The guide to Gothenburg's best Christmas julbord

This fish and shellfish restaurant serves a julbord with both classic, homemade festive favourites and exciting fish and shellfish dishes à la Hamnkrogen. There's also a vegan selection to choose from. On weekdays the Christmas buffet is also served at lunch. Quarter of an hour before each sitting they serve non-alcoholic glögg mulled wine and pepparkaka gingerbread cookies on the veranda. 

What could be better than celebrating Christmas up among the clouds? Gothia Towers lays out a traditional julbord complete with dessert buffet up on the 29th floor in their Imagine restaurant. Enjoy festive food with magnificent views over the city. The experience starts on the 28th floor with a festive welcome drink. 

Enjoy Star Bowling's classic Swedish julbord and combine your meal with a fun activity. They serve up their buffet packed with festive flavours from the sea, land and plant kingdom. There's something for all tastes, but don't forget to save some space for the sweet treats on the dessert table. As well as bowling there's a whole floor of activities with shuffleboard and arcade games.

Sjömagasinet provides a truly authentic Christmas experience. They lay out a classic julbord, full of traditional delicacies and homemade goodies. A roaring fire and the sea crashing just outside create a wonderfully cosy atmosphere. The buffet can be booked for lunch and dinner. If you really want to treat yourself, but don't fancy a julbord, book their premium three-course menu.

In a former brewery on the edge of the Göta Älv river, the Quality Hotel Waterfront invites guests to a West Coast-inspired julbord with classic favourites and seafood delicacies. Christmas decorations, scents and views over the water create a wonderful festive atmosphere. 

Atrium at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia invites you to an atmospheric and fun lead-up to Christmas. They serve the most classic and beloved Christmas dishes, along with a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan options. After a few trips to the buffet (and dessert table!), stand-up comedy from RAW Comedy Club awaits, featuring some of Sweden's top comedians on stage. Just as enjoyable for groups of friends as for families and colleagues. If you just want to enjoy the food, there are a couple of evenings with a Christmas buffet without a show.

With space for 150 guests and a wide selection of craft beers, Mugwort's aims to create an authentic Texas-style barbecue experience – even at Christmas. They combine a traditional Swedish Christmas smörgåsbord with BBQ influences, allowing guests to choose from smoked Christmas ham, various pickles, cured salmon, pickled herring, smoked sausages of all kinds, lamb, smoked pork, ribs, smoked cheese, hot-smoked salmon, Christmas slaw, and festive drinks. Naturally, the meal rounds off with a sumptuous dessert table. 

At Asian-influenced OGBG, the traditional Christmas buffet is given an exciting twist – traditional Christmas dishes coexist with innovative Asian elements. Enjoy all the delights in a stylish and modern setting, with the entrance to Gothenburg harbour as a backdrop. If you want to go all out, you can combine your Christmas dinner with an overnight stay at the hotel.

After two years of renovation, Dicksonska palatset, one of Gothenburg's most magnificent event venues, is opening its doors for a Christmas buffet curated by the award-winning chef Gustav Trägårdh. A buffet filled with every imaginable dish awaits, celebrating the traditional while also including innovative West Coast-inspired elements from Gustav himself. To top it all off, the Christmas buffet concludes with an entire room filled with sweets, desserts, and cheeses.

Dubbelhakan celebrates Christmas in its own way, with Neapolitan pizza baked in a wood-fired oven. There will also be cheeses, charcuterie, gratinated scallops, and classic tiramisu. All framed by exposed brick walls and industrial romance.

Wine Mechanics skips the traditional julbord and instead serves a Christmas menu with four courses that, while influenced by Swedish Christmas classics, have a more modern twist. This includes Jerusalem artichoke soup with cognac, Västerbotten pie with sour cream and cold-smoked salmon, as well as braised and roasted Swedish pork belly. Naturally, the food will be paired with drinkable beverages from their own winery, where they've also crafted their own mulled wine for the festive season.

Boulebar serves up a French-style julbord. A seated Christmas dinner is served with classic French Christmas dishes. Choose between different sizes and kinds of menu. Accompany your meal with a game of boules with a nerdy instructor. A popular festive activity, so book early for larger groups.

The family-owned Riverton hotel lays out a julbord prepared by their creative chefs. The evening begins with glögg mulled wine before guests can indulge in the buffet featuring both traditional elements along with lesser-known dishes and flavours from around the world. The sitting concludes with coffee and a dessert table. Large panoramic windows provide a beautiful backdrop to the experience with views over the river.

Enjoy a luxurious julbord at Thörnströms Private Rooms full of classic Swedish favourites. You can also order a classic catering julbord. Choose between their Christmas platter and Large and Small buffets.

Hôtel Eggers serves a classic Christmas buffet in surroundings inspired by la belle époque. It consists of all the traditional favourites from the festive season, such as Jansson's temptation, meatballs, ribs, ham, salmon, pickled herring, and much more, as well as, of course, a lavish dessert table.

In a rural setting by the water in Mölnlycke, just outside Gothenburg, Hällsnäs offers a true fairytale Christmas experience. With star chef Thomas Sjögren at the helm, a Christmas buffet is laid out featuring both traditional dishes and new variations with game, vegetables, as well as fish and shellfish – all with a comprehensive sustainability approach. On certain evenings, the Christmas buffet is accompanied by a pianist, and those looking to indulge a little extra can extend the Christmas buffet with an overnight stay and breakfast buffet.

Forget the traditional Christmas buffet, at Rollin Bistro's Backyard, Christmas is celebrated with an open grill, unexpected flavour combinations, sweet treats with a twist, and local drinks. Everything is served in the restaurant's unique, historical environment.

At Biljardpalatset's in-house restaurant you can not only enjoy Christmas delicacies but also entertain yourselves with a billiards or shuffleboard tournament after dinner. Their Christmas buffet features all the classic dishes, as well as plenty of vegetarian and vegan options that can be ordered in advance.

Enjoy Christmas food in snug, homely surroundings at Fiskekrogen. Guests are welcomed in to enjoy a groaning Christmas buffet inspired by delicacies from the sea. Their julbord is served at both lunch and evening sittings.

Pivo is well known for its passion for game and wild food, so naturally they'll be serving up wild delights this Christmas. As well as traditional fare, such as Christmas ham, pickled herring and ribs, there will also be cured slow-cooked elk, venison sirloin, reindeer roll, pitepalt and other delicious dishes from the forests and fields.

Ankarsmedjan refers to its Christmas buffet as perhaps the most unique in Gothenburg; the experience is framed by the grand decor of the listed building, which sets just the right Christmas tone. Pickled herring, salmon and other cold dishes are selected at the buffet, while the remaining Christmas food is served at the table. Both vegetarian and pescatarian Christmas menus can be pre-ordered.

Overlooking the river, River serves a classic julbord featuring seafood delights – it doesn't get more Gothenburg than this. The evening begins with glögg mulled wine outdoors on the pier in the glow of torchlight before heading inside to enjoy a generous buffet and a whole room filled with desserts and sweets. You can also book dinner show packages or Christmas lunch.

The classic julbord at Villa Belparc includes traditional dishes and desserts all made from scratch, from various pickled herrings and Christmas ham to toffee and fudge, with plenty of creative variations on traditional flavours. A delightful spot with cosy decor and windows looking out over Slottskogen park. There are also plenty of vegetarian options.

Merchant John Hall had a summer residence built for his family at the end of the 18th century, which became the grand Gunnebo Castle in Mölndal. Enjoy a Christmas breakfast, Christmas lunch, and Christmas dinner à la carte in a beautifully historical setting. Gunnebo Café and Restaurant has the highest KRAV certification, meaning that over 90% of all ingredients are organic.

Enjoy a fish and shellfish julbord in festive surroundings all week at Tullhuset, along with a few vegetarian dishes and a generous dessert table. Two regular favourites that always appear on Tullhuset's Christmas buffet are their famous äggkaka egg cheese, a regional specialty, and lobster soup. If you'd rather eat Christmas lunch they also serve this on weekdays.