Gothenburg: A guide to Sweden’s West Coast 🇸🇪

I first visited da Matteo coffee shop on my way out of Gothenburg to begin a 3-day kayaking and wild camping trip with a friend through the Bohuslän Archipelago, an expanse of 8,000 islands that sit off the West Coast of Sweden. Each morning on different skerries along the North Sea we began with bacon and an AeroPress brew, and when we returned to Gothenburg we beelined for a coffee and cardamom bun at da Matteo.

Clara Drake Pihlgren won Sweden’s Latte Art Championships for three years in a row, and now works in marketing and roasting operations at da Matteo in one of the prettiest cities of Sweden.

*Clara Drake Pihlgren works in marketing and roasting operations at da Matteo in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photos courtesy of Clara Drake Pihlgren*

Filter: What do you like to do for fun around Gothenburg?

Oh that's a great first question. Well, on weekdays, I mostly spend my time around Magasinsgatan close to my workplace, and stroll around local shops, eat great lunches in the nearby area, and just enjoy the inner city life. There's lots of great new restaurants and shops and so many nice people around.

I usually visit Grandpa (lifestyle shop), Artilleriet (furniture shop), Vallgatan 12 (lifestyle shop and lunch/wine), Floramor & Krukatös (pots, plants, and flowers), Miss Ragtime (vintage/new clothing), and Norrgavel (furniture). Also Houdini (outdoor clothes) and Emma & Malena (west coast clothes) are pretty cosy!

For restaurants I'd suggest Jinx Dynasty (asian fusion), Wolfgang (natural wine and good food), Unity Jazz (natural wine and cheese), Bar la Lune/Angeli (natural wine, food and passionate people). These are all in the city center.

I also really like Brewers Beer Bar (local beers and pizza), Basque (good bar), Ölstugan Tullen (there are a few around the city, they're good at beers but mostly a good bar), and finally Fiskbar 17 (fish focused)!

Weekends are mostly spent with my little dog in Slottsskogen, our big park close to the city. There's many nice walks you can take, so you almost always notice something new. I also spend lots of my time in coffee shops and bars in Majorna, a cosy area just outside the city. And of course I also tend to walk down to Klippan, by the docks, to look at the boats and breathe some of that fresh air!

Filter: What are your go-to places in Majorna?

Coffee shops: I'd say Gapet (cosy and local with good coffee) and Gringo Nordic (roastery with a little café part) are where I usually go in Majorna.

Bars I would say Robb (pizza and natural wine), Tapasbaren (small dishes and natural wine), Utopia Jazz (Swedish food and good hangout), Oceanen (good bar with local beers), Shangri La (good bar), O/O (good beers), Diket (good food and wine)! But there's a lot going on in Majorna now, and lots of new great restaurants I haven't yet been to!

da Matteo in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Filter: Where are your favorite walks around Gothenburg?

If you walk along the canal it can be pretty scenic, but currently the city of Gothenburg is building a metro so it's a lot of construction sites there now. But a walk from Stenpiren (where the ferries depart from) towards Järntorget is quite nice, also of course if you jump on one of the free ferries (the green flag instead of orange!) heading to Hisingen Island. Or, from Klippan (closer to Majorna), down by the waters, it's a very nice long walk towards Tångudden!

Filter: If a good friend came to visit, where would you be sure to take them?

Oh, if a good friend came to visit, I would take them first to Magasinsgatan, and all the cosy shops around there, like Grandpa, Artilleriet, Floramor & Krukatös and so on. We would probably end up for a glass of wine at Bar la Lune or Angeli, and then go down for a grilled cheese sandwich at Unity Jazz. There I can sit for hours and hours. If we feel the vibe, we'll go next door to Bruno for a cocktail. In the morning, we would meet up for breakfast at Viktors Kaffe or Röda Rummet. Then we would go for a good cup of coffee at da Matteo Victoriapassagen, or at Morgon Coffee Roasters if they're open. Then if it's a sunny day: a ferry ride then stroll around in the archipelago, otherwise Slottsskogen. So, lots of food places and nature areas.

Filter: What do you like to do to escape the city?

I mean, Slottsskogen is a great oasis in the city center that feels like an escape, but if you can get a little bit further, either Skatås, Delsjön or Sandsjöbacka are great nature areas nearby. Nice nature and easy access by tram, bus, or car. Some other cosy nearby areas are Kvarnbyn in Mölndal and Spinneriet in Lindome, but that's mainly where I would take my friends with families.

Wear good walking boots. Gothenburg is usually very wet and rainy, so even on a sunny day it's quite muddy.

Filter: What touristy things in Gothenburg are worth the hype?

As if I haven't mentioned it many times already, Slottsskogen! But also the cosy streets in Haga (the old part of town), and the archipelago. And during Christmas: Liseberg, the amusement park. It's totally worth the hype.

Filter: Where are your favorite quiet corners there?

Walk along the pretty houses in Kungsladugård, on the other side of Slottsskogen towards Majorna. You can get lost there with all the beautiful colored houses. Other quiet corners would be Restaurant Robb with good wine close by, or Tapasbaren across the road.

Filter: What's another coffee shop around there that you really admire, and what about them stands out to you?

Viktors Kaffe: good food and cosy venue and different coffees. Morgon Coffee Roasters: good coffee, great people. Gringo Roastery: cool venue and very friendly

Filter: What makes Gothenburg feel most like home to you? Why do you think that is?

The people. Oh, the people! The kindness of everyone living here, and of course the fact that everyone wants to help each other. But of course the fact that I'm born and raised here and know so many people through this food world contributes quite a lot.

Filter: How did you end up in the Gothenburg coffee scene?

I'm originally from Gothenburg, and ended up in the coffee scene by accident. The plan was to stay as a barista for about a year or so, but then I fell in love with coffee and the possibilities, so here I am, 12 years later, still in the coffee scene. I have competed in the national specialty coffee competitions, and won the Swedish Latte Art Championship 2015, 2016, and 2017, and then moved on to help organizing the competitions as a part of SCA Sweden. Now I'm judging instead, and I feel like I learn more and more every year.

Filter: Can you share about your role at da Matteo?

I'm currently working with marketing and in the roastery, as part of two teams: the operations team and the roastery team—two of my passions (marketing and coffee) in one job. I consider myself very lucky. I have great colleagues that make even the toughest days fun. Let me just say that we laugh quite a lot. That also goes well with the rumor Gothenburg has in our country of being a "funny" city with our bad jokes. Haha!

Filter: If you could move to any place in the world just for the coffee scene, where would you move?

Great question. Currently I would say Copenhagen, because of all the great coffee places there. So many opportunities and good quality!

Filter: What have I not asked that you'd love to tell about?

Well, a big part of my time is with my dog of course, so I just want to point out that Gothenburg is a great city to have a dog in. Most cafés, restaurants, and stores are dog friendly, and some even have dog food on their menu. It's a perfect date to take one's dog and have a coffee somewhere, or a great glass of wine.

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da Matteo operates 4 cafes and 2 da Matteo Handel stores throughout Gothenburg, the main city on Sweden’s West Coast.

Cafes

da Matteo - Vallgatan 5

da Matteo - Magasinsgatan 17A

da Matteo - Lindholmsallén 8A

da Matteo - Victoriapassagen

Handel stores

da Matteo Handel - Kristinelundsgatan

da Matteo Handel - Vallgatan

Food & Beverage

Jinx Dynasty (Asian fusion)
Wolfgang (natural wine and good food)