Are you ready to discover one epic foodie destination in Europe? Known for seafood and for being one of the most sustainable cities in the world, Gothenburg, Sweden is where you want to go for a foodie adventure. I’ll share with you our Swedish foodie guide to Gothenburg because you’ll want to know what to eat to get you started…then you’ll find plenty of gems on your visit
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What to eat in Gothenburg, Sweden
The Big 5
These are the big 5 for good reason. They are some of the best seafood you can eat in Gothenburg. Find yourself some shrimp, oysters, crayfish, mussels, and lobster while you’re in the city. If you can, find some Swedish oysters. Many restaurants sell French oysters which are friggin’ delicious and some of the best oysters I’ve had, but the Swedish oysters are special. You should be able to find them at Restaurang Gabriel and Sjomagasinet. Be sure to ask any restaurant you visit if they have some…you never know!
Shrimp sandwich
Yes, shrimp is also listed above, but this is different. It is special in its own way. Presented as an open-faced sandwich and piled high with shrimp, it’s a must-try food in Gothenburg. We had ours at Heaven 23 which is right across the road from Liseberg amusement park and super easy to get to on the tram. At this restaurant, they top rye bread with mayo, egg, a little bit of salad, 200 grams of shrimp and a little caviar of some kind on top. Getting a little bit of everything in one bite is key. I’ll admit, we split one because we weren’t sure we could each eat a whole one. It was delicious and the small lunch menu we ordered came with creme brulee which was also amazing. The view from here is so beautiful, too. So it’s well worth a visit for the shrimp sandwich, their cocktails, and the view.
Cinnamon bun
I love cinnamon buns. I would eat them constantly if I could. But the cinnamon buns in Sweden are taken very seriously. We tried a couple cough cough, yeah, just a couple. 😉 We even tried to biggest cinnamon bun in the world! Yep, it’s a thing. It’s at Cafe Husaren and I was thinking it would just be a novelty and not very good. In reality, it was perfectly cinnamon-y with a soft dough. You’ve always got to get past that first ring of outer dough to get to the best part, but it was perfect! If you have an IKEA nearby, they have some awesome frozen ones. I may or may not have some in my freezer right now. And we definitely brought some fresh ones back from Sweden, as well.
Cardamom bun
Very similar to the cinnamon bun, a cardamom bun uses a lot more cardamom and no cinnamon. This has a very distinct flavor, as does cinnamon, and if you’ve never had cardamom, then this is the perfect way to try it!
Halv Special
I didn’t know what to make of this. Some call it a hot dog, but we went to the food truck Korv United and they served British sausages with theirs. They have different options for the meat but since I wasn’t sure what I wanted, the man at the counter asked me a few questions and choose for me. And yes, it was perfect. It was better than I could have imagined. Seriously, whose idea was it to top a sausage with mashed potatoes, pickles, lingonberries and crispy onions? To them, I thank you! Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!
Sushi
Does this surprise you? I feel like it might, but it might not. Sweden is known for fish so it’s not a far stretch. If you can find Swedish sushi, that’s the best thing to have there because you know it’s super fresh. For an incredible sushi experience with much of the sushi from Sweden, you have to go to Koizen Omakase Room. It was one of the best food experiences we’ve ever had. It felt exclusive, but isn’t (anyone can book a table), it’s professional but not pretentious, it’s super interesting and has incredible staff. We would recommend it to anyone! Be sure to make a reservation.
Fried Strömming
Herring is very much a Swedish favorite. In this part of Sweden, the fried herring served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry, is a much-loved dish. At our first meal in Gothenburg, our table-neighbors got the dish and it was plated beautifully (but everything at Restaurang Gabriel was beautiful). We were staring at it and the nice lady said it was very Swedish and actually offered for me to taste it. I wasn’t going to do that, but everything that restaurant is quality, so I highly recommend getting it there! (Also, the people in this city have been the nicest we’ve encountered!)
If you like food, you’re going to love Gothenburg, Sweden. It’s hiding in plain sight and the next foodie destination. We actually hope to go back and try many more restaurants to see what else we can discover. Do you have any recommendations? We’d love to hear them for next time!
Here’s a Google Map of our favorite spots so it’s all a bit easier to find.
