Jämtland Härjedalen & the Nordic Cuisine

Culinary Innovation & Nordic Flavours of Adventure Sweden

As if the landscape wasn’t enough: the ancient mountains, towering over the Scandinavian tundra with its hundreds of lakes and crystal clear air. Jämtland and Härjedalen’s beautiful scenery might be something from a fairy tale, but it is still just one dimension of what our region’s guests and residents can experience. Another comprises the flavours, aromas and textures of the culinary artisanship that combines traditional knowledge and inspired innovation to make our region a global centre for gastronomy.

The soils and the landscape are among the most pristine on the planet, the changing seasons and the wilderness outside the door make every day an adventure. Jämtland Härjedalen is proud to me part of Sápmi, the land of the Sami; this is a place where you can savour Sami cuisine and the Sami people’s relationship with nature and their traditions and knowledge.

Almost every village in our region is home o skilled culinary artisans and small-scale farmers who, with a light touch, create the most amazing products and ingredients. Some products are incredibly innovative and inventive, while others are made using ancient methods and recipes that have been passed on from generation to generation.

There are restaurants that food enthusiasts flock to, eager to taste the most extreme form of Nordic cuisine, where the ingredients are gathered under the eaves and the meny is based upon year-round self-sufficiency. Here you’ll find a gastronomic spirit, food, drink, and culinary experiences that have given the region an international reputation as an exciting and creative gastronomic region.

Östersund is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy

Over the years, the region of Jämtland Härjedalen has won a considerable number of medals in the Swedish culinary cuisine championships. Östersund and the surrounding region is one of UNESCO’s Cities of Gastronomy.

Östersund with the surrounding Region Jämtland Härjedalen is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2010. The city was warded this title by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). This says a lot about our fantastic food creators and our amazing artisan foods. The title was won thanks to the active work with, and long-term perspective around developing small-scale, artisan food creation. The foundation of our artisan food culture is all the enthusiastic, creative food fans in the region; farmers, chefs, restaurant owners and culinary entrepreneurs. Another major driving force is Sweden’s national centre for food crafts, Eldrimner, which provides knowledge, support and inspiration for chefs and small-scale food producers in the region, the country and the Nordic countries.

Food Destinations of Jämtland Härjedalen

Östersund and the Storsjöbygden area offers a wide variety of outings for those who enjoy delicious local cuisine. In Åre, restaurants that are run by celebrity chefs’ work side by side with local culinary artisans in appetising partnerships. Products range from sausages to chocolates and truffles. Destination Vemdalen boasts a large number of master chefs and culinary artisans. Bräcke is home to an award winning brewery, various cheese makers and even a wine producer.

Coffee & ‘duppa’ – Swedish fika

(Duppa is the act of dunking biscuits in a warm drink and originates from the habit of dipping a biscuit in coffee).

There are without doubt many great cafés in Jämtland Härjedalen to enjoy a Swedish ‘fika’. In the winter it’s about skiing in and out the waffle cafés, and in summer, travelling by car or bicycle to the cafés or homestead museums of your choice.

Outdoor Cooking

For outdoor adventures in Jämtland Härjedalen, make sure to take food along and prepare it on the locally invented Trangia stove. The resulting meal tastes heavenly in a cabin and even better when cooked outdoors when hiking.

Stay in Comfort & Dine in Style

With the innumerable opportunities for outdoor recreation in Jämtland Härjedalen, nothing beats coming indoors to a well-laid welcoming table at the end of a long day exploring.

Many of our reputable resorts serve locally sourced fare, prepared in fabulous ways. “Hiking and white sheets” is a concept for those aiming for outdoor recreation with a touch of luxury.

Some Gastronomic Experiences of Adventure Sweden

Skärvångens Bymejeri (dairy)

Skärvången is a small village near the mountains in the north-western part of Krokom County. Since 1999, Skärvångens Bymejeri has been manufacturing cheese from cow and goats milk.

Kretsloppshuset in Mörsil

Mörsil’s oasis, Kretsloppshuset, translates to “the natural cycle house”, is a concept of a restaurant with adjoining garden, hen-house, greenhouse and curio shop, instilled with ecological thinking. The lunches are renowned, as are the homemade preserves, fruit drinks, marmalades, pickles and much more.

Buustamons Fjällgård in Åre

The authentic and charming old inn Buustamons Fjällgård is situated at 725 m. a. s. l., in the middle of the alpine ski area merely 4.5 kilometres from central Åre. The local produce inspires the menu and cuisine. In the winter, the area is accessed on skis, snowmobiles or snowcat.

Åre Kafferosteri

The Coffee roaster, Åre Kafferosteri, who can tell you all about making good coffee invites visitors to their coffee bar in the central square of Åre with tasty delights.

Restaurant Vinbaren in Åre

On the corner of the classic Hotel Åregården is one of the village´s smallest and most popular taverns. The Vinbaren (wine bar) Restaurant focus on local foods but the wine list is all the more international.

Copperhill Mountain Lodge Restaurant in Åre

At the very top of Mount Förberget, a few kilometers east of Åre, is the design hotel Copperhill Mountain Lodge with fine dining in the Restaurant Niesti (meaning packed lunch in sami language). The menu includes flavors from forest and land as well as nearby lakes and seas.

Restaurant Imilla in Åre

At Imilla there is a special focus on local vegetables, butter, meat and fish. The chefs cook what they like to eat themselves, honest food with no fuss. In the evenings all booked guests are served their popular tasting menu with six different dishes.

Jazzköket in Östersund

Jazzköket is a restaurant in central Östersund with local produce as well as a wide variety of locally produced beers. Next door is the “Lilla Saluhallen” where you buy your own goodies for cooking at home or dig in to their “lunch of the day” made from what they sell in the store.

Restaurant Bua in Östersund

At Restaurant Bua you will be greeted by a wonderful atmosphere, it is like being invited to dine with your neighbors on a Sunday. The Nordic style food is prepared with sustainability and respect for the ingredients. They even produce their own non-alcoholic drinks with a taste from both forest and local gardens.

Republiken Restaurant in Östersund

A stone´s throw from the big square in Östersund, Republiken restaurant focus on seasonal local ingredients and high quality products from the rest of Sweden. Fish and shellfish are caught from the nearby lakes or seas outside Norway. They pick most of their herbs, mushrooms and berries themselves and whatever needs to be imported they select carefully. The restaurant takes extra care of gluten and lactose sensitivities and are especially proud of their desserts.

Storhogna Hotel with a winter garden in Vemdalen

Storhogna Högfjällshotell & Spa is a hotel in the mountains with XC-skiing and alpine skiing as well as hiking on the doorstep. Enjoy your meals made from local ingredients after a visit to the spa and mountain adventures that takes pampering to a whole new level in the cosy Winter Garden.

Bräjks Restaurant in Vemdalen

The idea of sustainability has been present from the start at this rustic timber lodge housing the Bräjks restaurant. The name comes from taking a break, spelled with a twist, and they only serve home cooked hearty meals. In the evening there is á la carte and fondue.

Häävi i Glen & Häävi Elaine Restaurant

Häävi i Glen is a Sami restaurant, located in the mountains, where the cuisine is prepared from scratch using local products, such as reindeer, moose, brown trout, Arctic char, berries, herbs and chanterelles . Hävvi means ‘obvious’ in southern Sami and with the mountains that serves as the larder, it’s an obvious option to run a restaurant in this unique setting.

Elaine who started the Häävi in Glen restaurant has now opened a new place in Lockåsböle, not far from Myrviken, called Häävi Elaine gårdsbutik & restaurang where you will recognize the concept and it is possible to buy local produce.

Wikners in Persåsen

The Wikners family have created a place to stimulate all your senses. The rooms of the hotel are decorated in classic Swedish wood design and adjoining the hotel is the “Wikners Konsthantverksbutik” shop and restaurant with dishes made from local produce. The carpentry where the fantastic wooden furniture is made is open by appointment and it is even possible to book a group event for creating your own master pieces. Adjoining is also a gallery showing contemporary art and exhibitions of local history. The restaurant is run by Fjällkonditoriet, with high quality local ingredients and pastry to die for.

Skoogs krog & Bistro in Funäsfjällen

In Funäsdalen you will find Skoogs krog and Skoogs Bistro cooking with love and devotion as well as curiosity. Indulge in local foods and new flavours that will create memories of your trip to Sweden.

Brasserie Kerstin in Funäsfjällen

At Kerstin there is a pride in being able to offer the best possible food from local producers. You will see everything from cloudberries and lingonberries to beef, char, reindeer or moose on the evening menu. Everything cooked with love and with global inspiration. At Brasserie Kerstin you can also enjoy a hearty sandwich and homemade soup or Swedish fika including waffles.

Lofsdalens fjällhotel (Mountain hotel) and restaurant in Lofsdalen

In Lofsdalens Mountain Hotel there are a lot of vegetarian dishes and Alp inspired Swedish foods. High quality without being pretentious, so to speak. Lots of heart, high ambition and of course cooked from scratch with ingredients from local and selected producers.

Restaurant Hovärken in Lofsdalen

Enjoy a good lunch, stomp your feet to the beat of Lofsdalen´s best après-ski or enjoy a dinner where you fry your own meal on hot soapstones. The Hovärken restaurant has won prices for their burgers and serves the best reindeer filet.

Skoterköket restaurant in Lofsdalen

At Skoterköket (the snowmobile kitchen) you will find food prepared with local ingredients from our northern forests and mountains. Guests are invited to enjoy a delicious meal or just a good drink on the outdoor terrace facing lake Lofssjön.