Malmö's best restaurant experiences

Forget stiff, formal and boring dining. Despite their high culinary ambitions, the team behind BISe restaurant aim to create an intimate, familiar and international restaurant where it's easy to drop by for a drink or something to eat. Swedish homecooking is served at lunchtime, and in the evenings the more extensive dinner menu takes inspiration from all over the world, with an emphasis on southern European cooking. Accompany your meal with a choice of exciting wines from small-scale producers. 

Sit back and let yourself be taken care of; at Västergatan they serve a fixed set menu and you can like it or lump it. Luckily, the chances you'll like it are pretty high, because they really know their stuff here. Accompany the European-style food with a wine package, non-alcoholic drinks and extra snacks.

Whether you end up sitting by the green-tiled open kitchen or down in the cosy cellar, you've always hit the jackpot with a reservation at Lyran. The concept is all about a passion for top quality natural ingredients, creating suprising flavour combinations from the produce listed on any particular day. The wine list follows the same natural philosophy.

To keep things spontaneous Mutantur doesn't accept reservations, so when you're in the mood for delicious, elegant food, just drop by. The menu is relatively long and consists of smaller dishes - from falafel balls with truffles to exclusive caviar - which you can combine to create a tasting menu.

Vegetarian and vegan dishes are constantly being created and recreated in an old engine shed in Frihamnen; the team at Mygel love change and experimentation. They serve lunch, brunch and dinner, and frequently arrange guest appearances and other fun happenings, so keep an eye on their social media to find out what's going on.

Swedish ingredients dance in Korean flavours at Namu, where playful cooking with a big heart is the name of the game and traditional Korean elements go hand in hand with western features. Decor-wise, high bar stools and tables alternate with low tables and floor cushions for dinner with an authentic Korean touch.

There's been a buzz around this restaurant that cooks everything with, on or around fire for quite a while. High-quality fish, vegetables and meat are all given Aster's unique treatment. Dishes can then be combined with both cocktails and wine, either indoors or outdoors when the weather permits.

Rau describe themselves as a "tiny restaurant on Davidshallstorg" that serves a plant-based menu with flavours from "here and there in Southeast Asia". At lunchtime you can choose between three different dishes, and in the evenings small dishes are the order of the day. Enjoy your meal in trendy surroundings with tiled walls and bright blue chairs.

Freja is more of a café and wine bar than a proper restaurant, but that doesn't stop them from serving a hearty menu that will gladden the heart of any foodie. It might not be the place to hold a big family dinner, but a few snacks and small dishes in beautiful surroundings is always a good idea, right? They also have what might just be Malmö's most enticing Instagram feed.

At Mýran, you can enjoy luxurious tasting menus based on the best seasonal ingredients, elevated by perfectly paired wines - all in a charming private dining club setting. The restaurant is run by husband and wife team Mirjam and Jörgen Lloyd-Baye, who also own Lyran.

Delicious - and Instagram-friendly - medium-sized dishes and a top-notch wine list are the order of the day at popular MJ's. Sit in the dining room surrounded by plants that grow to the top of the high glass ceiling, or in comfy velvet sofas in the cocktail bar.

Tradition meets modernity at elegant Quan, which serves a menu that combines authentic Asian flavours with European ones. Fish, meat and vegetarian dishes are accompanied by flavours such as gochujang, sriracha, kimchi and tenzu, which can be combined with drinks that enhance the taste experience - everything from cocktails with Asian flavours to wine, Japanese beer and sake.

Dreaming of the south of France? Visit this intimate neighbourhood restaurant in classic bistro style complete with rustic wooden floors, white tablecloths and classic dishes such as oysters and steak tartare, combined with one, or more, glasses of excellent French wine.

In the middle of Folkets park you'll find the white-painted cabin that houses Far i hatten. The restaurant is open all year round, and expands in the summer with a cosy outdoor seating area. They describe their menu as "quirky", with wood-fired pizzas, pasta and snacks.

At Vollmers, brothers Ebbe and Mats aim to bring out the very best in local Scanian ingredients, before serving them in a minimalist environment. Their menu is called Kornboden, The Granary, and the dining experience lasts around four hours and is best paired with a wine package. They want their guests to have as much fun as they do at their own family dinners. 

Located right on Limhamn's waterfront, Vessel offers a magnificent dining experience with views of the sea. The menu revolves around Swedish flavours in season and, as well as dinner and summer lunch, you can drop by for a post-work drink in the cocktail lounge or on the outdoor terrace. The restaurant also has a function room that can be booked for weddings, birthday parties, conferences and other events.

Guests flock to this wine bar for the wine list, which has received several awards, but also for the well-thought-out food menu. Tuck into some cheese and charcuterie, or opt for a slap-up dinner with rotisserie and small dishes made with seasonal local produce. Spontaneous and laid-back are the watchwords here.

TV chef Tareq Taylor's Kockeriet describe themself as an experience restaurant where gastronomy and craftsmanship are celebrated. Guests sit under rustic wooden beams with a view of the open kitchen where they can watch chefs prepare tasting menus with seasonal ingredients.

Slice combines a table tennis hall, restaurant, and bar all in one nightclub-like venue. You can easily spend an entire evening here interspersing table tennis tournaments with freshly baked pizza, delicious snacks and refreshing drinks. Just as fun post-work with colleagues as with groups of friends, families, and romantic dates.

Köket Lu describe themselves as a typically chaotic Hong Kong restaurant. The menu consists of excellent street food dishes. You'll find duck, pork and vegetarian options with authentic flavours, along with lots of other choices. 

Soi 29 serves up Thai flavours just the way they're meant to be served, a world away from food-truck Pad Thai  - although, don't get us wrong, that can also hit the spot. Authentic Thai street food, Thai beer and cocktails are the order of the day here, and this popular concept won them Sydsvenskan's award for Malmö's best Asian restaurant 2019.

Do you have a penchant for seafood? Then Johan P may well be your safest bet, because that's exactly what they specialise in here. The restaurant is something of a Malmö institution, with a timeless concept and menu in the form of lunch, dinner and oyster feasts served in a classic bistro setting with white tablecloths, bentwood chairs and checkered floors.

Wontons, baos and jiaozi are on the menu at Såjja, which is run by the couple Linda Ovesson and Liu Jian. They make dumplings from scratch in the traditional way, the same way Liu's family has been making them for generations. It has proven to be an extremely successful concept and was awarded the Malmö Gastronomy Award 2022.

Grand Italian has taken the very best from Italy and added its own, slightly modern touch to it. On the menu, you'll find everything from hearty pasta dishes to pizza, antipasti, and sweets, and there are also special sharing menus for those who want to eat in true Italian family style. The venue's colourful decor enhances the Mediterranean feel, and the view from the 25th floor only enhances the experience. 

A restaurant with delightful decor in a historic part of town that focuses on champagne bodes extremely well. The food menu changes regularly according to the seasons and the prevailing mood, but there's always something for all tastes and for vegetarians as well as carnivores - and everything they serve is guaranteed to pair perfectly with champagne.

This intimate restaurant is decorated with light wood and has a strong emphasis on comfort food. They make their own variations on British favourites such as fish and chips, English muffins, pies and Sunday roast, which are sometimes joined by flavours from other countries. The drinks selection also comes from Great Britain, with an emphasis on craft beer.

If your heart beats a little faster for Vietnamese food, a visit to Que is always a good idea. They describe their menu as modern Vietnamese gourmet, with both tasting menus and à la carte dishes, with meat, fish and vegetables prepared in the Saigonese way.

As the name suggests, this is a place for noodles in all shapes and forms. As ramen, or along with all kinds of tasty vegetarian and meaty ingredients. If you just want something quick on the go, you can sit down in the one-man booth where you can eat undisturbed.

Behind La Penombra on Södra Förstadsgatan are chef duo Paride Noviello and Andrea Pettirosso, who create a Northern Italian menu with dishes made from carefully selected ingredients from both Italy and the surrounding area. Choose from authentically made classics such as pasta, gnocchi, and meat and fish dishes, enjoyed in a beautiful surroundings with crystal chandeliers and ornate stucco.

You might guess from the name that Spanish food is the order of the day here, but in fact they serve everything from open sandwiches to Italian. This neighbourhood restaurant in charming Gamla väster combines food, drinks and personal service for a relaxed experience.

Pintxos are hot, particularly when enjoyed al fresco at Escama on a warm spring or summer's day. The Basque Country's tapas tradition means plenty of fish and shellfish along with a hefty dose of southern European culinary culture. Drop by for Spanish and Portugese wines, a laid-back atmosphere and the feeling of long, lazy summer evenings all year round.

Seven days a week from seven in the morning – Ruth is both early bird and night owl. At lunchtime they serve European à la carte dishes, a concept that also applies in the evening, but with more options and both small and larger dishes. In summer, you can eat and drink al fresco in the charming inner courtyard, and if you fancy buying something to take home with you, you can buy bread, vegetables, fruit, accessories and charcuterie in the deli.

Which restaurants are creating a buzz right now? It's not always easy to keep track of which spots in Malmö's extensive restaurant scene are hot at the moment, but never fear - we've created a guide to the city's trendiest restaurants.