The Swedish julbord is an extensive spread that has evolved from a variety of traditions and today consists of an elaborate buffet of typical Christmas food. It is popular not only to sit down for a julbord on Christmas Eve with family, but also to go out for a special julbord meal at a restaurant in the run-up to Christmas – with family, friends or colleagues. See here for the low-down on the Swedish julbord.
All prices listed are per person, unless otherwise stated.
Traditional julbord:
These julbord are some of the most traditional you can get. With a focus on good quality meat and fish, they cater to those with no special requirements – although they may be able to accommodate special diets with advance notice.
Staffantorps Gästis has an impressive selection of herring – with a herring buffet based on the Scanian Herring Academy’s original recipes. Visitors to this julbord can also enjoy game, hams, cheese and salmon, alongside julbord classics like meatballs and prinskorv sausages. There’s an excellent spread of cold cuts, and it’s generally a meat-heavy julbord, so it’s perhaps not the ideal choice for vegetarians.
When: Available between November 24th and December 24th.
Price: 555 kronor for lunch on weekdays. 725 kronor for Thursday nights and 795 kronor on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Kids under 13 pay 40 kronor per year of age.
Årstiderna’s traditional julbord is served by candlelight in their 500-year-old building in the centre of Malmö. They have a few julbord options this year: the standard julbord is available as eat-in or takeaway, there’s a lyxjul (‘luxury Christmas’) julbord with lobster and champagne, and a simpler julmeny offering three courses of table service from 5pm every day.
When: Usually available from December 1st.
Price: Julbord: 795 kronor. Three course julmeny: 725 kronor. Lyxjul with lobster and champagne: 1195 kronor.
Katrinetorps Landeri in Svågertorp is home to foodie-favourite restaurant Gourmetgården. This year, unlike last year, Gourmetgården is offering a julbord lunch option in their restaurant rather than a buffet option.
This will include three types of herring, Christmas ham with mustard, Jansson’s temptation, browned cabbage, gravad lax with hövmästersås and eggs with prawn salad. They have vegetarian options, although it may be a good idea to call in advance so you’re sure it will be available.
For those of you interested in a full-blown julbord buffet, however, Gourmetgården is offering a catered julbord option for groups of 20 or more – ideal for a work do.
Both julbord options are served in their 19th-century restaurant.
When: Jullunch starting November 25th. Julbord catering booked directly with the restaurant.
Price: Lunch: 285 kronor, 350 kronor with cheese plate. Julbord 595 kronor per head plus venue hire subject to agreement.
A classic for the city, Grand Deli in Lund is offering a buffet julbord in the hotel’s dining room featuring meat, fish and vegetables from Scanian producers.
In previous years, Grand’s julbord has featured their own meatballs and mustard herring, gravad lax and hot smoked salmon from Vallåkra smokery, south of Helsingborg, prinskorv sausages from Hässleholm in northern Skåne, and smoked onion sausage from Tollarp in northeast Skåne.
When: Available from November 24th – December 24th.
Price: Lunch Monday-Friday: 695 kronor. Evenings and weekends: 995 kronor. Christmas Eve: 1395 kronor. Children up to 12 pay 595 kronor regardless of age.
Rådhuskällaren is another restaurant known for its meaty dishes – with Swedish classics like wallenbergare (breadcrumbed calf patties served with butter) often featuring on their menus.
Their traditional julbord is no different – all the classic warm and cold dishes you would expect, as well as a dessert buffet, served in their restaurant situated in the cellar of Malmö’s town hall.
In previous years, they have also offered a vegan julbord, although it’s not clear whether this will be offered in 2023.
When: November 23rd-December 22nd. Also served at lunchtime from December 5th.
Price: Lunch: 450 kronor. Wednesday-Saturday evenings, 625 kronor. All other evenings as well as Sundays, 550 kronor.
Vegetarian and vegan-friendly:
The above restaurants may offer vegetarian options if you ask, but we know that the ones below offer great vegetarian and vegan options, alongside the more traditional meat and fish dishes. Good choices if not everyone in your party eats meat.
Anita’s på Börringekloster is known for its buffets, and its julbord is no exception. It offers everything you could want, including meatballs, Jansson’s temptation, herring, cheese and Christmas ham, alongside a number of vegetarian dishes.
If you’d like a completely vegan option, Anita’s also offers a vegan julbord for two days only, with vegan versions of traditional herring and meat dishes.
When and price:
Julbord buffet: November 26th, December 2nd, 3rd, 16th and 17th, 450 kronor
Vegan julbord: December 8th at 6pm (595 kronor) and December 9th at 12 noon (450 kronor)
Seventh-day Adventist church Adventkyrkan on Östra Rönneholmsvägen in Malmö offers the only entirely vegetarian julbord on this list.
Their julbord features gravad lax based on carrots, herring made from aubergine, as well as vegan and vegetarian versions of popular dishes such as Västerbotten cheese pie and Jansson’s temptation.
When: November 26th.
Price: 300 kronor for adults, 100 kronor for children over 6. Booking obligatory.
Ängavallen organic farm in Vellinge has a julbord featuring the best of their produce – both meat and vegetables. Photo: Conny Fridh/imagebank.sweden.se
Organic farm Ängavallen in Vellinge, south of Malmö, may be known for their meat, but their julbord also has some vegetarian offerings. Most of the ingredients for their julbord are sourced from their own farm, with a focus on animal health and welfare, stress-free slaughter and meat without antibiotics.
Their julbord is, unsurprisingly, very meaty, with patés, hams, terrines and ribs served alongside organic pickled herring, smoked, salted and cured salmon. Vegetarian dishes will also be served – contact the restaurant directly if you would like more details. Organic glögg (Swedish mulled wine), coffee and an appetiser upon arrival are included in the price.
When: November 25th-December 23rd.
Price: 835 kronor for adults. Half price for children aged 4-12, children under 4 only pay for drinks. All children will receive a goodie-bag of sweets.
Monastery Bosjökloster in Höör is, admittedly, not particularly close to Malmö. It takes around 40 minutes to drive there from Malmö, or just over an hour via public transport – so this is definitely more of a day-trip option.
This julbord, described as a julbordsupplevelse or “julbord experience”, offers visitors the chance to start their evening with a glögg by the fire in the castle, while listening to stories (in Swedish) from Bosjökloster’s history. Attendees will then walk through candlelit hallways through to a seasonally-decorated hall, where a julbord based on home-made dishes as well as products from local producers will be served.
Vegans, vegetarians and pescetarians can also enjoy this julbord – just remember to include this information in your booking.
When: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from December 1st-17th. Some days were already fully booked at time of writing.
Price: 685 kronor for adults (with glögg and stories by the fire: 715 kronor). Children aged 9-12, 395 kronor. Children aged 4-8, 285 kronor. Children aged 1-3, 125 kronor.
Even further away from Malmö, House of Ven situated on the island of Ven in the Öresund strait between Sweden and Denmark is offering a one-of-a-kind julbord this year.
This julbord will most likely require an overnight stay either on the island or in nearby Landskrona, and the food on offer will be a five course meal served at the table with all the traditional classics and a range of vegetarian dishes.
When: November 24th-December 22nd.
Price: Standard julbord, 795 kronor. Julbord including overnight stay and breakfast, from 1495 kronor per person.
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