Food & Drink in Gothenburg: Seafood, Räkmacka & Fika
Seafood, the räkmacka, six Michelin stars, market halls and cinnamon buns for fika, what makes Gothenburg's food scene special and where to try it.
By goeteborg.info editorial team · Travel editors · Last updated: June 2026
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Gothenburg is considered Sweden's culinary capital and was named the country's "Food Capital" in 2012. The title comes from tourism and media sources rather than an official ranking, but it's well documented that the city has an unusually high number of top restaurants for its size. The common thread is the sea, the west coast supplies shrimp, lobster, mussels and oysters, and they shape the menu from market stalls to Michelin-starred dining rooms.
Seafood and the räkmacka
The icon of Gothenburg's food culture is Feskekôrka, the "Fish Church" on the Rosenlund Canal. The striking building has served as a fish hall since 1874 and reopened in May 2024 after around four years of renovation. Entry to the hall is free, though what you buy inside isn't; it's open roughly Tuesday to Saturday, closed Mondays and Sundays. Exact hours vary by listing, so it's worth a quick check of the official site before you visit.
The dish not to miss is the räkmacka, the open shrimp sandwich. Räkmacka and räksmörgås mean the same thing - "macka" and "smörgås" are just two Swedish words for sandwich. It's classically topped with cold-water shrimp, egg, mayonnaise, lemon and sometimes roe. For good value in a cosy setting, try Sjöbaren in Haga; for something smarter, and pricier, head to the seafood restaurants Fiskekrogen and Sjömagasinet. Prices vary a lot by venue, so expect anywhere from mid-range to upmarket.
Six Michelin stars
For a city this size, the density of stars is remarkable, according to the official city tourism site, Gothenburg holds six Michelin stars in 2026. The addresses at a glance:
- Signum, the city's only two-star restaurant.
- Koka, one star since 2015, specialising in west Swedish cuisine.
- Hoze, a small, exclusive omakase and sushi restaurant.
- SK Mat och Människor, Project and Restaurang 28+, one star each.
Restaurang 28+ holds a special place, it has kept its star continuously since 1991, making it Sweden's longest-running Michelin-starred restaurant. Booking ahead is advisable at all six, and essential in peak season.
Fika and cinnamon buns
Just as important as dinner is fika, the Swedish coffee break with pastries. The most famous address is in the Haga neighbourhood - Café Husaren at Haga Nygata 28 serves the Hagabulle, a plate-sized cinnamon bun. A whole one costs around 120 SEK, and if that's too much for one sitting, you can order just a quarter.
The city centre has several other cinnamon bun addresses worth seeking out - Ahlströms Konditori on Korsgatan has been running since 1901 and is one of the city's oldest patisseries, alongside Borgskogs on Nordenskiöldsgatan and Bar á Kaffe. If you're after specialty coffee, head to da Matteo around Magasinsgatan, the roastery, with several cafés and its own bakery, was named the best roaster in the Nordic countries in 2025.
Market halls and local specialities
Two market halls bring the city's food scene together under one roof. The Stora Saluhallen on Kungstorget has stood since the 1880s and combines delicatessens, restaurants and wine bars; it's open roughly Monday to Friday until 18:00 or 19:00 and Saturdays until 16:00, closed Sundays, with free entry. Smaller and quieter is the Saluhall Briggen in Linnéstaden, housed in a former fire station, with several lunch restaurants. Its opening hours are considerably shorter than the Stora Saluhallen's, and it too is closed on Sundays.
Lobster deserves a chapter of its own. The season on the west coast in Bohuslän starts at 7:00 every year on the first Monday after 20 September and runs until 30 November. The season opening, the hummerpremiär, is a real celebration. Restaurants and hotels in Bohuslän around Gothenburg run lobster and seafood safaris to mark it; bookings go through outlets including the collective platform "The Shellfish Journey". If you're already planning to get out on the water, it pairs well with a trip to the archipelago.
Craft beer and nightlife districts
Gothenburg has a lively craft beer scene, with several breweries running their own taprooms:
- Stigbergets, with Shangri-La on Gamla Varvsgatan in Majorna and Bryggan on Stålverksgatan in Ringön.
- Spike Brewery, in the old slaughterhouse in Gamlestaden, taproom open Fridays and Saturdays.
- Beerbliotek, also in Majorna, taproom open Fridays and Saturdays.
- O/O Brewing, with its own beer bar at Bangatan 22 near Stigbergstorget.
- Poppels Citybryggeri, central, near the main station.
The city's densest nightlife strip is Långgatorna (Första to Fjärde Långgatan) in Linnéstaden, between Järntorget in the east and Masthugget in the west. Restaurants and bars line up here in a relaxed, alternative atmosphere, one of the city's bar-densest quarters. In peak season, booking ahead is a good idea here too.