Gothenburg continues to strengthen its position as one of the Nordic region's most dynamic food cities in 2026. During the first months of the year alone, around 20 new restaurants will open, sustainability initiatives will be launched and Exo – the highest-located restaurant in the Nordics – will open its doors. Here are some of the most exciting food events and restaurant openings of the year.

NEW Restaurants & Cafés

Food Events

More new restaurants and earlier openings

14 new Restaurants & Cafés (see 12 more at the end)

Sway (opened January)
At the end of January, the cocktail bar Sway opened in central Gothenburg. Sway combines classic cocktail culture with a playful expression and aims to become a creative meeting place for both locals and visitors.

Restaurant BO (opened January)
On the ground floor of Våghuset at Matshuggskajen, the restaurateurs behind the cocktail bar Adamo have expanded with the modern neighbourhood restaurant BO. Lunch focuses on traditional Swedish dishes, while the evening menu features clear Italian influences.

Bohemia (opened February)
Gothenburg's jazz scene gains a new venue as Bohemia opens on Skeppsbron. The project is led by musicians Linus Axelsson and Teodor Gleisner. The ambition is to create a stage that moves between experimental performances and dinner-friendly jazz – in a venue with a jazz history dating back to the 1950s, where legends such as Ella Fitzgerald and Quincy Jones once performed.

Gæst (opened February)
In the student quarters of Linné, the restaurant Gæst has opened its doors. Gæst – meaning “guest” in Danish – is run by a family of four and combines influences from Danish and Italian cuisine. The ambition is to create a relaxed meeting place where guests can drop in for a glass of wine, a smørrebrød or a simple pasta dish.

Chapmans Lycka (opened February)
At Chapmans Torg, in the local area of Majorna, Chapmans Lycka opened in February – a lively yet charming wine bar linked to neighbouring Sångfågeln, where guests can sing karaoke.

Capricci (opened February)
At Bastionsplatsen, Capricci opened on 27 February. Here, modern interpretations of well-known pasta dishes, pizzas and desserts are served, inspired by different regions of Italy in a colourful setting.

Johanna (opens March)
On 24 March, Gothenburg will have a brand-new rooftop restaurant when restaurant Johanna opens on the seventh floor at Södra Hamngatan 49.  Johanna will be an inviting steakhouse serving meat, fish, vegetables and seafood grilled over open flames. The adjacent 40-seat bar will place particular focus on Martinis in both classic and modern interpretations.

Rosenkaféet (reopens March)
Rosenkaféet, located in the beautiful city park The Garden Society of Gothenburg, will reopen under new ownership but retain its name. The café will be run by the family behind the wellknown Ahlströms Konditori, who aim to further develop the concept with a focus on classic Swedish fika and traditional dishes.

Somni (opens March)
At the end of March, the Spanish restaurant Somni will open in Linné. Chef and owner Hugo Jude, originally from Catalonia, works under the motto “every guest is a family member”. The menu will feature modern Mediterranean cuisine and carefully selected wines served in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Bar Bez Mleczny (opens March)
The concept comes from the team behind the vegan food truck Papi's Pierogi. It focuses on plant-based Slavic comfort food – a modern and welcoming interpretation of the classic Polish milk bar, centred around affordable and satisfying meals.

Waernet Majorna (opens March/April)
Waernet, the Instagram friendly neighbourhood café and kitchen showroom in Bagaregården, is expanding with a new branch in Majorna.

Project's new wine bar (opens April)
In April, the Michelin star restaurant Project will launch a wine bar. The sister venue will take over the former florist Törnrosa and promises excellent wine, charcuterie and cheese.

Exo (planned opening May/June)
In the Nordics' tallest building, Karlatornet, the restaurant and bar Exo will soon open. The concept combines modern gastronomy with international influences, focusing on flavour, technique and presentation. The setting will be elegant and futuristic, offering panoramic views of the city and harbour entrance.

Bistro Brevé (opens later this year)
On Viktoriagatan, restaurateur Björn Persson will open the neighbourhood bistro Brevé, blending French and Swedish culinary traditions. Persson also runs the Michelin-starred restaurant Koka, Björns Bar and Familjen.

Food Events

Gothenburg Royale served in the archipelago NEW
During Göteborgskalaset (Gothenburg's city festival) in 2025, the new sustainable city dish Gothenburg Royale was crowned the official Gothenburg meal. This year, the dish will begin appearing on menus across the city. The first to serve it will be the archipelago restaurants Franses Skärgårdspub on Hönö and Popsicle on Donsö, starting in March.

Slakthuset Saturdays (28 March–12 December)
An urban farmers' market at Slakthuset featuring food artisans, designers, craft makers, food trucks, BBQ, taprooms and a winery. The market takes place once a month from March to December.

Beer & Whisky Fair (17–18 April)
A large number of exhibitors gather at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre, where visitors can sample beer, whisky and other beverages such as cider, rum and spirits.

Vingelrundan (25 April) – NEW
A wine run in Gothenburg where participants walk or run a route of 11–13 km starting in the city centre and finishing in Gamlestaden at the urban winery Wine Mechanics. Nine wine tastings are promised along the way. 1,000 spots are available.

Fish & Seafood Festival (1–2 May) – NEW
In early May, a brand-new seafood festival will take place at the historic Feskekörka fish market. For two days the entire building – including the floating outdoor terrace – will transform into a lively celebration. Visitors can sample dishes from different vendors, learn more about ingredients from the west coast and purchase tasting coupons redeemable for seafood dishes and drinks.

Vassen Market (May) – NEW
In May, Vassen Market will open at Lindholmen, by the former shipyard Götaverken. Across 6,500 square metres visitors will find street food, cocktails, beer, live music, art, skateboarding and pop-up shops. The ambition is to create a new waterside meeting place inspired by Copenhagen's food market Reffen.

GRILLAT (8–9 May)
At Åbymässan, barbecue enthusiasts gather for live grilling, competitions, seminars and tastings suitable for both beginners and seasoned grill masters.

The Drinks Fair (15–16 May)
At Eriksbergshallen, visitors will have the opportunity to sample hundreds of drinks and cocktails from both local and international beverage suppliers.

Slakthuset Block Party (16–18 July)
In mid-summer, Slakthuset in Gamlestaden hosts three days of music, food and community. The festival features world-class live music – including acts such as The Soundtrack of Our Lives and José González – alongside local food and drink experiences.

Street Food Festival at the Göteborgskalaset (Gothenburg's city festival)  (27–30 August)
When the Gothenburg Culture Festival returns on 27–30 August, the Street Food Festival once again becomes a central part of the programme. Along Basargatan and Kungstorget, food vendors from Gothenburg and around the world gather to serve everything from classic favourites to new flavours.

Food Fest Gothenburg (11–20 September)
In September, Food Fest Gothenburg returns for the second time. This umbrella festival gathers local restaurants and food actors through special events and collaborations focusing on social sustainability across different locations all over the city.

Sausage Festival (2–3 October)
A festival where visitors can try sausages in a wide variety of flavours together with suitable sides and drinks. Held at Gothenburg Film Studios.

Cheese Festival (16–17 October)
Held at Auktionsverket Kulturarena, featuring cheese and drink tastings, shopping opportunities and competitions.

Sparkling Gothenburg (16–17 October)
At Clarion Hotel Post visitors can taste and learn more about champagne, cava, crémant and other sparkling wines.

Beer & Rock Fair (20–21 November)
A meeting place for beer lovers and rock fans. For two days, Valandhuset on Avenyn is filled with microbreweries from Gothenburg and across Sweden, exhibitors and live music.

More NEW restaurants:

Mormors (opened January)
Behind the new venture in Vasastan are friends Zakaria Chihani and Herman Friess, serving classic homemade baked goods alongside Moroccan pastries and grilled sandwiches with North African lamb sausage. The café concept aims to recreate the feeling of having fika at your grandmother's.

Hermel (opened February)
At newly opened Hermel in Linné, authentic Lebanese flavours are promised. Inspired by traditions from their hometown Hermel in Lebanon, the Lebanese chefs prepare dishes just as they would at home – full of warmth, simplicity and passion. Café Artella (opens March)
On 14 March, another destination for those with a sweet tooth opens: Café Artella on Västra Hamngatan. Here, food, bread and pastries are made from scratch. Oss emellan (opens March)
The food truck Oss bröd emellan is moving to a permanent address as a new restuarant The concept is street food with bold flavours such as short ribs, fried chicken and grilled cod cheeks. The bar will place particular focus on Bloody Marys.

Bram's Burgers (opens March)
During the spring, Bram's Burgers will open on Avenyn. The concept began as a food truck run by two brothers in 2019 and has since expanded to several restaurants in Stockholm and Uppsala

Bar Schiacciate (opens June)
During the year, the Italian sandwich bar Bar Schiacciate will establish itself in Gothenburg. Among the founders is hockey player Christopher Åström, who has built a large following on TikTok. This will be the chain's seventh restaurant and its first outside Stockholm. Paradiset Sveaplan (opens later this year)
Paradiset was an early pioneer of the concept combining thin, crispy pizzas with Mediterranean-style small plates. Following the success of three restaurants and a bakery, the group will soon open another restaurant at Sveaplan.

Earlier restaurant openings from late 2025

Hernö Gin Bar Gothenburg (opened December)
In December 2025, Hernö Gin opened its second brand bar, this time in Gothenburg. At the centre of the venue is an almost nine-metre-long bar counter where both classic and innovative cocktails featuring Hernö Gin are served. The ambition is to create a meeting place where gin and cocktail tastings are combined with food specifically designed to complement the drinks.

Pinch Pantry (opened December 2025)
Bread and pastries are baked on site, while a delicatessen counter complements the offering. The concept follows the growing trend of restaurant meets deli, with a distinctly continental feel.

Mackbaren 12 (opened December 2025)
Mackbaren continues its expansion and has now opened its third location, this time on Vallgatan 12 in central Gothenburg. The menu features generously filled sandwiches with flavours from around the world – from mortadella to Korean fried chicken. Mackbaren already operates locations in Mölndal and Olskroken.

Brofæstet (opened late 2025)
At the foot of Hisingsbron at Lilla Bommen, Brofæstet is emerging as a new meeting place and cultural hub in an area undergoing transformation. Here, lunch service (Thursday–Friday) is combined with food and drinks, music, markets and workshops.

Lilla Brasseriet (opened November 2025)
The historic Stora Saluhallen food hall has gained a new addition with Lilla Brasseriet, focusing on seasonal ingredients. Swedish and French lunch dishes are served alongside weekend offerings such as champagne and pastries with chicken liver and sherry mousse.

More information on Gothenburg as a destination HERE

Press images:

For the news above, HERE

General destination images, HERE

Cover photo: Up left: Capricci. Up right: Sway. Down left: Feskekörkan. Down right: Exo at Karlatornet.