This Secret Corner Of Sweden Is A Must For Food And Culture Lovers

It is nary wonderment Österlen, Sweden, is sometimes compared to Tuscany aliases Provence, pinch its mildly rolling hills, melodramatic coastlines and charming aged villages. That said, this idyllic portion of confederate Sweden, aliases Skåne, group connected nan southeast seashore conscionable an hr and a half from Malmö (or little than 2 hours by car from Copenhagen Airport), whitethorn good beryllium re-dubbed nan Emilia-Romagna of Sweden—at slightest if its nutrient credentials are thing to spell by.

A culinary gyration is underway, and it is being led by Daniel Berlin. One of Sweden's most-decorated chefs, Berlin closed his two-star Michelin Daniel Berlin Krog successful September 2020 and opened Vyn successful October 2023. The pursuing twelvemonth successful May, little than a twelvemonth aft opening, nan caller edifice was awarded 2 stars successful nan Nordic Michelin Guide.

Vyn, which translates arsenic nan position (and what a view!), overlooks nan verdant Skåne scenery each nan measurement down to nan Baltic Sea. The abstraction besides features a casual vino bar, serving Swedish spins connected tapas, and a 15-room boutique hotel. As for nan food, it is 100% local, unfussy, yet astatine nan aforesaid clip flawlessly executed.

Fresh nutrient from Österlen, Sweden

But Österlen is not each good dining. The region has agelong been celebrated for its agriculture, and, successful particular, its pome trees. The area is location to immoderate 80% of Swedish pome orchards, astir of which are recovered astir nan quaint hamlet of Kivik. Don’t miss nan celebrated an opportunity to sample Kivik cider and pome juice, disposable from fifth-generation family-run Kiviks Musteri.

A ten-minute thrust from Kivik, among nan chaotic heaths and soil dunes of nan Haväng quality reserve, Fruktstereo turn consequence for integrated vino and cider. Further inland, Fabian, a French farmer, runs a regenerative farm, wherever he has learned that nan Österlen ungraded and sunshine lend themselves good to increasing everything from tomatoes to eggplant and watermelon. Then there’s Österlenssaffran, pinch its robot that is group to revolutionize nan measurement saffron is harvested. Its integrated ‘red gold’ (saffron is nan astir costly and delicate herb successful nan world) is already being supplied to immoderate of nan apical fine-dining restaurants successful Sweden and Denmark, including Vyn, of course.

"I emotion that you are very adjacent to quality erstwhile you are successful Österlen," says Chef Daniel Berlin, adding: "Everything is successful our surroundings—the producers, and what we really service successful nan restaurant. We person a agelong outpouring and summer, nan ambiance is comparatively lukewarm and nan wintertime is comparatively short, pinch a beautiful modulation into nan summer."

Where to eat and portion successful Österlen, Sweden

Vyn

Set successful a stunningly restored erstwhile farmhouse, overlooking a scenery truthful postcard cleanable it almost doesn’t consciousness real, Vyn is nan caller location of Swedish Chef Daniel Berlin. If his marque of sustainable, nose-to-tail gastronomy doesn’t consciousness forced aliases performative, it is because it isn’t.

"This is really group utilized to eat backmost successful nan time and it’s nan astir earthy point successful nan world to usage nan full animal," Chef Berlin says.

His attack is perfectly illustrated successful dishes for illustration nan milk-fed lamb cooked complete a occurrence (featuring heart, cervix and sweetbreads), which would seduce moreover nan astir die-hard offal sceptics to admit that this measurement of eating is not only bully for nan satellite and respectful of nan animal, but besides downright delicious. Other standout plates see nan decadent warm, brown-butter poached section langoustine, and nan basking and acold scallop, a perfectly balanced crockery of breathtaking contrasts and tantalizing flavors.

Gamla Bageriet

Gamla Bageriet translates arsenic nan aged bakery and, while nan bakery itself is acold from ancient (it was group up by Jimmy, a photographer, and Linnea, a nurse, during nan pandemic), nan mounting is steeped successful history. Borrby’s long-since disused railway position from 1894 had housed a raggedy area shop earlier Linnea and Jimmy turned it into nan region’s apical integrated bakery. Stop by a java and a kardemummabulle, aliases cardamom roll, aliases for a still-warm loaf of fresh-baked sourdough bread.

Gustafs på Österlen

Things you don’t expect to find successful in a sleepy colony connected Sweden’s Baltic coast: a top-notch Neapolitan-style pizzeria, and a dude called Gustaf singing successful a set called The Pizza Bandits and turning retired said top-notch Neapolitan pizzas. Yet, each this is simply a reality astatine Gustafs på Österlen, which has converted nan full region into music-loving pizza aficionados. ‘Jänkaren’ (the Yankee), topped pinch spicy salami is nan 1 to location successful on.

Talldungen

In Brösarps Backar, betwixt Kivik and Haväng, Talldungen is simply a edifice pinch rooms, but nan edifice is nan portion that deserves your attention. Serving rustic, section nutrient pinch a Mediterranean-inspired twist, Talldungen is besides known for its superb action of wines. Think section lamb and beans served pinch salsa verde, aliases achromatic seasonal asparagus pinch almond mayo. Try it each arsenic portion of nan seasonally changing four-course group menu.

What to do successful Österlen, Sweden

Culture lovers will beryllium pleased to study that Österlen is not each fields and soil dunes (although overmuch of it is). The main municipality centers are Simrishamn pinch immoderate 19,000 inhabitants, a erstwhile sportfishing colony wherever rows of debased buildings successful pastel hues statement cobblestoned streets and herring is nan astir celebrated section fare, and Ystad, location to astir 31,000 people. The latter, a picturesque municipality pinch bright-colored half-timbered houses and constrictive cobbled roads, is champion known internationally arsenic location of fictional detective Kurt Wallander (played by Kenneth Branagh successful nan early-2000s movie bid Wallander).

Don’t miss Sandhammaren, 1 of nan champion beaches successful Sweden pinch miles of good aureate sand, aliases Ales Stenar (Ale’s Stones), a megalithic iron-age monument consisting of 59 stones shaped for illustration a Viking longship, for illustration a Nordic Stonehenge. Book a sojourn astatine Kåseholm Castle, wherever Swedish Joakim and American Jamie person restored a stately location from 1632 and turned it into a impermanent house, events space, creation assemblage and ancient furnishings dealership.

Where to enactment successful Österlen, Sweden

Vyn is not conscionable 1 of Sweden’s champion fine-dining restaurants. The erstwhile farmhouse now besides comprises an elegantly pared-back, yet superbly comfortable 15-room boutique hotel pinch 2 suites, and a casual vino bar. Apart from serving a classical Swedish meal to edifice guests, nan second specializes successful barroom bites pinch an accent connected Nordic delicacies for illustration Skrei cod, and Swedish vendace roe, besides known arsenic Kalix löjrom, besides known arsenic nan golden of nan sea. If you aren’t readying a travel each nan measurement to Kalix successful nan Bay of Bothnia, you tin sample this near-Artic delicacy astatine Vyn, successful Österlen, Sweden, instead.