Food · Gothenburg · Sweden
What to eat in Gothenburg
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Gothenburg, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Shrimp sandwich, Cinnamon bun and Halv special. The Swedish coffee break with something sweet is close to a ritual. Weekday set lunches (dagens rätt) are usually served from about 11am to 2pm and cost much less than dinner.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Shrimp sandwich
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Service is included in Swedish restaurant prices.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Shrimp sandwich (Räkmacka)
A slice of bread piled high with hand-peeled west coast shrimp, egg, lettuce, mayonnaise, lemon and dill. In Gothenburg it is a proper lunch rather than a snack, and freshness of the shrimp is everything.
Where: Feskekôrka, Stora Saluhallen and seafood restaurants along the harbour and in the archipelago.
Dessert · Vegetarian
2.Cinnamon bun (Kanelbulle)
Swedish cinnamon buns are spiced with cardamom as well as cinnamon and topped with pearl sugar. Haga's cafés are known for oversized versions, and 4 October is celebrated as Cinnamon Bun Day.
Where: Cafés along Haga Nygata, including Café Husaren for the giant Hagabullen, and bakeries across the city.
Street food
3.Halv special
Gothenburg's signature hot-dog order: a boiled or grilled sausage in a bun topped with mashed potato, often with mustard, ketchup or shrimp salad. 'Hel special' doubles the sausage.
Where: Gatukök (street kiosks) and hot-dog stands around the city, especially late at night.
Dish
4.Langoustine (Havskräfta)
Norway lobsters from the cold waters of the Skagerrak are sweet and delicate, served boiled with bread and aioli or grilled with garlic butter.
Where: Seafood restaurants in the centre, at Feskekôrka and in harbours up the Bohuslän coast.
Dish
5.West coast oysters (Ostron)
Flat oysters from the Bohuslän coast north of the city are prized for their mineral flavour and grow slowly in cold, clean water. They are best in the colder months.
Where: Seafood restaurants and oyster bars in Gothenburg, and oyster safaris from coastal villages in Bohuslän.
Dish
6.Pickled herring (Sill)
Herring marinated in mustard, onion, dill or sherry sauces and served with boiled potatoes, sour cream and chives. It is the core of the Midsummer and Christmas tables.
Where: Traditional Swedish restaurants, Christmas buffets (julbord) in December and deli counters at Stora Saluhallen.
Dish
7.Swedish meatballs (Köttbullar)
Small beef and pork meatballs with cream sauce, lingonberry jam, pickled cucumber and mashed or boiled potatoes, a staple of home cooking and old-style restaurants.
Where: Traditional Swedish restaurants and the daily lunch menus (dagens rätt) at workaday cafés.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Semla
A cardamom bun filled with almond paste and whipped cream, eaten in the weeks around Shrove Tuesday (fettisdagen) in late winter.
Where: Bakeries and cafés across the city from about January to March.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Kladdkaka
A dense, sticky Swedish chocolate cake with a gooey centre, served with whipped cream as part of fika.
Where: Almost every café counter, from Haga to Linnégatan.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Craft beer
Gothenburg has a strong craft brewing scene, with breweries such as Stigbergets in Majorna and many bars serving local IPAs, sour beers and lagers on tap.
Where: Brewpubs and beer bars in Majorna, Linnéstaden and around Järntorget.
Food experiences
Fika in Haga
The Swedish coffee break with something sweet is close to a ritual. Spend an afternoon in a Haga café with a cinnamon bun or kladdkaka, then walk it off up the hill to Skansen Kronan.
Seafood lunch at Feskekôrka
Buy cooked shrimp, smoked salmon or langoustines from the fishmongers at the fish church, or sit down at a counter for a räkmacka with a view of the canal.
Dagens rätt
Most restaurants serve a weekday set lunch, the dagens rätt, with a main course, salad, bread and coffee for a fixed price. It is the best-value way to eat out in Gothenburg.
Archipelago seafood
On Styrsö, Donsö and Brännö, harbour restaurants and kiosks serve shrimp, fish soup and grilled fish by the water in summer.
Quick bites and street food
- Halv special — Gatukök (street kiosks) and hot-dog stands around the city, especially late at night.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Cinnamon bun, Semla, Kladdkaka and Craft beer. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Weekday set lunches (dagens rätt) are usually served from about 11am to 2pm and cost much less than dinner.
- Tap water is free and excellent; ask for 'kranvatten'.
- Wine and spirits for home are sold only at the state-run Systembolaget shops; supermarkets stock only low-alcohol beer.
- Book ahead for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, especially at seafood restaurants.
- Card and mobile payments are accepted almost everywhere, and some cafés no longer take cash.
Tipping
Service is included in Swedish restaurant prices. Rounding up or adding about 5–10% for good table service is common but not expected; tipping in cafés and bars is optional.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hej | Hello |
| Tack | Thank you |
| Tack så mycket | Thank you very much |
| Ursäkta | Excuse me |
| Ska vi fika? | Shall we have coffee and cake? |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Gothenburg famous for?
Shrimp sandwich, Cinnamon bun, Halv special and Langoustine. A slice of bread piled high with hand-peeled west coast shrimp, egg, lettuce, mayonnaise, lemon and dill.
+Is Gothenburg good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Cinnamon bun, Semla and Kladdkaka.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Gothenburg?
Service is included in Swedish restaurant prices. Rounding up or adding about 5–10% for good table service is common but not expected; tipping in cafés and bars is optional.