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Malmö: Home to the best food in Sweden?

When you think Malmö, perhaps the Turning Torso or Oresund Bridge comes to mind. Maybe you think of thick, country accents. Maybe you think of immigration - and cheap falafel.

Malmö: Home to the best food in Sweden?
A dish at restaurant Namu.

But did you know that last year the New York Times highlighted the city of its outstanding culinary prowess, and this year a whole host of restaurants received one – or even two – Michelin stars?

“Some of the Nordic region’s most interesting food is being cooked not in Copenhagen but across the Oresund Bridge, in the Swedish region of Skåne,” the article stated, referring to the southernmost province of Sweden where Malmö is located.

So what exactly is going down, down in the south of Sweden? Why are foodies going mad for a mouthful of Malmö?

The Local headed south and to visit some of the city’s top chefs to learn more about Malmö’s secret formula for world-class food.


Photo: : Justin Brown/imagebank.sweden.se

Seasons

It’s a sunny day in Malmö, 26C degrees in May, and everyone is talking about… asparagus.

“We have all this great asparagus from Lund! We have to work with it.”

“I read that the asparagus is early this year. Time to experiment!”

“The asparagus is in season right now, but it will only stay for about a month. That makes it harder to master.”

It’s not an Asparagus-Addicts Anonymous meeting. It’s just Malmö master chefs doing what they do best – following the seasons.

“We always try to capture the seasons. I like to call it instinct cooking,” says Jörgen Loyd, owner of restaurant Lyran. “That means each day I’m inspired by the weather and everything that is in season right now.”

Time for a trip to Malmö? Check out train tickets

And it’s not just the four seasons you may be familiar with. In Malmö, “seasonal” cooking goes much further.

“Within every season there are micro seasons – three parts of spring; three parts of summer; three or four parts of autumn,” Loyd adds. “It’s all a dynamic dance.”

That very dance – or lack thereof – is what made Robert Jacobsson pack his bags more than a decade ago and leave Stockholm.

“In the Stockholm food scene, there was nothing that was seasonal. It’s part of what made me leave,” Jacobsson tells The Local, sipping strong black coffee at his newest endeavour in central Malmö, Bord13 which he says is “all about seasons”.

“You’re not a real chef if you don’t follow seasons – then you’re not creating anything.”


Robert Jacobsson at Bord13. Photo: Gustav Arnetz

That means being creative with whatever you can get your hands on in a given season – which can be rather limited in the winter.

“We’ve become experts at root vegetables,” Jacobsson grins.

Find out more about Bord13

But it’s not just about creativity – it’s also sustainability.

“Following the seasons and using what’s available creates the least impact on the environment,” Jacobsson says. “And we want to be as environmentally friendly as possible while serving really good food.”

Skåne: Sweden’s pantry

But luckily in Malmö, using what you can get doesn’t limit you much.

“When I grew up we learned in school that Skåne is the pantry of Sweden,” chef Jennie Walldén says with a laugh. “And it’s true. Everything grows here, so we can take advantage of that.”


Photo: Namu. See more delicious food from Namu here.

Walldén was the winner of Sweden’s MasterChef (Mästerkock) 2013, and opened her first restaurant, Korean-inspired Namu, last year.

“We use local produce and my food is always based on local ingredients, and then adding Korean flavours to that,” she explains.

Some dishes are Korean with a Swedish twist and some are Swedish with a Korean twist – but either way, she relies on local farmers as much as possible.

Find out more about Namu

“It connects us to the community, but it also means the food is much fresher since it hasn’t travelled so far,” she adds. 

Lloyd agrees.

“At Lyran we have created a fantastic network of producers,” he says. “We have developed a sort of friendship and understanding for each other’s craft, and it brings a lot of quality to the produce.”


Photo: Lyran

But Skåne’s reputation as Sweden’s pantry isn’t just thanks to its warmer climate and excellent earth. The region has had plenty of migration – which restaurant owners agree has been hugely beneficial for the food scene.

 “There are great spices at Möllevångstorget, the central market, in Möllan that I didn’t even know existed a month ago,” he remarks.

“And my neighbour from Palestine has these great olives his family sends, and the same passion for food that I do. It’s wonderful to borrow from each other.”

Connecting with people

And then there’s that other thing that affects food experiences: service.

In bigger cities like Stockholm and Copenhagen, Jacobsson explains, many restaurants are fully booked seven days a week, and in that sense can “relax” when it comes to putting service first.


The kitchen at Bord13 is intimate – guests can see exactly what's happening. Photo: Gustav Arnetz

But when you walk into a restaurant in Malmö, you’re sure to get a warm welcome – whether it’s a steakhouse or a café.

“For us it’s a big deal,” he says. “We’re better at service, how we approach and connect with people on a personal level, in Malmö.”

And the connection goes beyond first impressions. Lloyd says he and his family actively engage with guests throughout their dining experience at Lyran to learn and figure out what to do next.

Find out more about Lyran

“We change the menu every day, and if we’re not happy with it, we’ll change it again,” he says.

Jörgen greeting guests at Lyran
Jörgen Lloyd greeting guests at his restaurant Lyran in Malmö. Photo: Lyran

We are critical of ourselves and we want customers to be critical of us, too, in a good way. It’s research and it’s very nerdy. That’s how we move forward.”

Freedom and “fun-dining”

That’s part of Lyran’s concept that Lloyd loves the most: not being restricted by a set menu.

“Each morning we get the produce delivery, and then instinct kicks in. We ask ourselves, what do we want to eat today? What is the feeling and impression of the food? One day it might be Asian, then Nordic the next day, and then Mediterranean.”

Lloyd, who has worked as a chef for some 20 years, says he was tired of following “trends” in cooking and doing what everyone else was doing.

“I wanted this kind of freedom,” he explains. “I don’t want to call my food unique in any way – that’s up to the customers to decide. But I have created a platform where I can be creative and really am happy to work each day.”

That kind of fun attitude isn’t a side effect of the food scene’s development in Malmö – it’s a key ingredient.

“I think what we are seeing in Malmö right now is fantastic,” Lloyd remarks.

“Great chefs are starting their own small restaurants, with their own money – not influenced by financiers with millions. They’re working for themselves, and that brings quality.”

Malmö has fewer fancy fine-dining restaurants than bigger cities like Stockholm and Copenhagen, he says – but it’s still great quality food.

“It’s this middle section that has really developed in Malmö,” Namu’s Walldén says. “Good food for good value. You pay way more for food and drink in other cities. You’ll get much more for your money in Malmö.”

Jennie at Namu
Jennie Walldén at her restaurant Namu in Malmö. Photo: The Local

And as Lloyd sees it, value and quality have sort of become the hallmark of Malmö’s food scene.

“Malmö is absolutely one of the top places in the world right now for this middle-class restaurant scene. It’s between fine-dining and bistro – it’s like fun dining,” Lloyd grins. “It’s very personal. The chefs have this freedom to do what they want without the filter from some big owner.”

That’s exactly what Jacobsson did, leaving Copenhagen’s famous Noma to open his own restaurant in Malmö.

“I still have to do the job and go to work every day – but starting your own place, you have a greater feeling because you’re doing it for yourself,” he says. “You can do things that are important to you and there’s a much better energy.”

Or, as Walldén so succinctly summarizes it:

“If you like to eat, come to Malmö!”

Read more about food in Malmö

This article was produced by The Local and sponsored by Malmö Tourism

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FOOD AND DRINK

Five budget-friendly bars for a night out in Malmö

For Eurovision visitors, students or anyone else looking to have a good evening without breaking the bank, Malmö has plenty of pubs – which is good news for beer drinkers, as alcohol is famously expensive in Sweden.

Five budget-friendly bars for a night out in Malmö

Most of these are around the Möllan neighbourhood, which is more or less the centre of the city’s nightlife.

A general tip if you’re buying a beer anywhere in Sweden and aren’t too bothered about the exact one you get is to order a stor stark, literally a “big strong one”. These are usually half a litre of beer at around 5.5 percent ABV, so bear that in mind if that’s more than what you’re used to.

Nobes

Technically known as Gamle Nobes Bodega, everyone in Malmö calls it Nobes. Originally opened in 1937, Nobes is the closest you’re going to get to a British-style pub or German Bierhalle, with its tiled floor and rustic dark wooden décor.

As far as food is concerned, Nobes has some of the best traditional Swedish food in Malmö, with its kålpudding cabbage casserole, served with gravy, potatoes, pickled cucumber and lingonberry jam a must (it’s better than it sounds, we promise).

They have a dart board and sometimes have live music, and you can choose from a range of draft or bottled beers, ciders and wines.

Expect to pay a minimum of 60 kronor for a beer and around 160 kronor for food.

Address: Kristianstadsgatan 36

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 2pm-midnight, Fri 2pm-1am, Sat noon-1am and Sun noon-midnight

Ölkaféet

This is one of the most popular pubs in the Möllan neighbourhood, and that’s not just because it’s the unofficial supporters bar of the local football team, Malmö FF.

They’re cheap and cheerful, with reasonably priced pub grub, a heated outdoor seating area with views over the Möllan square and football matches on the TV, if that’s your kind of thing.

They even have a small library, a gallery wall with works by local artists, and board games like backgammon, checkers and chess, which you can borrow.

If there are no seats (it can get busy on the weekend), Vegan Bar next door is a good alternative, even for non-vegans.

A standard 50cl beer (veckans öl or “beer of the week”, despite the fact it hasn’t changed in years) costs around 65 kronor, with a burger costing around 140 kronor.

Address: Södra Skolgatan 43 – or just walk to the Möllevångstorget square and look for the bright blue awnings.

Opening hours: All days 10am-1am

Rex Pizzeria

Rex, on Nobelvägen, is probably the best example of a classic Swedish pizzeria that you can find in Malmö.

A warning: leave any expectation of Italian-style pizzas at the door, as Rex is firmly in the Swedish-style fulpizza category.

Their pizzas, such as the Tropicana, with cheese, tomato, ham, banana and curry powder, almost make a Hawaiian pizza look tame – although you can get more normal pizza toppings too if banana and curry is a bit too wild for you. They also have vegetarian and vegan options, for groups with allergies or other dietary restrictions.

Pizzas aside, Rex is also a popular pub with cheap drinks, shuffleboard and pool tables, and a nice outdoor serving area in summer. They often host quizzes, standup or other entertainment in their event room in the basement.

Beers cost around 60 kronor and pizzas range from 70 to 140 kronor.

Address: Nobelvägen 107

Opening hours: Tues-Sat 11am-1am, Sun-Mon 11am-11pm

Azalee

If you’re looking for a cheap bar which also provides the evening’s entertainment, Azalee’s your best bet.

This bar is a bizarre mix of casino, karaoke bar and pub, and an evening of karaoke here is equally as entertaining whether you’re getting up on stage yourself or just listening to the other guests get progressively worse at singing as the night goes on.

They offer classic pub fare at around 150-200 kronor and reasonably priced drinks.

Address: Claesgatan 8

Opening hours: Weds-Tors 4pm-1am, Fre-Sat 4pm-3am

Karaoke: Weds and Thurs, 8pm-1am, Friday and Saturday 8pm-3am

Blackjack Weds-Sat 6pm-close

Entry fee: 50kr after 11pm on weekends

Lion Bar

The picturesque Lilla Torg area of Malmö is not known for being cheap, but Lion Bar (a national chain) is an exception, offering a 40cl beer for under 40kr.

Food wise, they offer standard pub grub – nachos, buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks, burgers and so on – with deals on some food items.

Unsurprisingly, the prices rise if you stray from the special offers, particularly if ordering cocktails or wine.

Address: Landbygatan 4

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 3pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 3pm-1am

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