Gourmet Guide to Malmö, Sweden

Each visit to Bloom in the Park is bound to surprise. Run by chef Titti Qvarnström, the restaurant is strictly tied to a no-menu concept. Every day, the team in the kitchen finds inspiration from whatever is fresh and available from the market and shapes the ingredients following their inventive flair. Creativity is infused into the combinations of flavours as well as in the polyhedric presentation of dishes, creating a unique experience at each visit and thrilling even their most regular diners. Located within Malmö’s largest park, Bloom in Park offers beautiful views of Pildammarna, the park’s lake.

Malmö at sunset | © Ben Cremin/Flickr

The distinctive banner of Bastard features the black shape of a rotund pig, promising an appetizing experience to its guests. A rustic and homely environment, furnished with rough wooden tables and large rugs, brick walls and industrial-style lighting, contributes to creating the fashionable yet relaxed ambience that brought Bastard fame in Malmö. Chef Andreas Dahlberg specialises in modern European cuisine and crafts a daily changing menu with ingredients from small local suppliers. A knife jabbed into a wooden chopping board surrounded by paté, sausages, rillette and homemade sourdough bread is the chef’s signature ‘Bastard planka’. A signature dish at Daniel Berlin | Courtesy Daniel Berlin

Located in small village of Skåne-Tranås, Daniel Berlin is one of most renowned restaurants in the Malmö area. Nestled in gob-smackingly lovely Swedish scenery, surrounded by fields and woods, the restaurant is an hour’s drive from the city but certainly worth the journey. Inspired by the local Österlen region, Daniel Berlin’s cuisine revolves around the ingredients produced in the restaurant’s own garden or in the local area and waters. The set menus evolve daily and come in elegant displays, accompanied by selected matching wines to provide a enchanting dining experience.

Widely praised and held by many as the best fish restaurant in Malmö, Johan P. is committed to serving the freshest produce from the sea. In a relaxed atmosphere, decorated with red bricks and white shiny tiles, Johan P. accommodates guests in an unpretentious atmosphere. Every day in the early hours of the morning, the day’s catch is brought to the fish market and from there to the restaurant, to prepare dishes for lunch and dinner. Besides daily specials, the steamed halibut with butter and horseradish and the creamy fish soup are favourites.

A chic ambience characterises Mrs Brown. A wide window opens on the streets of central Malmo, while red lacquer panels frame dark tables, dimly illuminated by the light of small lamps and candles. The presentation of dishes is also sophisticated and elegant. With great care given to sustainability, meat dishes at Mrs Brown include a variety of cuts of meat. Strong on locally sourced ingredients, the cuisine is a blend of Swedish and international influences.

With a decor reminiscent of the Middle East, Occo transports its diners to distant lands. Essential lines and modern lighting design add tremendous flair, creating the perfect backdrop for the flavors and scents of a Lebanese meal. Tastes from the Mediterranean land in Malmö from the pages of Occo’s menu, with a range of mezes served as sharing platters or accompanied by a mixed grill. Among the many options are mhamara, a dish of peppers and walnuts marinated in olive oil and mixed oriental spices, and the classic baba ghanouj, chopped aubergine with sesame paste, garlic, and lemon.

Keeping an attentive eye on environmental friendly practices, Saiko not only sources its food locally, but also uses vintage tableware found in flea markets. The restaurant offers a fusion cuisine that blends Japanese and Scandinavian cooking. While dishes include Japanese classics like sushi, sashimi, and nigiri, the ingredients come from the local waters, forests, and vegetable gardens. The Japan section of the menu puts together the prime matter available in the region in dishes of Japanese inspiration, like the veal, chilli, and sea grass noodles or the horse, egg yolk, juniper berry based plate.

Located on Malmö seafront, overlooking the Öresund channel and in the shade of the Turning Torso tower, Salt & Brygga is the proud winner of many awards both for the excellent quality of its food and for being one of the most eco-friendly places on the Swedish dining scene. Locally produced, organic ingredients, non-use of endangered species like eel or prawns, recyclable materials, and Scandinavian elm furnishings are just a few examples of Salt & Brygga’s commitment to preserve the environment while offering delectable dishes inspired by both the Swedish and Mediterranean traditions.

Three stone arches overlook the cobbles of Adelgatan, framing one of the best known brasserie-style restaurants in Malmö, Sture. A modern design shapes both the space outside on the pavement and the interior halls. Serving traditional Swedish food, Sture specializes in meat. Among the highlights is the tenderised Angus beef dish, prepared with red wine sauce and served with forest mushrooms, fried onions, and a puree of potatoes and brännvinsost (a typical Swedish cheese). An extensive list of wines, beers, cocktails and spirits is also available to accompany a meal at Sture.

On opening Vollmers, brothers Matt and Ebbe’s aim was to preserve the legacy of five generations of restaurateurs. With the clear objective in mind to impress a renovating twist on traditional Swedish cuisine, the Vollmers brothers start from classic ingredients to create a renewed interpretation of Scandinavian gastronomy by using modern techniques. The four, six, or eight course tasting menus on offer are updated monthly according to seasonality. With a strong focus on sustainability and local products, for each dish Vollmers’ menu indicates the distance from the restaurant to the ingredients’ source: on the September menu, from a distance of 58km away, ‘chlorophyll’ combined sweetbread, green tomatoes and pine.