2112 Reasons to Return to Gothenburg
The first time I was in Gothenburg (Göteborg) was for my birthday in 2014, and we went to 2112* for my birthday meal. So we made a beeline for it on our first night; it’s good to see something has survived all these years and still seems as popular as ever.
The next morning, after frantically moving hotel rooms to the one we had originally booked, we went on a boat ride for some island hopping. I couldn't help but smile when I saw that our boat was named Eloise, which is the name of my goddaughter's older sister. Our coffee experience at Morgon Coffee Roaster was even more delightful. Being in a university neighbourhood always brings inspiration, and the architecture here is stunning.
After a return visit to a branch of Da Mateo coffee shops to catch up with one of the beloved’s old friends, we then enjoyed a stunning dinner with a long-standing friend and his family at their beautiful and distinctly Swedish home. They sent us off with some freshly cut flowers from their fabulous gardens.
Another boat trip the next day took us to Obergska Coffee, a rural walk up to the peak viewing point, and a visit to a pet shop with rabbits. What more do you want from a morning?
Back in town, we tracked down the superb café, Caféva, where I had a memorable lunch all those years ago. It’s still there, still popular, and still offering affordable soup, salad, a sandwich, and hot drink in the middle of Gothenburg.
On the way back, we found a fabulous old-school Italian coffee shop, Mannini, just like the ones I grew up with in Bedford, so we also shared a cheesecake with the coffee.
My notes tell me we had a bad (and pricey) tapas experience, of which I have no photos. After that, we returned to the hotel and shared a reasonably priced pizza from the ground-floor restaurant. We managed to end the Gothenburg leg on a good note before packing our suitcases to catch the morning train to Malmö.
*2112 is billed as ‘fine dining’ (but to me, a burger place) with a heavy metal soundtrack. Founded by former members of the Swedish metal band, In Flames, who are clearly Rush fans.
August 2025
