Swedish cuisine: there’s more than just meatballs!

One of the best extra’s when traveling to Swedish Lapland is definitely the cuisine. Truly fresh and high-quality food which most of us haven’t even heard of, and often can’t even pronounce! Leaving Sweden is always with the feeling that your appetites have been completely satisfied.

Although Swedish meatballs are enjoyed in Ikeas all over the world, there is far more to this Scandinavian country’s cuisine than the ubiquitous meatball. 

Swedish food can’t be talked about without mentioning berries. There is no chance you won’t eat a dish decorated with lingonberries or a toast with cloudberry jam. Native only to Swedish Lapland, these tart berries were a key ingredient in an ancient Scandinavian medicinal tea and no breakfast is served without cloudberry jam.

Obviously, there is an amazing variety of fish, from the famous Arctic char and crayfish to Kalix Löjrom, known among the caviar enthusiasts as the ‘gold of the North’. It is frequently served at the Nobel prize banquets.

You should definitely try Elk and Reindeer as well. They are delicious in combination with local forest mushrooms.  Reindeer meat has been used in the native Sámi diet for centuries.

And of course, there is Smörgåsbord. This is a typical meal served buffet-style with a variety of hot and cold dishes. Bread, butter and cheese are standard items. It’s customary to start with cold fish dishes, which are generally various forms of herring, salmon and eel. Afterwards, people usually continue with other cold dishes, moving on to the hot ones. Dessert can also be served as Smörgåsbord! 

If you are looking for a spot in Swedish Lapland with exquisite local cuisine, try the small-scale Pinetree Lodge, the up-scale ICErestaurant in Jukkasjärvi, or the restaurant of the Abisko Mountain Station. 

Enjoy your meals in Swedish Lapland! For sure, that will not be a problem at all!