Text: Viktor Gustafsson
Photo: Gustaf Peterson
In Gothenburg, there is more than just rain, wind and the newly crowned tallest building in Scandinavia. Gothenburg offers a wide range of gastronomical destinations. Below we have collected some favourites for when it comes to Italian espressos, classic as well as natural wines and French bar food. It is often convenient to stick to the central areas of the city, but in this guide, we want to draw attention to the other districts of the city, which may be worth a detour during your stay.
Gothenburg has many great options when it comes to overnight accommodation. In our opinion, the choice of accommodation is governed by how and where you intend to spend your weekend. You will find most of the larger hotels in the central areas of the city. However, a number of large investments in hotels have also appeared in other city districts in recent years. Draken, Jacy's and Upper House can be considered the city's main hotels and are an option for you who want to treat yourself to that little extra.
Other hotels such as the classic Pigalle, eccentric Dorsia and Clarion Post Hotel are also safe cards with extra flair. If instead you do not need to be in the middle of the city centre, you can relax at the Sankt Jörgen Park spa hotel.
This city is teeming with cosy cafés. It's easy to get excited when you see deals on pizza-sized cinnamon buns or cinnamon bun-flavoured pizzas, but we'll start with the basics, which is the freshly baked bread. Alvar & Ivar is an organic bakery in the Linné district that serves some of the city's best bread. This has made the bakery very popular and not least on weekends when long queues can be expected. Cum Pane (Majorna and Olskroken), Bullen & Brödet (Gamla Masthugget), Lilla Sur (Kålltorp) and Koopmansgatan's Bageri (Majorna) all make bread the way that bread should taste.
For the self-proclaimed coffee enthusiast, there is Gringo (Nordic Coffee Roasters), the traditional Bar Centro, the institutional Da Matteo, the Alkemisten (Lindholmen), homely Viktor's Kaffe, the Italian Bar Robusta and many more. These cafes provide you with well-made coffee and buns, but if you are looking for something more classic in the way of pastry, a detour past Brogyllen, Ahlströms Bageri and Kampanilen (Majorna) should be close at hand. More and more cafés are starting to have longer opening hours, and makes one think of the golden grain of the Mediterranean where you can have your breakfast croissant as well as the Friday, after work beer. Wolfgang Vincafé, Bar Etzy and Kafé Magazine follow this philosophy.
If you're not afraid to use your elbows and of louder volumes, the Stora Saluhallen, located at Kungsportsplatsen, should be your go-to place for a good lunch. Here you will find charcuterie, fishmongers and cheese experts, along with several restaurants serving fine ingredients from the counter. The market hall is also a good focal point for a pleasant outing in town.
Smöriga Bröd at the iconic Heden, serve hearty, buttery sandwiches. At Beets salladsbar, you get a can enjoy a well-made salad with several choices of protein and toppings (extra points for the salmon). A stop at the cult Gourmetkorv on Grönsakstorget. Around the corner is the well-visited Magasingatan, where you'll find everything from second-hand shops to top-class furnishings. There is also a hidden gem here, Fiskbar 17, which serves lunch, featuring delicious seafood.
On the feet, similar reasoning should follow. A pair of comfortable runners and a pair of derbies or loafers give you options for day and night. Layer-on-layer is a great technique to use when you're on the go. Firstly, you can adjust the temperature in a smart way and you automatically take more garments with you, should the weather change.
If, despite your tight schedule, you want to get some exercise into your weekend, there are areas such as Slottskogen, Änggårdsbergen or the Skatås nature area a stone's throw from central Gothenburg.
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