Swedish restaurants at the forefront of innovation and sustainability

Nestled in the beautiful setting of Älvsjö, south of Stockholm, Långbro Värdshus serves up Swedish food prepared with local produce. Ingredients are sourced from nearby farms and small-scale producers, specialising in everything from beef and oysters to cheeses and vegetables. Much care is taken not to let anything go to waste, and quite a big helping of creativity goes into finding uses for every produce component – making the menu a work of delicious surprise.

Celebrating Swedish seasonal produce, Michelin-star restaurant Thörnströms Kök, in Gothenburg, specialises in modern Scandinavian cuisine and regional flavours. Choose between set dinner menus or à la carte, and rest assured that everything on your plate has been carefully selected and prepared, both to minimise waste and to excite your taste buds. The produce featured on the menu is always in season and ranges from Swedish oyster and chanterelles to fallow deer meat and corn-fed chicken. Thörnströms Kök closed in 2021 and re-opened as Thörnströms, now focusing on take-away, cooking events and closed parties.

Sustainable restaurant Boo Natur relies on the ingredients found on its doorstep in the beautiful countryside of south-central Sweden’s Örebro. Offering a seasonal menu, the type of dishes you’ll taste depends on what’s available during your visit, adding an element of surprise. Opt for either a tasting menu or a less elaborate lunch, with or without wine.

FARM Restaurant & Bar is a collaborative project between Stockholm Brewing Co. and Karshamra Mat & Trädgård (Karshamra Food & Garden). The inner-city restaurant, located on the water’s edge at Frihamnen port in central Stockholm, is indeed aptly named, as most of the vegetables used for the innovatively composed dishes, are harvested from Karshamra’s farm. Meat is sourced from a small local herd of lamb, sheep and heritage cows. Animals are fed organic waste from the brewery, while the rest is used for compost.

At Lilla Bjers, one of Gotland’s top restaurants, seasonal food is served up in a natural haven of tranquillity. All vegetables come from the restaurant’s organic farm, while produce such as dairy and meat are sourced on the island. The menu is innovative, celebrating the classic flavours of Gotland – think truffles and saffron. The drinks list features wines from local small-scale producers. Lilla Bjers’ own craft beer is made with hops grown on the farm, developed in collaboration with local brewery Barlingbo.

Slow food restaurant Hävvi i Glen is based in the Sami village of Tåssåsen, in north-western Sweden. The menu is based on the authentic flavours of this unique region. Reindeer meat – from steak to sausages – feature prominently. Also on the menu, you’ll find locally sourced and foraged produce such as chanterelles, wild trout, elk meat and cloudberries. For dessert, expect inventive treats, such as lilac sorbet with a sprinkling of heather bloom.

Inspired by its natural surroundings in Skåne, in southern Sweden, Hörte Brygga serves up the best produce the region has to offer across field, forest and sea. Adding to the breadth of sustainable food on offer – all of which changes according to season – this top Swedish restaurant has teamed up with select local farmers and small-scale producers, specialising in everything from dairy products to meat and vegetables. Food is enjoyed in a range of ways: raw, cured, pickled, fermented and smoked.

Fast food and sustainability rarely go hand in hand, but Swedish restaurant Kalf & Hansen is turning this preconception on its head. Offering Nordic organic fast food with a particular talent for quenelles (a kind of meat or vegetarian dumpling), dishes are prepared using seasonal produce. Stew, soup, wraps and sandwiches are also available at Kalf & Hansen’s two Stockholm restaurants, along with smoothies made with seasonal fruits.

Sustainable lunch restaurant Spill, based in Malmö, strives to minimise waste by serving lunch that uses a large proportion of produce previously destined for the bin – but perfectly edible. It was founded by two experienced chefs, Ellinor Lindblom and Erik Andersson, who have as much passion for culinary craft and good service as caring for the environment. Expect well-balanced but inventive dishes such as pork chops with root vegetables and fried sweetheart cabbage. The exact percentage of wasted food used for each dish is published on the Spill website – usually close to 100%.