Care of Carl’s spring guide: A weekend in Gothenburg

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.

Accommodation

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.

The "Fika"

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.

The Lunch

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.

Dinner

Majorna
Let the culinary evening begin in the relaxing district of Majorna. The district offers a range of exciting dinner options in the form of mixed small dishes with a French bistro touch and volume in Greek dishes. Natural wines at Suggan vinbar, exciting small dishes at Diket or classic seafood from Sjömagasinet set the foundation and immediately give you several choices. If you are looking for something simpler, Restaurant Robb with its phenomenal pizzas or the Turkish-Greek gem Effessos Taverna have their given places. Tapasbaren at Mariaplan a perfect choice when you have no idea what you want to eat!

Linné
Take the tram a few stops to arrive at Linné, where newcomers Poppy wakes one’s curiosity. In search of stardom, Human shines brightly with chef Martin Moses (chef of the year 2019) at the helm and the Spaniards Bodega and Spanska köket mix a high pulse with tapas and sangria filled glasses. Last and lowest in terms of price, we find Bene Pastabar. A pasta bar with a fast food aura, incredible homemade pasta for equally incredibly low money. Works equally well as a simple lunch or dinner.

Centrum/City Centre
Once in the centre there are many routes to take. The neighbourhood pub Epoque on Södra Vägen is always a safe bet, just like SK Mat & Människor. A stone's throw away is the newly opened fish restaurant with accompanying fish counter, Lorensbergs Fisk & Bar. In Vasa we find Bar Angeli/Bar La Lune with a unique, enticing wine list and exciting ingredients led by sommelier Oskar Ahlin. Perhaps you’re in a larger group and don't want to crowd your table neighbours? Then Gurras is the place to go. Noisy, enjoyable and famous for attracting guests from all corners of Sweden. The Barn serves hamburgers and the Champagnebaren on the same street stands for the cosy factor. If you want to try an exciting cocktail after your dinner, Bar Bruno is right next door.

Östra Göteborg/East Gothenburg
To continue the food journey, hop on the tram and head towards the eastern parts of Gothenburg where several ambitious places have begun to surface. Faccia Grassa (Olskroken) is a ravioleria that mixes delicious homemade pasta with accompanying wines. The neighbourhood pub Enoteca Roma (Bagaregården) is like coming to a friend's house - homely, familiar and the best that Italy has to offer away from home. Our most eastern tips are the new addition Dubbelhakan in Gamlestaden's old factories, a combination of natural wine and Neapolitan pizza with local and well-thought-out flavour details. You will also find the cosy French bistro and wine bar Le 20ème in Gamlestaden. If cheese and charcuterie are your thing, you've come to the right place.

What to pack

In a city where the rain is ever present, regardless of the season, the right equipment and protection are required to avoid a ruined holiday. A trusty raincoat or technical shell jacket will both keep you dry and warm in the cold winds. Select an outer garment that can easily be packed into your weekend bag to allow room for more.

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.