Where to Eat What in Österlen – 2022 Edition
Österlen has been a favourite vacation destination since the gentry decided it needed some R&R back in the 1800s. The rest of us mere mortals soon followed. The Österlen region in which we are fortunate to live has since become home to quite a few good restaurants and other eateries. Many of the local restaurants are open year-round and some only during the busy summer season. The common denominator is local access to a plentiful supply of local produce, meat and fish.
In this list, we have compiled a shortlist of our favourite restaurants or destinations for eating and drinking. We will try and keep it updated as time passes and new culinary discoveries are made.
01
JH Matbar
Ystad
It is about time that Ystad, one of Sweden’s summer epicentres, gets a spot where you can just drop by for a glass of magnificent wine and a plate of finger-licking good food. JH Matbar offers just that, and much more.
Run by young husband-and-wife team Christoffer and Malin Jedenstam Herbst, the casual venue takes bookings but also takes a number of walk-ins each night. The slightly austere setting serves as a minimal backdrop for the seasonal food, where flavours pack a punch and are anything but spartan.
02
Pastafabriken
Ingelstorp
Literally translating to ‘the pasta factory’, this small restaurant’s menu centres around pasta dishes with added locally produced ingredients. You’ll find the place off the main thoroughfare in the village of Ingelstorp, about a 20-minute drive from TypeO Loft. Although portions are on the small side at Pastafabriken in Ingelstorp, they are delicious and so is the house sourdough bread accompanying each dish. The Penne with Nduja and fresh herbs is a must if you’re into something with a little heat.
The restaurant gets busy in the summer and regulars congregate along with holiday-makers and the ambience is lively in this garage cum dance hall cum restaurant. The spacious patio faces due south and overlooks the in-house vegetable and herb garden.
Now Open
Stay at TypeO Loft
– a Secluded and Shoppable One-Room B&B in the South of Sweden
03
Talldungens Gårdshotell
With its location in the midst of picturesque rolling hills and a stone’s throw from the beach in the small town of Brösarp, Talldungens Gårdshotell serves up honest and straightforward food made from locally sourced ingredients.
We love the friendly atmosphere, attentive and personal crew, the extensive wine list, which incidentally consists of mainly natural wines, and of course, the food which is cooked heavily influenced by Mediterranean cuisine. The quirky interior adds to the feeling of being in an eccentric relative’s spacious summer home, and if you can bring your imagination past the often cool breeze, (blankets are at hand) there is a certain Mediterranean flair to be felt if dining al fresco in the walled courtyard.
04
Köpmangatan 6
Borrby
Things are brewing in Borrby, a small Österlen village that previously has been overlooked as a place to visit. Linn Hunter and Tobias Dagerås have transformed a baby blue villa on Borrby’s main street into an inn, bistro and wine café with Mediterranean vibes.
The very reasonably priced menu has an extensive selection of snacks – Nocellara olives, Serrano and Iberico hams and cheeses – to accompany the aperitif. Starters include Yurrita sardines and boquerones and for the main course, Köpmangatan 6 serves up bistro staples such as steak tartar and Boeuf Bourguignon. Go full-on retro by ending the meal with an iconic Glace au four.
05
Strandkompaniet
Löderups Strandbad
Well aware of not mocking the hipsters, we appreciate the smoked sausages and big burgers prepared from meat and produce sourced ”within cycling distance”, by the bearded and sleeve tattooed owners of this beach shack, located at Löderups Strandbad.
We try to time our visits for late dinner when the crowds are gone and we can enjoy one, two or many of the dishes and one, two or many of Strandkompaniet’s own beer Löderups Lager. If live music is not your thing, check their website or call, as someone is playing several (but not all) days a week during high season.
06
Le Petit Bistrot
Ystad
Restaurateur and chef Crister Svantesson, a doyen in the restaurant industry, was involved in introducing the new French cuisine in Sweden back in the day. He now runs Le Petit Bistrot in Ystad together with his daughter Jennie and son-in-law Jonas.
With only 20 covers, Le Petit Bistrot is the kind of place to drop by for a spontaneous and impeccable cooked meal. Svantesson’s menu is ever-changing and he cooks whatever he feels like for the day. Staples on the short but sweet menu are fresh oysters, veal tartare, minute steak, duck confit and Tarte Tatin.
07
Villa Strandvägen
Ystad
Österlen is the home of many excellent restaurants where the meals are hearty and the ambience is relaxed – much like the pace of life here. Villa Strandvägen is one of the few places that will provide a full fine dining experience, when, or if we feel like having more of an occasion or want to impress the in-laws.
Villa Strandvägen restaurant is located literally a stone’s throw from the white sandy beaches of Ystad, in a Belle Epoque mansion. It is consistently highly ranked as a restaurant and as a small boutique hotel.
