Gothenburg, known in Swedish as Göteborg, is Sweden’s second city and one of its most vegan-friendly. With a relaxed west-coast feel, a strong cafe culture, and plenty of plant-based options, it is an easy and enjoyable place to eat without meat or dairy.
The Gothenburg vibe
Gothenburg has a reputation for being friendly and unpretentious, and that carries over to its food. The city sits on the west coast, threaded with canals, and the pace feels calmer than the capital. For plant-based eating, the practical picture is much the same as elsewhere in Sweden: clear labelling, oat drink as the standard dairy alternative, and a good number of cafes and restaurants offering vegan choices as part of the normal menu.
Alongside Stockholm and Malmö, Gothenburg is one of the cities where you will have the easiest time finding plant-based food. If you are travelling between cities, the experience is consistent, so the habits you pick up here will serve you well across the country.
Eating through the day
Coffee and fika
Gothenburg takes its cafe culture seriously, and fika is a daily ritual. Oat drink (havredryck) is the usual non-dairy choice for coffee, and vegan pastries such as the classic kanelbulle (cinnamon bun) are widely available. Our vegan fika guide explains the pastries to look for and how to ask for them.
Lunch
As across Sweden, the weekday dagens lunch (dish of the day) is the best value meal, and many places include a vegetarian or vegan option. Salad bars and buffet-style lunches are common and easy to navigate, because you can see exactly what is on offer before you choose.
Dinner
For dinner, you will find a spread from casual plant-based bowls to more relaxed sit-down meals. Veganized Swedish comfort food appears here too, including meat-free köttbullar (meatballs) with creamy sauce, lingonberry and potatoes. To understand these dishes before you order, read our guide to veganized Swedish classics.
Fully vegan places worth seeking out
As always, check the current list on HappyCow’s Gothenburg page, since places change. A few fully plant based spots have become local fixtures:
Blackbird
A fully vegan restaurant and bar on Stigbergsliden that has served carefully prepared plant based food and drink since 2015.
Vegan Kök och Bar
A cooperatively owned vegan restaurant and bar, also established in 2015, with a relaxed neighbourhood feel.
Crippas Café
At Chapmans torg in Majorna, an entirely plant based cafe that mixes food with live music, quizzes, stand up and other culture.
Göteburgare Vegan
A spot for fully vegan burgers, with a range of patties and well liked fries for a quick, filling meal.
How to find vegan places
The most reliable tool for finding vegan and vegetarian spots in Gothenburg is the worldwide directory HappyCow, which lists fully vegan places as well as restaurants with strong plant-based menus. It is handy for filtering by area as you explore the city’s distinct neighbourhoods. For broader trip planning, the official tourism site Visit Sweden is a good reference.
| Time of day | What works well |
|---|---|
| Morning | Oat-drink coffee and a vegan bun for fika |
| Midday | Dagens lunch with a plant-based option |
| Afternoon | A second fika, because one is rarely enough |
| Evening | Plant-based bowls or reworked Swedish classics |
Practical notes
Card and phone payment is accepted almost everywhere, and many places are effectively cashless. Tap water is excellent and free, so do ask for a glass with your meal. A few Swedish words smooth the way, especially vegansk (vegan) and utan mjölk (without milk). Our Swedish vegan glossary has the full set.
Exploring on foot
Gothenburg is a walkable city, and wandering between neighbourhoods is one of the nicest ways to discover places to eat. As you go, keep an eye out for cafes advertising plant-based options and for the words vegansk and växtbaserad in windows and on menus. Taking a fika break partway through a walk is very much in the local spirit, so build in time for a coffee and a bun.
The west-coast setting also shapes the mood of the city. Time spent by the canals or near the water pairs well with a relaxed meal, and in the warmer months you will find people happily eating and drinking outdoors. It all adds to the easygoing feel that makes Gothenburg such a comfortable place to eat plant-based.
If you are staying longer
For expats settling in, Gothenburg makes day-to-day plant-based living straightforward. Supermarkets stock a strong range of vegan products, and oat-based alternatives are everywhere. Our vegan groceries guide covers what to look for when you shop, so you can cook the Swedish classics at home as well as enjoy them out.
Visiting the capital as well? See our vegan Stockholm guide, or return to the Dinner.se home page for every guide on the site.