Skåne – fabulous for foodies
There’s so much good food and drink in Skåne, all produced by skilled chefs, foodies and restaurateurs. From mature meats to vegan delights, creative cocktails and locally produces wines, coffees and craft beers, there’s something for every taste. Here are just some of the many places whose one goal is to please your palate. Malmö is a well-known hub for great and fun restaurants, but don't miss the hidden gems found throughout the rest of Skåne. Read on to find the place for your perfect dinner.
Smörtaxen
If you want to enjoy slow food that will surprise you, head to Smörtaxen in Landskrona. There’s one set menu on offer with drinks included. It usually comprises four dishes that include a combination of vegetarian, fish, meat and of course dessert. All followed by coffee and sweets. Make sure you’re not in a hurry, as the average (fun!) sitting time here is around 4.5 hours.
Turistgården Ven
Turistgården aspires to serve “Ven on a plate”, offering the island’s best fish, shellfish, seaweed and game such as deer, wild hare, pheasant, duck and goose together with seasonal vegetables. The 19th century restaurant has stayed authentic to its roots. Enjoy great food cooked by skilled chefs in a tranquil atmosphere before staying the night in a unique environment before exploring what Ven has to offer.
Treehouse Hovdala
Treehouse Hovdala is a fun-dining experience with a fantastic view of Lake Finjasjö in Hovdala outside Hässleholm. Enjoy a fixed tasting meal with an accompanying beverage package five metres above the ground. Each seat in the restaurant offers a view of the nature area. The menu changes every two months so you can try different food – or view – as the seasons turn.
Kastanjelund
Why not escape the everyday and treat yourself to dinner at this 19th century farmhouse in Yngsjö, known for its miles-long sandy beaches? Enjoy a candlelit 6-course dinner using seasonal ingredients, then round off the evening in the lounge with coffee and chocolate pralines, maybe with an avec. Why not stay at the hotel eat a breakfast of home-made bread and marmalades, and charcuterie from local farms?
Ulla & Folke
This intimate food and wine bar in Kivik is in the middle of a classic orchard. Sit in the bar on retro furniture, or move outside and surround yourself with apple trees, while sipping on a glass of sparkling while you check the menu. Order the food, with its European take and accompanying drinks package, or savour the different snacks on offer with a glass or two of natural wine to suit your taste.
Allé
With a promise of serving “Österlen for real”, Allé, south of Kivik by the Stenshuvud National Park, offers sensual, refined but uncomplicated food that adds a European twist on classic local dishes. Settle down in the shade of the hanging willow for a refreshing drink in one of the bars and peer at the wide views in one of Sweden's most beautiful landscapes.
Pastafabriken
Pastafabriken (The Pasta factory) in Ingelstorp between Ystad and Simrishamn creates pasta from the finest local ingredients, then sells it fresh at their deli, or uses it in their “Il Restaurante”. The restaurant serves superb Italian pasta dishes, with tiramisu (of course) on the dessert menu. Enjoy great food or buy some home-made pasta. They grow their own vegetables such as spinach, beans, beets and cabbages – for a real local taste.
Köpmangatan 6
Feel at home in the blue house or gardens in Borrby. Sip on a cold beer or glass of wine while you order classic, well prepared, dishes inspired from the kitchens of Sweden, France and the Mediterranean. If you’re more into snacks, the Pickle bar offers different types of beers, pickles and chips. There’s even a Sunday cinema.
Gustafs på Österlen
Fancy a pizza? This cosy hangout in Gladsax, Österlen, focuses on preparing the perfect Neapolitan pizza full of delicious local and Italian ingredients in a wood-fired oven. Drop by for quiz, listen to a band, and enjoy your pizza together with beers and wines from Italy.
JH Matbar
The Michelin Guide describes JH Matbar in Ystad as a “good value menu (that) offers a wide choice of dishes, with vegetarians and vegans well catered for.” Try different local, seasonal dishes created from scratch and using of all parts of the ingredients. Pair the food with Swedish beers, spirits, cider and must. Just like the food, the varied wine menu changes frequently.
Hörte brygga
Nature rules at Hörte Brygga on Skåne’s south coast. In summer all food is prepared, served and eaten outdoors – but undercover, so you won’t get wet. Making delicacies using every part of the best in local ingredients, and adding only salt, herbs and flowers, the chefs offer their “långlunch” cooked on a fire pit, wood fired oven or smoker daily from early June to late September. Pair it with natural wines or home-made non-alcoholic beverages.
Great restaurants not to miss in Malmö
Lyran
Lyran is close to Malmö’s Möllan – known for personal pubs and rustic restaurants. The restaurant takes its menu from local farmers, fishermen, hunters, and cheese producers, and not so local brewers, winemakers and cider makers to offer only the best seasonal ingredients. Their moto is that they are a small, restaurant staffed by warm, friendly ordinary people sharing an extraordinary love of good food and drink. Don’t miss.
Västergatan
The atmosphere at restaurant Västergatan in Malmö is warm and relaxed and the interior is minimalist Scandinavian design. Västergatan serves simple, uncomplicated dishes, all with a twist. All menus are combined with wines that enhance the taste, or even a juice menu if you’re thinking of driving afterwards.
Ruths
Open from 7am until late every day except Sundays, Ruths in the heart of Malmö’s old town is a restaurant, deli and bakery. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner in the restaurant – or in the popular garden and watch the locals as they drop in to buy bread, vegetables, charcuterie and condiments from the deli. Ruths sells different small plates you can mix and match, and pair with different wines. Ask the sommelier for advice.
Aster
Aster is one of Malmö's hottest bars. Set in the old shipbuilding area, its basic interior and high ceilings create a trendy vibe. The menu combines distinct flavours based around fish and meat, yet easily transformed for vegans and vegetarians. The wine list has lots of natural choices, and you’ll find lots of great cocktails based on seasonal influences.
Artisan
Artisan is an all-day restaurant, café, and bar in Malmö serving creative food and drinks inspired by the origins of Vermouth. Step into the aromas of freshly brewed coffee, clinking of cocktail glasses, and buzz of conversation. The menu invites you to explore flavours from around the world, with each dish offers a balance of local ingredients and global inspiration.
Saltimporten Canteen
What happens when a pair of acclaimed young chefs take over a dockside warehouse in Malmö and open a restaurant three hours a day? The answer is food prepared from fabulous local ingredients with lots of love! Offering two lunch dishes a day, a "regular" and a vegetarian, Saltimporten’s idea is honest home cooking in modern form, spiced with contemporary flavours, natural, local produce and refined technology. Over a decade later, the place can be difficult to find – check directions in advance – but it's definitly worth the effort.
Want to find even more tips on good restaurants, bars and cafés in Skåne? Check out the guide High Five Skåne here.
