The 10 Best Bars in Malmö, Sweden

What’s a better combination than wine and cheese? At Julie, in Malmö’s picturesque Gamla Väster neighbourhood, you can enjoy them both, as well as oysters and rotisserie meat. The wine bar serves natural wines and has been repeatedly nominated for prizes such as Wine Bar of the Year, which it won in 2018. Find your perfect bottle in its “wine room” or choose from the 14 wines on tap, all chosen for their sustainable features. Julie is worth a visit for its typically Swedish interior, with wooden furniture, white-painted walls and lots of plants. In the summertime, be sure to sit at one of the tables in the pretty courtyard.

This large taproom has been a beloved part of Malmö’s craft beer community since 2010. With 42 beers on tap and plenty of guest beers from around the world, it’s a must-visit for beer aficionados. It also serves wine, craft cider and house-made mead. The brewery itself is a spacious bar with plenty of seating, so it’s good for large groups. It has its own American-style food menu too, so you can enjoy baby back ribs, mac and cheese or a bean burger with your fresh, hoppy beer.

There’s been a pub stood where Syltan is today since the 1970s, and the current bar and restaurant has become a local favourite. The cosy bar has a welcoming atmosphere, and staff are happy to help you choose a drink from the menu. Syltan offers food as well – its mussels are especially good, but you can also eat classic Swedish dishes such as herring sandwiches and meatballs here.

If it’s a great margarita or michelada you’re after, Scaniabar is the place to go in Malmö. The bar and restaurant combines Mexican and Korean cuisines and has an impressive drinks list that includes six different margaritas. Be sure to try the elderflower margarita, an unusual take on a classic. You can also order pitchers, coronitas and home-made lemonades. Food options include bibimbap, burritos and kimchi fries.

Swedish top chef Marcus Samuelsson wowed the New York food scene, before opening a number of renowned restaurants around the world. His Kitchen & Table, at the Clarion Hotel in Malmö, doesn’t just have great food, though – it also features a sky bar with a magnificent view. Sustainably focussed, the no-waste cocktail selection is extensive and features classics such as gimlets and piña coladas, as well as more innovative drinks. However, it’s the view of the harbour from the 25th floor that you’ll remember the most.

Spegeln, Malmö’s cult film theatre, is also home to a charming bar and restaurant inspired by French bistros. The Art Deco aesthetic is the perfect backdrop for an intimate evening; the bar isn’t massive, but has plenty of beer and wine options. To really enjoy the best of both worlds, choose to see a film in Spegeln’s Bar Deco – a special salon filled with comfy armchairs, where you can eat and drink while enjoying the movie.

The second venue from Irish pub Paddy’s in Malmö is a wine and gin bar in the beautiful Lejonpassagen passageway in the centre of town. The wine cellar boasts more than 150 different types of wine, while the gin cocktails are delicious and can be made with any of the 75 different gins on the premises. With knowledgeable bartenders and a beautiful green-tiled interior, Vin & Ginbaren nods to British gin bars, but has a Spanish-influenced food menu, with a selection of tapas and pintxos to choose from. This spot is perfect for gin lovers.

MJ’s is as far from frosty Scandinavian cool as you can get, and all the better for it. The hotel bar, with its hip, kitsch interior – including pink flamingoes – has quickly become a popular place to go for a drink in Malmö. The cash-free venue has an extensive selection of beers from smaller breweries, and a wildly imaginative cocktail selection that includes a martini with enoki mushrooms and the 21st Century with Olmeca Altos tequila and white cacao. Add a few snacks or small dishes from the kitchen, and enjoy one of the best cocktail experiences in the city.

Beloved Far i Hatten, located in Malmö’s inner-city Folkets Park, is one of the friendliest bars around. It’s best in the summer, when you can sit outside in its cosy courtyard, but still well worth a visit in winter. It hosts plenty of events, including gigs and DJ nights, and you also can play table football and table tennis here, too. When it comes to drinks, the menu focusses on natural wines and beers from smaller Nordic and European breweries. Far i Hatten also serves its own beers, alongside cocktails and pizzas. A lively, atmospheric venue, it’s a must-visit on the weekend.