Top things to do, see and eat in Gothenburg

Gothenburg’s lunch spots are seriously good. But sometimes it can almost feel as though one place is a copy and paste of the one next door, especially if you stick to the same part of town. Nor is it always easy to find the hidden gems among the obvious choices. Hopefully, this guide can help with that. Here you’ll find the full spectrum of the best lunches Gothenburg has to offer: simple, luxurious, hearty, affordable and quick. But first, a quick note. This guide takes us from Majorna into the city centre and then out towards Angered. Each place has been given a rating of up to five stars. But they’re all working with completely different parameters, and our expectations have been adjusted accordingly. The criteria for a hot dog stand are different from those for a fine-dining restaurant, so a three-star restaurant in this guide isn’t necessarily worse than one with five. But with that said, here are Gothenburg’s best lunch spots! Also recommended:  Gothenburg's best restaurants | Time Outs top picks 2026 Sweden’s 11 best destination restaurants worth travelling for

A major Stockholm-based newspaper once wrote in a review: ‘Sometimes all of Gothenburg feels like one big French bistro.’ I remember feeling deeply offended. I kept wondering whether there was any truth to it. And, to be fair, there is. The city certainly has a soft spot for French bistros and cosy wine bars. But that's only a tiny part of what Gothenburg actually has to offer. If you haven't found the rest, you simply haven't looked hard enough. Or perhaps you just didn't have the right guide. This one didn't exist back then. Gothenburg is a creative, fun and vibrant city. At the same time, Gothenburgers are experts at being sceptical of change and fiercely protective of tradition. That combination creates an incredible environment for the city's restaurants, where diversity and quality are given room to flourish at every level. Time Out's favourite restaurants in Gothenburg are a wonderfully varied mix of neighbourhood gems, fine dining destinations and street food spots. You'll find Mexican, Georgian and Nordic cuisine, tasting menus assembled with tweezers alongside Turkish charcoal grills and taco kiosks. Prices vary, but the most important factor in our reviews is whether the bill feels worth paying when the meal is over. As always, we've also awarded every restaurant a star rating. This guide includes places with three, four and five stars, where three means good, four means very good and five means extraordinary – the kind of places you'll be recommending to everyone who'll listen long after you've left. That said, don't overlook the three-star restaurants. Some places are at their very best when they're allowed to keep things relaxed, and that's often exactly why we find ourselves returning again and again. Whichever restaurants you choose to visit, we hope you'll discover a new favourite. Now it's time to introduce ours. At a glance Vrå – Japanese-inspired cuisine with sustainability at its heart Diket – Majorna's best neighbourhood restaurant Gurras – A street food-inspired tasting menu Epoque – Gothenburg's best fish and seafood stew Bhoga – A nine-course tasting menu in Inom Vallgraven Bistro Odette – Modern French comfort food KaiFo – Gothenburg's best Asian fusion Carbon – Brazilian-inspired fine dining Tizne – A Mexican tasting menu Bar La Lune – Gothenburg's best tarte tatin Tien Tsin – Gothenburg's best Chinese restaurant  Manfreds Brasserie – Gothenburg's best Wiener schnitzel Lilla Istanbul – Gothenburg's best charcoal-grilled mixed platter Stumari – Georgian sharing plates in Olskroken Hermanos Tacokiosk – Gothenburg's best tacos Recommended reads: 15 best things to do in Gothenburg Gothenburg’s best hotels – 9 favourites to check into The best sandwich spots in Gothenburg: 5 places you need to try

Beer is a big deal in Gothenburg. The city has a real thirst for the stuff, with around 25 craft breweries in the surrounding area. So it’s not hard to find a good beer bar, with plenty of top-notch places putting beer centre stage. And to top it all off, they’re often within easy reach of each other. Perfect for a bar crawl, in other words. Choosing between Gothenburg’s best beer bars, however, is no easy task. There are, of course, plenty more places that could easily have made the list. You’ll find a couple more in Time Out’s guide to Gothenburg’s best bars, where the main focus is on cocktails and mixed drinks. And whatever you do, don’t forget the breweries’ own bars. Vega, Spike, Majornas and Bearded Rabbit are just a few of the many taprooms you’ll find in Gothenburg. Opening hours tend to vary, so it’s always a good idea to check their websites or social media before visiting. But right now, we’re here for the beer bars. So, where should you raise your next glass? Here’s our pick of Gothenburg’s best spots for a beer!  Gothenburg’s best beer bars at a glance Haket pub – best for atmosphere3 små rum – best for Belgian beerStation Linné – best for gastropub foodÖlrepubliken – best for its huge selectionBrewers Beer Bar – best for modern beer styles and sourdough pizzaRed Lion – best for its down-to-earth atmosphereOld Beefeater Inn – best for that neighbourhood pub feelOstindiska Ölkompaniet – best for award-winning burgersDirty Records – best for vegetarian foodThe Bishops Arms Plaza – best for cask aleSilverkällan – best for budget beer

There's no doubt that the sandwich has had a major culinary glow-up. But it took a long time before it really caught on. In modern times, the first steps came with Mack-SM, an industry event that has crowned Sweden's tastiest and most innovative sandwich every year since 2002. As far back as ten years ago, people predicted that the American sandwich trend would arrive in Sweden, but things moved slowly. It's only in recent years that hearty sandwiches have become a regular feature on restaurant menus in the country's biggest cities. Today, it's all about substantial sandwiches that are complete meals rather than just a quick snack. The bread is often sourdough, levain or bagel, while the filling is a carefully considered combination of ingredients that both contrast and complement each other. The filling should be the star of the show. There are plenty of restaurants in Gothenburg with one or two sandwiches on the menu, but however good they may be, they don't qualify as dedicated sandwich spots. Asian buns and Mexican tacos also don't make the cut for this list. Dig in: Here are Gothenburg's five very best sandwich spots!Also recommended:  Here are Gothenburg’s 15 best bars 15 best things to do in Gothenburg

Sometimes it’s an advantage not to be a metropolis. Gothenburg may be Sweden’s second-largest city, but it has more of a small-town character – just the right size, down-to-earth and friendly, with bars all within comfortable walking distance of each other. And there are plenty to explore: from hidden gems and beer joints to cosy living-room spots and eye-catching hotel bars. But however different and atmospheric they may be, it’s the drinks that take centre stage – high-quality cocktails, wines, beers and ciders. The only thing left to do is pick and choose. Time Out guides you to the best watering holes on Gothenburg’s dense bar map.

When summer takes hold of the city, an ice cream break becomes a natural part of the day – a chance to slow down, sit in the sun and recharge with a refreshing scoop of artisan ice cream. In Gothenburg, you’ll find everything from classic ice cream bars serving scoops to small gelaterias where flavours shift with the seasons and inspiration. Some places even make their waffles on site, which elevates the whole experience. The city’s selection includes several cafés that focus on ice cream without unnecessary additives – something that’s clear in both taste and texture. It’s hard to walk more than a few blocks without being tempted by a sign, a queue or a flavour you didn’t know you were craving. Here are some of Gothenburg’s best ice cream spots right now.