are stored in the wine cellar, many of which owner Gunnar serves by the glass. More are showcased on the floor-to-ceiling shelves behind the bar. Taste your way through wines from France and Lebanon, Chile and New Zealand, in a stylish room filled with velvet chairs and flickering green tea lights. There are appetizers to nibble on, including Icelandic smoked salmon, baked goat’s cheese with fig jam, and salt-cod salads with sun-dried tomatoes. Veghúsarstígur 9, Port9.is Moss Restaurant, The Blue Lagoon Take a trip out of Reykjavik city centre to The Blue Lagoon for an afternoon spent sipping on skyr smoothies, bathing in healing geothermal waters, slathering your skin with a face mask packed with volcanic minerals or relaxing with an in-water massage. If that makes you feel hungry, there's good news: Moss Restaurant has just opened on-site, with Aggi Sverrisson as consultant chef. Spruce up after your spa day and book a table to watch the sun set over the other-worldly surrounding landscape with a glass of champagne or wine from the restaurant's special cellar, buried deep into the lava. The restaurant's clean, contemporary furnishings let the scenery and food take centre stage. Moss has an open kitchen, immersing diners in a seven-course tasting menu which presents a modern take on Iceland’s ingredients and heritage. Whipped skyr butter seasoned with Icelandic seaweed leads the way, before dishes such as pan-fried langoustine served with cauliflower ‘textures’ (raw slices, seeds and a springy couscous), pan-fried cod neck and confit arctic char with char caviar, sorrel sauce and crispy rye bread. Icelandic lamb is particularly gamey due to a diet of blueberries and arctic herbs, and here Aggi serves it with a side of traditional ‘mother’s broth’ (braised lamb with barley, rosemary, thyme and dill). Vibrant green lovage granita with celery consommé makes a refreshing palate cleanser before dessert. Then finish with a show-stopping selection of petits fours (fragrant pistachio madeleines, mini macarons, liquorice toffees and melt-in-the-mouth chocolate caramels). If you can’t make it to Reykjavik, but want to taste Icelandic ingredients at their finest, head to Aggi’s Michelin-starred restaurant Texture, in London. For more Reykjavik tips and cheap eats, search for #oliveeatsreykjavik on social media. More Reykjavik tips here, from local Eirny Sigurdardotti: Coocoo's Nest In the city’s old harbour area Coocoo’s Nest is a quirky bistro owned by photographer Íris Ann and artist/chef Lucas Keller. The menu leans towards Italy and California and everything is made from scratch including sourdough, pasta and ricotta. There’s also a great weekend brunch menu. Chef Gisli Matthias Auðunsson is making his mark on the local culinary scene, adding innovative twists to traditional Icelandic cooking. His restaurant, Matur og Drykkur (Food and Drink), is a cosy space with friendly, committed staff. Go for lunch and order steamed cabbage and lamb parcels with onion butter sauce, or book for dinner and try the whole roast cod’s head. An Italian-inspired fine-dining restaurant at the top of Harpa music and conference hall, Kolabrautin promises food as impressive as the views across Reykjavik harbour (house-made burrata with pickled tomatoes and basil). If you can’t stretch to dinner, splash out on a glass of franciacortaat the bar instead. Omnom chocolate Award-winning Icelandic chocolatier Omnom is opening its eagerly awaited new factory premises and store this month. Any self-respecting chocaholic should sign up for one of the company’s tours, exploring the production process before ending with a tasting of its range; the liquorice and sea salt version is amazing. Aalto restaurant Set in the Nordic House, a space designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, the Aalto restaurant is owned by chef Sveinn Kjartansson. A popular TV chef and food writer in Iceland, Kjartansson is known for innovative seafood cooking. Try the hot-smoked catfish with citrus. Photographs: Alamy, Ragnor Visage/Andre Visage How to get to Iceland Return flights from Gatwick, Stansted or Edinburgh to Reykjavik cost from £60 return (wowair.co.uk)
Stedsans in the Woods, Halland, West Sweden: Review
In the heart of a forest in West Sweden, the team behind rooftop restaurant Stedsans ØsterGRO, in Copenhagen, have set up a unique foodie settlement, Stedsans in the Woods.
We head to Stedsans in the Woods, a restaurant in the forest with cabins and a floating sauna on Lake Halla (a two hour drive from Gothenburg and a few hours drive from Malmö, just across the bridge from Copenhagen). Read our review and find out the plans to expand Stedsans In The Woods... then check out our foodie guide to Stockholm, Sweden. Stedsans In The Woods is an ongoing project from Mette Helbæk and Flemming Hansen, who recently sold their Copenhagen home and rooftop restaurant, Stedsans ØsterGRO, and moved their family just across the water to a seven-hectare plot of forest next to Lake Halla in West Sweden. The focus of Stedsans ØsterGRO was to make guests happy through sharing food and bring them closer to nature through the use of fresh ingredients and simple cooking. The couple have taken this idea to the next level at Stedsans in the Woods, where they have succeeded in creating an idyllic, food-centred experience, with the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign. Arriving at Stedsans in the Woods, we highly recommend setting aside an hour or so to soak up the surroundings and get into the tranquil way of life before dinner. Read a book beneath the trees on the boathouse bench, take the floating sauna (lit with iconic Solstickan matches, used by the Swedes since 1936) on a little adventure to the middle of the lake, or search for the best spot in the house – a sun-soaked rock beyond the trees at the water’s edge, with a view that inspired the Stedsans in the Woods logo, a little illustration of trees reflected in the water (ask Flemming how to find it!). The field-to-fork approach at Stedsans in the Woods Stedsans means “a sense of location” in Danish, and here you truly get a feel for your surroundings – guests eat and sleep in tents under the stars, drift in the lake inside the floating sauna, and pluck ingredients from the wild to create daily-changing menus that cherish the best of what is available where you are at that precise moment. Whenever they get the opportunity, Mette and Flemming utilise what nature has already provided – the forest floor is carpeted with blueberry plants, wild flowers and rock piles covered in edible moss. Ingredients are plucked from this fairytale floor hours, if not minutes, before being served in vibrant dishes. Take the forest flower salad, for example – a stunning plate of freshly picked leaves, carefully assembled by chef Caarl Kindblom’s intricately tattooed hands. Sweet broccoli-like kale flowers, nutty white rucula flowers and tiny yellow dill flowers (these have the fragrance of Szechuan peppercorns), are dressed in a subtle elderflower syrup and vinegar with crisp toasted buckwheat. If you have time before dinner, ask Flemming if you can join him on a foraging expedition. Venturing deep into the forest, we were rewarded with gigantic ceps (and also the discovery of a secluded lake down the other side of a wooded bank). Only an hour or so later, the mushrooms were sautéed in butter with tarragon and a sprinkle of aged Parmesan and served for dinner, true field to fork style. A small permaculture farm provides chefs with other ingredients – the fruitful garden is a patch of carefully organised chaos, with bergamot flowers growing alongside grassy goosefoot, and sorrel climbing next to medicinal plants. There’s an impressively intricate “insect hotel” (this helps to provide piney, flowery honey), and a pen that’s home to chickens and linderöds pigs, a breed that’s half wild boar, half tame and has been brought back from the verge of extinction. Preparation of dishes at Stesans in the Woods is minimal, to let the ingredients shine. There’s no fancy equipment (not even a blender) in the “yell-free” open-to-the-wild kitchen. Instead, chefs roast meats over an open fire, crush pastes in a pestle and mortar and heat water over a stove. Dinner at Stedsans in the Woods The chefs’ simple cooking techniques create bright and balanced dishes which guests enjoy in an ethereal tent in the middle of the forest. The whole evening is about sharing. Guests sit round long tables on animal skins; passing plates down the table, pouring each other wine and dishing out large platters of food to neighbours. On our visit, as well as the forest flower salad and sautéed ceps, Flemming and Caarl served a medley of garden kale and cabbage caramelised in brown butter with fresh figs and toasted hazelnuts. Dinners are mostly vegetarian, as the team want to showcase the flora of the woods and mother nature to guests, but there is always at least one meat course. This might be anything from fresh lake fish to moose (a speciality of the region). We tried veal heart, cooked pink with thyme, onions and oregano, a rich and gamey dish. The cheese course was also kept local, with a creamy blue from 45 minutes away on the West Coast, and homemade rye bread ground on a stone in the camp. Finally, Mette and Flemming dedicated dessert to their 83-year old neighbour, who has spent every Christmas of his life in the same house. He’s so thrilled that Stedsans in the Woods has breathed life back into the little Swedish hamlet that he’s happy to regularly provide fruits from his garden. We enjoyed yellow plums on a cream, yogurt and forest honey base with broken pieces of wild cacao bean chocolate and caramelised brittle-like clusters of homemade marzipan and nuts. Each course was thoughtfully paired with a wine (or non-alcoholic alternatives such as sage tea, elderflower cordial and woodruff syrup). We tried delicate Pouilly-Fumé, complex orange wine grown on malvasia vines in southern Italy, and a sweet wild cacao drink to complement the cheese. After dinner, it was down to the boathouse to share stories with more free flowing wine around the campfire. With blankets and fur rugs to snuggle up in, the smell of wood burning and the stillness of the lake, this was a moment of hygge if ever we have experienced one. Cabins at Stedsans in the Woods When we visited guests were accommodated in bedouin tents, complete with sturdy wooden floors, cosy blankets and glowing lanterns. Now smart glass-fronted wooden cabins are dotted amongst the trees and round the lake, adding to the idyllic cabin vibes that the floating sauna already provided. The team also has exciting plans to create an innovative “third space” that will be neither outdoors or indoors. A greenhouse will be built directly onto the forest floor so as to provide a natural carpet, and trees will grow up through the atrium-like building, while natural sunlight and the stove will provide heating. In order to ensure that guests completely relax, a wild spa has been constructed on moveable platforms beside the lake. Mette’s homemade scrubs and oils, a yoga platform and a sawdust sauna all contribute to creating a luxurious wellbeing centre that is in harmony with its natural surroundings. With such a tranquil, unique spot and a sincere commitment to bringing guests closer to nature, these plans only promise to make Stedsans in the Woods more magical than ever. We can’t wait to return. For more information visit stedsans.org Travel information: visitsweden.com Photographs and words by Alex Crossley Here are some more photos from our stay at Stedsans in the Woods... For more cabin vibes, here are our favourite places to stay in the UK...
Helsinki foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
Check out the best places to eat and drink in Finland's seaside capital, from pizza in the sea to lakeside coffee and cinnamon buns...
Looking for Helsinki restaurants? Want to know where to get the best coffee in the Finnish capital? Nordic food culture is fashionable, but Copenhagen and Stockholm usually pip Helsinki to the post when discussing culinary weekend getaways. In this feature we make the case, instead, for Finland’s edgy, design-led capital. From cute cafes to hip cocktail bars, smart restaurants to local street food spots, Helsinki has it all. You just need to know where to find it, and that’s where our guide to eating and drinking in the city comes in. Plus, explore Helsinki's new crop of vegan and vegetarian-friendly cafés and restaurants. Sandro – best brunch in Helsinki On a rainy weekend in Helsinki trendy locals head to Sandro for bottomless lunches and weekend brunches. The stripped-back décor at its two branches (one is in Helsinki’s design district, the other in edgier Kallio) allows the kitchen’s North African food to steal the limelight. Colourful Moroccan ceramic plates are piled high with an array of salads ­– think chickpea with carrots and beetroot, jewelled couscous and tabbouleh, and pickled cauliflower with crunchy toasted almonds. There’s plenty of choice where dips are concerned – silky, smoky baba ganoush, zingy pistachio pesto and cucumber and lemon labneh – plus freshly baked crusty spiced bread. Finish this veggie-focused spread with coffee or mint tea and tiny squares of chocolate cake and baklava. Sandro.fi Kahvila Tynni – for breakfast by the water On a sunny day in Helsinki, wrap up warm, run down to the western banks of Töölönlahti Bay, bounce along a wooden jetty to this little café in a wooden hut and bask in the sunshine on one if its deckchairs. This lake-like slick of saltwater here is a reminder that Helsinki spreads out across an archipelago and there’s an almost beachside feel to the setting. The friendly Finnish girls behind the counter will tempt you with cinnamon bun biscuits topped with flaked almonds, nettle and peppermint tea and indulgent croissants filled with huge wedges of brie, strawberries and a drizzle of balsamic. If you don’t fancy the jetty deckchairs, there’s a separate seating area, still overlooking the water but where tables and chairs are delicately screened off from the bay by giant plants. Facebook.com/kahvilatyyni Kahvila Sinisen Huvilan – for ice cream with a view Stroll 10 minutes or so round Töölönlahti Bay to its eastern shore and you’ll come across a beautiful blue clapboard house. Tucked behind it, set back from the water’s edge, is a tiny blue shed that’s home to another charming café. Grab a cone brimming with Finnish blueberry ice cream and lounge on one of the wooden chairs scattered beneath the birch trees. Idyllic. sininenhuvila.weebly.com Skiffer – for pizza and DJs Hop on the little ferry from the southern shore of Helsinki to reach this restaurant and party spot. Tuck in to thin, crisp pizzas so large that they curl up at either end like a Viking longboat. Toppings are Finnish – try chorizo and crayfish or rainbow trout and summer veg with plenty of dill. Snuggle up under blankets as DJs hang around the decks waiting their turn to spin their mixes out into the crisp air. Skiffer.fi Juuri – for Sapas Juuri, meaning ‘root’ in Finnish, is where to head to for Finnish tapas, or ‘Sapas’. These stunning little tasting plates adorned with edible flowers, sprigs of dill and botanicals taste great too. Try grouse with birch, chargrilled swede, little salty fried fish – vendace - with creamed potatoes, and beetroot mousse with roasted goat’s cheese. With a generous bread basket from Juuri’s own bakery, this is an ideal light dinner. The compact restaurant wouldn’t be out of place in Helsinki’s design district with its wooden tables, wine-red walls and modern light installations. Juuri.fi Good Life Coffee – for the best coffee in Helsinki Helsinki's most trendy coffee shop is the perfect spot to watch hip young residents of Kallio pass by. The barista is so chilled that a queue often forms but the house-roasted coffee is worth the wait (ideally pair it with a huge chocolate pastry twist). Sit at the communal table and enjoy the calm, Finnish ambiance. Goodlifecoffee.fi Loyly – for drinks in a stylish sauna Sauna culture is a way of life in Finland. Moments of silence are not considered awkward but a chance just to sit and enjoy another person’s company. Try it for yourself at Loyly, an upmarket sauna that’s perched dramatically on the seafront just south of the city centre. Sip champagne by its log fire between sauna sessions and chilling dips in the Baltic Sea. After your two-hour sauna session head out onto a series of wooden decks to enjoy a restorative tipple overlooking the sea. We liked the Napue gin (distilled to the north of Helsinki in Kyro distillery) with Finnish botanicals of meadowsweet, sea buckthorn, cranberries and birch leaves. Loylyhelsinki.fi Fafa’s – for a quick local fix This may look rather severe and unwelcoming on the outside but head into the stark white building in Helsinki's trendy Kallio district and you soon discover why it’s a local institution. Essentially a posh kebab shop, it’s a great place to get a slice of local life. Order a pitta filled with halloumi and aubergine, or a lamb burger, then sit in the window and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a trendy Finn. There are 13 outposts in the city, ranging in size, so hunt one down when you need a quick fix. Fafas.fi Café Succes – for traditional Finnish salmon soup This ancient café dates back to 1957, and is the perfect spot to enjoy a comforting bowl of lohikeitto, a creamy salmon soup topped with mountains of fresh dill (try our lohikeitto recipe here). Alternatively go for breakfast and knock back a Finnish coffee and a Korvapuusti cinnamon roll. facebook.com/cafesucces/ Hotel Lilla Roberts – for Nordic cocktails Bar Lilla E may be a hotel bar but it is a destination in itself for those in the know on Helsinki’s hip cocktail route. The spot-lit wooden bar (which sits next to a crackling fire) makes a stylish backdrop to a menu of Nordic-inspired cocktails. Try a Midsummer’s Eve, which recreates the scent of a Scandinavian summer with spring birch-infused Tanqueray gin and St Germain elderflower liqueur (a tumbler is filled with flowers and birch branches are set alight to infuse the cocktail and its immediate surroundings with a smoky aroma), or a Strawberry Cake (wild Finnish strawberries are whizzed up with lemon balm, skyr and Finlandia vodka to create a sweet, creamy drink). Each cocktail comes with a little extra, be that a tiny cheese triangle and small cup of black coffee on the side, a little juniper salmon smorrebrod or a tiny bed of grass to enhance the freshly mown smell. Lillaroberts.com More great restaurants in Helsinki Miisa Mink, co-owner of the Nordic bakery, a Scandinavian style café chain in London, shares her favourite places to eat in Helsinki... Atelje Finne – for seasonal Finnish food At Atelje Finne, Chef Antto Melasniemi serves seasonal, local food in a minimalist, stylish restaurant where original art and furniture creates 50s flair. The menu is based on seasonal vegetables, foraged ingredients such as mushrooms and berries and local fish and meat. Booking is recommended. ateljefinne.fi Pastis - for great-value lunch At Pastis restaurant, cooking is based on French cuisine using fresh Finnish ingredients. Lunch is great value at €25/ two courses, €30/ three courses. (Pieni Roobertinkatu 2, 00130 Helsinki, tel. 010 29 28 990) Rosalind butchers – for burgers The city’s most vibrant indoor foodhall is Hietalahden Kaippahalli. Brave the queue at Roslund butchers to order its Rosburger, dubbed Finland’s best burger. Lönnrotinkatu 34 Adjacent to restaurant Ravintola Juuri is Latva , a contemporary bar serving wines and champagne from small producers (Serge Mathieu Brut Prestige) organic beers (Prykmestar Organic Pilsner) plus ciders and locally created cocktails. The service is friendly and knowledgeable. Hakaniemen Kauppahalli – best food market in Helsinki Locals get their food fresh from the market. Venture to the Hakaniemen neighbourhood for its authentic market (Mon-Sat 6.30am-3pm). Don’t miss Reitin Kala, a beautiful family-run fishmonger, or have a cup of coffee and munkki (cardamom doughnut) at one of the outdoor stalls. hakaniemenkauppahalli.fi Gastrobar Emo – for local Finnish ingredients Helsinki is littered with restaurants serving great food made from local ingredients, focusing on uncomplicated flavours. Book in advance if you want to taste some of the best examples of this at the new Gastrobar Emo. Can’t get a reservation? Try Toca or Aito. emo-ravintola.fi Best vegetarian places in Helsinki Helsinki has plenty of restaurants ideal for vegetarians. Check out these vegetarian and vegan-friendly spots in Helsinki from Finnish chef, food writer and forager Sami Tallberg... Andante Top-notch service is a key element at Andante, a hip flower and coffee shop. The team serve mean coffees and matcha lattes, and the talented pastry chef has a passion for raw cakes; try a blackcurrant and lingonberry cupcake. Cargo Vegetarian café, Cargo, takes its name from the container stores it’s bolted together from. Order a purple haze mocktail, made with wild Finnish berries and rose petals, and a kale caesar with avocado or a vegan burger with wild herbs and cauliflower fritter. It also has one of the best terraces in town for open-air dining. LOKAL Local Finnish design shop LOKAL is great for quality souvenirs (look out for Anna Kantanen’s elegant coffee pots). It also has a coffee shop that serves local ice creams in summer – try the blackcurrant leaf. Grön New Nordic Restaurant Grön does New Nordic cooking extremely well, using a wide range of ingredients. You’ll find wild plants, preserved foods and natural wines on the menu all year round – there’s always a choice between à la carte or a four-course menu of the day. Typical dishes include milk ice cream, roasted sunflower seeds, green coffee bean oil and roasted sunflower seed caramel. It’s great-value fine dining. Date + Kale The spanking new restaurant area on the fifth floor of Kamppi shopping centre is home to some great spots for a quick lunch overlooking the city. Favourites include Date + Kale, which does a busy trade in raw rainbow brownies and energising plant-based food bowls and dips; think coconut curry with sweet potato, cauliflower, lentils, coconut milk, pomegranate, coriander and black rice. The Cock Expect new-wave brasserie food at The Cock. Run by Ville Relander and Richard McCormick, two stalwarts of the local restaurant scene, it’s known for its relaxed atmosphere (everyone is welcome, dressed up or down, at any time of day). Try the broccoli tempura with wasabi yogurt and avocado or the arancini with spicy tomato sauce and kale pesto. BasBas A warehouse-style venue with modern bistro food, BasBas is also home to the best wine bar in town, with a hip clientele and small plates to share; think avocado and fennel on toast. The main menu is strong on classic French dishes made with quality ingredients. Great service is also part of its success. Maja A tiny coffee roastery and café, Maja is set in a 1970s shopping centre on the outskirts of the city, close to some lovely wild spaces. Fuel-up with a Kono drip coffee then head off island-hopping on foot or by bike. Close by are Lehtisaari and Kaskisaari, two of my favourite foraging spots for wild berries and mushrooms. Follow @majacoffeeroastery on Instagram. Silvoplee Going strong for around 20 years, Silvoplee is the best-known vegan restaurant in town. No-one goes there for the decor but the lunchtime buffet (plates are priced by weight at the till) is packed with delicious homemade salads, dips and bakes. There’s also a café attached, serving smoothies, coffees and a collection of raw cakes. Vinkkeli A simple, stylish bistro serving classic Scandinavian dishes with great care, little fuss and a modern twist, Vinkkeli is one of the best restaurants in the city. Seasonality is big here – dishes often come laced with just-picked ingredients, such as a white chocolate panna cotta dotted with redcurrants – and it offers great wine pairings. Where to stay in Helsinki Hotel Lilla Roberts Located majestically alongside the design district’s network of design shops, warehouses and museums Hotel Lilla Roberts is set in an early 20th century building that has previously seen service as a power plant and police station. The hotel is bold and glamorous from its glossy front façade right through to the rest of the building. The sharp design continues in the hotel’s lobby, with splashes of plum, burnt orange, gold and wood lifting the otherwise monochrome palate. Gleaming black and white flooring leads to a glass-fronted wooden reception desk dominated by a striking, life-size black horse lamp from Sweden. Despite the elegance the hotel embraces a general feeling of “hygge”, that Danish word used to encompass all of life’s simple pleasures. A wooden fireplace crackles beside a wall of birch logs and leather chairs are perfectly placed to watch hip passersby. Bedrooms come with cosy fur blankets, plush rugs on parquet flooring and velvet armchairs in deep plums, mustard yellows and teals. Funky touches such as elephant lamps, zebra print throws and monochrome vases tie in with the glamorous feel and bathrooms are stocked with Neal’s Yard toiletries. Splashing a bit more cash will bag you a “style” room with a sofa, or the largest “lux” rooms and suites, which come with Nespresso machines, high ceilings and baths. The hotel bar, Bar Lilla E, is a destination in itself for those in the know on Helsinki’s hip cocktail route. The dramatically spot-lit wooden bar (it just happens to sit next to a crackling fire) makes a stylish backdrop to a menu of Nordic-inspired cocktails. Doubles from £150, check availability at booking.com or britishairways.com How to get to Helsinki Return flights from London to Helsinki cost from around £85 (norwegian.com). More info: myhelsinki.fi Listen to our podcast for more trendy spots in Helsinki Written by Alex Crossley, October 2016 Photographs by Alex Crossley
Foodie road trip along the Bohuslän coast, West Sweden
Plan a foodie road trip from Gothenburg along the west coast of Sweden in search of cinnamon buns, fresh seafood and sleepy Swedish fishing villages
Fly into West Sweden’s foodie hub, Gothenburg, and explore the city’s seafood, coffee and craft beer scene with our foodie guide here. Then, pick up a car and drive north for an hour to reach West Sweden’s Bohuslän coast, a series of islands and peninsulas (Orust, Skaftö, Tjörn) jutting into the North Sea. Drive through forests and pass by quintessential coastal villages strung between rugged rocks, stopping off for Swedish fika in forest huts, local craft beers on sun-soaked wooden jetties and quiveringly-fresh fish inside painted clapboard cafés. Ladfabriken b&b, Hälleviksstrand, Orust Drive to the very Western peninsula of Orust island, off the coast of West Sweden, and you’ll find this remote b&b marked with a Swedish flag. Kuru the dog bounds out to greet guests into the dollshouse-like former fish crate factory. Sunshine bounces around the open space, which owners Johan and Marcel have kitted out with quirky furnishings ­– giant letters in playschool hues strung up on one wall, colourful sofas covered with even brighter throws, and cabinets bursting with knick-knacks and 50’s crockery. Each white-paneled room is unique (a chest of drawers covered in funky blue tuna tin packaging here, a turquoise chair with arms that curl up into a wave there), and given the couple’s trademark idiosyncratic stamp. There aren’t many options for guests to dine out in the area, so the couple have taken it upon themselves to swot up on their kitchen skills and now whip up sharing dinners for their guests. Simple Swedish cooking makes the most of local ingredients, including the catch of the day from neighbouring Skargrak Sea via Larsson’s fish shop in nearby Mollösund. Dishes are served family-style at a communal table covered with a retro tablecloth – tuck in to huge cod fillets on a bed of leeks and mushrooms in a buttery cheese sauce, fish around for shrimp, ling and red tuna in an ‘east meets west’ soup with an Asian coconut cream, ginger and lemongrass base, and cut a slice of caramelised rhubarb tarte tatin topped with cream. Breakfast is a similarly homely affair, seeing the table laden with Priest cheese, Swedish emmental, Leksand crackers and an array of homemade preserves – rosehip marmalade, cowberry, lingonberry and more. Local strawberries get plenty of light throughout the long summer days, so they’re extra sweet and served with fresh mint. During the day, take a kayak out on the crystal-clear water, go wild swimming in the archipelago, kick back with a book on a deckchair in the rocky garden, or clamber over rocks following blue dots to the picture-postcard Swedish hamlet of Edultshall. Here, among red and white clapboard houses, families gather around barbecues on little jetties outside their boathouses. Ladfabriken.eu Larsson's fish shop, Mollösund, Orust Drive 10 minutes down the road from Ladfabriken to Mollösund, another pretty town at the end of the peninsula (note: the road is a dead end). Park outside the church and follow signs to Larsson’s fish shop, winding over cobbles between clapboard houses. Spot the impish dancing Lekande boys on the side of a barn and turn down a narrow alleyway to the harbour where a sign marks the way to ‘boiled crab’, ‘fresh fish’, ‘salted herring’. Order a bag of shrimp to eat on the go with a choice of toppings (chilli sauce, dill, garlic…) then wander along the waterfront to Café Emma for homemade pastries and cakes. facebook.com/LarssonsFisk Strandflickornas Havshotell, Lysekil This pretty red building dates back to 1904, and has maintained various features from the building’s history – pad across vintage carpets covering creaking wooden floorboards, down narrow corridors lined with pale green and white striped wallpaper, to find the hotel’s cosy, individually themed bedrooms; pots of flowers and a delicate vintage dress in the maid’s room, old photographs and an ancient hat on a hook in the granite worker’s room, and a stethoscope and an ancient doctor’s trunk (it can be turned into a child’s bed) in the large doctor’s suite. Take traditional fika in the drawing room, a conservatory decorated with traditional white dressers and lace tablecloths, with vases of flowers on the tables and plenty of foliage decorating sash windows. There’s a cabinet dedicated to Swedish afternoon tea time, heaving with glass jars of buttery biscuits, drawers neatly packed with teabags and mugs lined up ready to fill with filter coffee. strandflickorna.com Lysekils seafood safari, Grebbestad, Lysekil Hop off the jetty at Grebbestad harbour into ‘Signe’; fisherman Lars’ boat was built in 1952 and named after his grandmother. Chug out of the harbour into the archipelago, passing timber houses on deserted granite islands that in times gone by hosted several pubs and had reputations for drinking and brothels. Continue through the clear waters until a tiny black hut comes into view on Lars’s private island. Hop off the boat and help Lars cart up nets filled with fresh mussels and oysters; 90% of Swedish oysters come from the waters around Grebbestad, and Lars sure knows how to shuck, his current record being 100 oysters in 30 minutes. After a lesson in shucking, duck into the cabin, kitted out as the ultimate Swedish cosy den – a little stove that gently heats up a pale blue pot of mussels, illustrations of seabirds on the walls painted by Lars’ wife, a wooden table made from salvaged wood from the bottom of the sea. Wrap up in cosy throws and slurp juices from the freshest mussels, finishing with creamy homemade coconut slices. Lysekilsostronomusslor.se Slipens Hotell & Pensionat, Fiskebäckskil, Skaftö A 100-year-old shipyard is an unlikely location for a hotel, but this one, in Fiskebäckskil, has become a destination for foodies thanks to its restaurant, Brygghuset. Fiskebäckskil used to be a holiday village, so the surrounding houses have verandas, the streets are cobbled and pristinely manicured gardens are full of roses. The restaurant’s owners decided to open a dozen bedrooms for punters to stay the night (there are thousands of whiskies to try at the bar, so it became a necessity!). Each one is designed around a local character, from Anna-Stina, the area’s first female taxi driver, to Sander the ferryman, who ferried passengers to and from the island in times gone by. Squishy beds are some of the comfiest we’ve curled into, furnishings add cosy touches against dark green and blue painted walls, and bathrooms are kitted out with power showers and Swedish toiletries. Before dinner, wrap up in a fluffy white robes and pad down the harbour’s long jetty to Slipens’ floating spa. A red wooden hut with an open roof houses a large jacuzzi and sauna, so you can soak up the steam as well as the serene harbour life (and enjoy a sparkling wine/Swedish beer or two at the same time). Slipenshotell.se Restaurant Brygghuset, Fiskebäckskil, Skaftö This popular restaurant focuses on seasonal seafood caught straight from the Atlantic by a fisherman named Manfjärd – mussels in the summer, lobsters in the autumn, oysters in winter and mackerel in spring. Start with crayfish with wild garlic followed by cod in a rich shellfish sauce with deep-fried, crouton-like potatoes (paired with a minerally Riesling). Finally, a chocolate pie is given a Swedish twist with liquorice ice cream and liquorice panna cotta. Peruse Sweden’s largest selection of whiskies (1600 varieties and counting) at Joeys Whisky Bar; if you’re finding it hard to choose plump for the apple and woody spice notes of hyper local Smögen Swedish single malt. Now check out our foodie guide to Stockholm, Sweden. Brygghusetkrog.se More foodie moments along the coast of West Sweden Words and photographs by Alex Crossley
Where to eat, drink and sleep in Gotland, Sweden
For your next foodie escape try Gotland, a large island in the Baltic Sea, off the southwest coast of Sweden, that’s home to beautifully wild landscapes, cosy cafés, harbourside fish restaurants and stylish little farmhouse hotels
Read our expert foodie guide and visit Gotland, Sweden. If you're looking for bed and breakfast accommodation in Gotland, check out our Gotland guide including visiting Visby... Next check out our foodie guide to Stockholm, Sweden. The largest island in the Baltic, Gotland is rather like the Cornwall of Sweden - a bewitching mixture of wild landscapes and dramatic history. It also tends to have a mild, sunny climate that produces amazing produce. A favourite summer destination for stylish, foodie Swedes, it’s still off the radar of most foreign visitors, so follow in the footsteps of the Hanseatic traders and experience Gotland lamb, cooked on an outdoor grill, mounds of smoked prawns eaten at little harbourside tables and saffron pancakes served with local berries. Hotel Stelor, Visby This dreamy little farmhouse hotel serves some of the best food on the island, almost all of it sourced from its closest neighbours. Farmer Janne arrives with his biodynamic vegetables each day, Erik, the local hunter, provides wild roe deer, while fresh milk and yoghurt come from Lotta, the dairy farmer. The hotel’s sustainable philosophy is evident as much in the interiors as in the food - the seven bedrooms are each individually decorated with antiques, handcrafted rugs, local art and organic linen. There’s a little shop selling the hotel’s own produce, such as rhubarb kombucha and pickled pears with saffron, and on summer evenings there’s often live music in the barn and food, such as Gotland lamb, cooked on an outdoor grill. stelor.se Bruna Dörren, Ljugarn Those might be pine rather than palm trees on the beach but on a hot summer’s day at this buzzy, laid-back beach bar and restaurant you could almost be in the Caribbean. Sip kick-ass mojitos or prohibition rum as you listen to vintage reggae in the One Love bar or grab a home-brewed beer and try a potato pizza from Potobers, the site’s potato-themed restaurant (not as strange as it sounds - Gotland potatoes are a real delicacy). Prefer linen tablecloths and three course meals? The stylish Smakrike restaurant is just up the road. brunadorren.com Prima Gård, Farosund Martin and Emma left their life on the mainland to run an organic farmshop/café in an idyllic 17th-century farm surrounded by poppy fields. Sit in the courtyard and enjoy simple, healthy food, using local produce such as truffles, berries, asparagus, flowers and herbs, served on Emma's handmade ceramics. Martin also runs the restaurant at nearby industrial-chic hotel Fabriken Furillen (furillen.com). primagard.se Katthammarsvik rökeri, Katthammarsvik This simple, old-school smokery and restaurant, on the east coast of the island, has been run by the same family for three generations. Fish, most of which has been caught in Gotlandic waters, is smoked over alder and juniper wood and the outdoor wooden tables right by the harbour are perfect for watching the world go by as you tuck into mounds of smoked prawns with the house aioli. They also do a mean saffron pancake for pudding - a Gotlandic speciality served with jam made from salma berries (like blue blackberries and native to the island) and whipped cream. katthammarsviksrokeri.se Rute stenungnsbageri, Larbro A charming stone oven bakery and café, owned by the people behind Fabrique (the Swedish bakery chain that now has a branch in London), is set in a small, picturesque, hamlet. Stylish Stockholmers (who don’t flinch at the big city prices) gather here for excellent coffee and possibly the best cardamom buns on the island. In the evenings the wood-fired oven is used to bake sourdough pizza (try the truffle one, with local Gotland truffle). Eat outside or cosied up by the open fireplace in the huge greenhouse on chillier evenings. rutestenugnsbageri.se Gute Glass, Visby Gute organic ice cream is sold all over the island, but the best place to eat it is at the company’s own ice cream bar in Visby, with its stunning views over the medieval walled city and Baltic sea beyond. Try typically Gotlandic flavours such as saffron (the island’s mild microclimate allows saffron to be grown here in small quantities) or the native salma berry, otherwise known as dewberry. guteglass.se Gula Hönan, Ronehamn A wonky yellow wooden house, it hosts a delightfully bohemian, family-run restaurant that serves outstanding food. The wild garden produces most of the food, and vegetables take centre stage but you may also find Gotland rabbit or lamb on the menu. Tasting menus come in two sizes - small and large - and dishes such as zander with jerusalem artichoke or Gotland rabbit and cress are served on grandma’s old china with flowers from the garden, and are accompanied by organic and natural wines. There’s also a more casual outdoor kitchen, Picanteria, serving spicy Peruvian-inspired tapas on the veranda, and if you can’t resist one of it's rhubarb or lemon thyme cocktails you can stay overnight in one of the simple rooms or cabins. theyellowhen.se Bungenäs Matsal, Farosund This Nordic fine dining restaurant is part of trendy Bungenäs, a former military zone which has been transformed into an other-worldly, car-free summer playground for in-the-know Swedes. Expect unfussy, confident cooking in the former officers’ mess building, with glorious sunsets over the sea as a backdrop. There are a handful of bedrooms if you fancy staying over. bungenas.se Kutens Bensin/Crêperie Tati, Faro Take the (free) ferry across to the little neighbouring island of Fårö (where Ingmar Bergman lived and worked) and, before long, you'll spot this former petrol station surrounded by the wrecks of vintage cars, gas pumps and old fridges. Inside, it serves delicious crêpes and galettes using local produce in a quirky, 50s-nostalgic setting. facebook.com/kutens.bensin Bakfickan, Visby If you like spankingly fresh fish and shellfish classically prepared, this authentic, unpretentious little restaurant is a great spot to stop off at when you’re exploring Visby. Try the “sillröra på smörstekt Gotlandslimpa” (pickled herring with sour cream and onions on locally made bread) or ‘fish and chips’ with grilled scallops and a wild garlic dip. bakfickanvisby.se. HOW TO GET TO GOTLAND Fly to Visby via Stockholm with SAS (flysas.com), or take the Gotland ferry from Nynäshamn or Oskarshamn (destinationgotland.se). For more information on the region, see gotland.com. One word of warning: many of Gotland’s hotels and restaurants are seasonal, so do check their websites before planning a trip. Words By Tatty Good Photographs by Emma Ahlström, Anna Sundström, Rute Stenungnsbageri, Hotel Stelor