Herring and S.O.S
Sill, or herring, is a fermented fish sometimes combined with seasoned sauces. S.O.S is one way to serve herring, and the acronym stands for smör, ost, and sill – butter cheese, and herring. Generous amounts of butter is spread over Swedish crisp bread and topped with flavorful cheese and herring. Sometimes chives, bleak roe, potatoes and other trimmings are added as well. S.O.S is served on Scandi restaurants all year round, often as a starter.
Try it here:
Hambergs
Uppströms Fisk
Sillunch at UKK (annual celebration of Walpurgis at the 30th of April)
Fika
The concept of Swedish Fika is world renowned. It simply means to sit down for some coffee and a sweet treat. While Swedish bakeries in general are happy to try out new trends, you can always find some classic Fika staples in the counters. If you want to keep it as traditional as possible, look for places with the word “konditori” in the name.
Swedish cinnamon buns is probably the most famous Fika treat and can be found at every café in town worth its salt. This gives you a great opportunity to try several varieties.
Semla is a soft wheat bun filled with sweet almond paste and fluffy cream, available for a limited time of the year (traditionally served to mark the start of the Christian fasting period before Easter).
Serving seven assorted biscuits is a Swedish tradition that goes back to the 19th century, when coffee gatherings became more common. Being less formal compared to dinner parties or other events, it was still important to keep the number of cookie varieties just right for the occasion.
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Uppsala boasts many great cafes, ranging from modern coffee bars to traditional bakeries. Read our listing of cafes in Uppsala.
Foto: Björn Tesch/imagebank.sweden.se
Köttbullar – Swedish Meatballs
If you ever been to an IKEA store, chances are you are already familiar with the Swedish meatballs. “Köttbullar,” holds a special place in the hearts of Swedes and visitors alike. These savory morsels of seasoned ground meat are typically served with lingonberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes and cream sauce. Uppsala’s eateries, both traditional and contemporary, pay homage to this iconic dish, offering their own unique interpretations that tantalize the taste buds.
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Licorice
Swedes love licorice – we consume nearly 2 kilos per person per year! Licorice arrived in Sweden in the late 19th century and has since become a very popular product, found in both food and sweets. If you buy pick and mix candy in Uppsala (you should!), there will most definitely be several different varieties of licorice to choose from. In Uppsala city, you’ll also find a shop entirely dedicated to licorice where you can both participate in guided tastings and buy different varieties to take home.
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Look for licorice on the dessert menu at restaurants, in the counters of the city’s bakeries or visit the store Lakritsroten,
Foto: Tina Stafrén/imagebank.sweden.se
Pannkaka
Agriculture has been important in Sweden for all times, and so has the flour-based food pancake. Pancakes have most likely existed in Sweden since ancient times and are first mentioned in Swedish text in 1538. Pancakes are eaten all over the world, but unlike for example the fluffy American version, the traditional Swedish pancake is pan sized and wafer-thin, often served with jam and whipped cream. On Thursdays, many lunch restaurants serve pancakes together with pea soup, a classic combination believed to have gained popularity since it used to be a staple dish in the Swedish army. Today you can find modern interpretations of pancake at restaurant and cafes, with inspiration from French galettes to American pancakes.
Try it here:
Brasseri21
Gästrike-Hälsinge Student Nation, Pancake Brunch
Créperi Lemoni
Melrose Café
Try more Swedish Delicacies in Uppsala
Saluhallen (The Market Hall) is a great place to explore Swedish food and try different types of fish, charcuteries, bread, and cheeses.