A coffee lover’s guide to Gothenburg

Sweden’s second largest city is often overlooked for its more popular neighbour, Stockholm, but in actual fact Gothenburg has so much to offer. The important sea-port with its leafy boulevards and Dutch style canals, has an unexpectedly innovative coffee scene that’s rapidly taking over the city. The town that gave us Volvo is brewing up a storm and has earned some serious international coffee cred. Discover the treasure trove of artisanal cafes and overdose on caffeine with our coffee lover’s guide to Gothenburg. 

Just off Avenyn, the main street running through the city centre, Victors Kaffe was founded in 2012 on a love for both coffee and art. Step in to the understated café and relax for the afternoon over a specialty brew. To the soft hum of mood setting music, the coffee shop features an array of revolving art exhibitions on its walls and its low-key vibes make it the perfect spot to escape the business of everyday life. Serving up great coffee from all over the world, the spot attracts enthusiasts with its nuance brewing techniques and international selection. Grab bite to eat, and enjoy the sun in the warmer months in one of their deckchairs out front. A no-brainer, this carefully crafted space is a coffee-lover’s paradise and should be added to your list of where to drink coffee in Gothenburg. 

Up and coming area Hisingen, is home to much of the city’s art culture and you guessed it, a plethora of coffee hotspots. Just off a busy road north of the river, Alkemisten serves up some of the best organic specialty Sandby coffee to its customers daily. Get your drop coffee and espressos here and watch as an impressive copper gooseneck kettle is used to brew the pour-overs. Indulge in some of their fika-friendly snacks like the cardamom buns and take in your surroundings. Open late, the venue regularly hosts live music acts taking the chilled out daytime coffee scene to a more up tempo evening of fun. 

An oasis in the heart of the city, the white-washed courtyard of Kale’i is not only a great place to get your caffeine fix but is also a visual delight. Dishing up Per Nordby coffee in delicate porcelain cups with matching saucers, the cosy feeling of this family-run shop will make you never want to leave. For those colder days, head inside and settle into one of the wooden benches covered with blankets and faux fur throws or seek out the hidden snug at the back of the shop for the ultimate hideaway. Picture-perfect, Kale’i is an experience in itself with or without the coffee! 

The pioneers of Gothenburg coffee, Da Matteo is a chain of specialty roasters that have popped up all over the city. Opening in 2007 with its Vallagtan location, the coffee company travel the world in search of the best beans and regularly compete in barista competitions always looking to better their skills. Directly across the cobbled square from the founding shop is the brand’s roastery and bakery where they roast all their own coffee and bake all the bread for their multiple locations. Getting very busy on the weekend, opt for their smaller Victoriapassagen café behind the famous Flickorna Kanold chocolate shop, where you can hide away from the hectic tourist-filled square over a milky cappuccino and freshly baked cinnamon bun. Founded on the want to create meetings between people the internationally known expert baristas are the pinnacle of Gothenburg coffee.

Another of Hisingen’s hidden gems, the Llama Lloyd is a unique, tiny coffee spot loved by locals in the neighbourhood. Incredibly cycle-friendly, the shop has a mission to get more people riding bikes and offers a 10 percent discount to those that show up to order on two wheels. The interior is bold and bright, but small, covered in yellow potted succulent plants with six bar stools and one two-seater table. When the sun is shining, you’ll also find tables scattered around the outside. Almost all the food is homemade, with the owner cooking up soups, bread, kladdkaka, muffins and cookies daily. A massive llama mural surrounded by local artists prints holds the centre of the wall and the yellow logo does wonders for attracting the crowds. Dust off your helmet, find a bike and head to Hisingen for some of the city’s best coffee.

Planning a trip to Gothenburg soon? Make sure to tag us in your photos of the best coffee from our coffee guide to Gothenburg using #ryanairstories, for a chance to be featured on Ryanair’s Instagram feed.

Flights to Gothenburg

- Lucy Norris