My Malmö Guide
A guide for a super underrated and effortlessly cool Swedish city.
Hello, I’m back from Scandinavia and I come bearing guides. I got a lot of messages and IRL comments from friends saying things along the lines of “you’re making me want to go to Sweden!” — which, if that’s actually true and not just lip service, take notes, tourism boards. Anyway, I spent ten-ish days split between Malmö and Copenhagen, coincidentally but very conveniently timed to escape Paris’s third heatwave of the summer.
For context, this is my third time visiting both cities, but the places on this list reflect our most recent trip. As always, I’ll attach my Google Maps at the end, which includes recommendations I didn’t get to this time around.
So, what’s different this time around? I now travel with an 11-month-old with a 7pm bedtime, which means gone are the days of late dinners and cocktail bar hopping. BUT! I am proud to report we made it to one cocktail bar in Copenhagen, more on that in the Copenhagen guide.
Why Malmö?
A hill I am willing to die on: Malmö is one of the most underrated cities in Europe. It’s a coastal city in southern Sweden, connected to Denmark by the Öresund Bridge. It has the charm and pace of a smaller, more relaxed city with a bigger city just 30 minutes away by train (Copenhagen).
It’s also the perfect summer destination. You’re by the water, the food scene is solid, everyone is incredibly nice, and it’s very kid-friendly — which I appreciated a lot more this time around.
Also, the beaches in Sweden are great. Did you know that? I did not. Turquoise water. In Sweden. What?
Food & Coffee
Lilla Kafferosteriet
A super cute spot with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, great for coffee or a slow breakfast. This is also where I had my first ever cardamom bun back in 2021.
What to order: Cardamom or cinnamon bun.
SLVRBRGS
We stumbled upon this place and went in because it looked cool from the outside — and I’m so glad we did. It’s one of the coolest design shops we visited on the trip. They carry a variety of unique pieces, mostly from local brands and designers. We got to chat with one of the owners, Anders, who was incredibly nice and gave us some recommendations you’ll find on this list. They also make a great cup of coffee and have a gallery in the basement.
What we got: Two vintage Fruit of the Loom t-shirts and a flat white.
Scandwich
My friend Andrea, a Malmö local and the reason we keep coming back, told us this was her favorite spot, and I get why. They serve open-faced sandwiches with options for meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. The fries are kind of like McDonald’s fries, which is the highest fry compliment I can give.
What we got: The pork belly sandwich and the buffalo cauliflower sandwich.
Marvin
Also an Andrea recommendation (her husband’s favorite, specifically). We loved it so much we went twice. In the summer, they do fried chicken English muffin sandwiches that are absolutely delicious. The menu changes often, but everything is consistently tasty.
What we got: The Romanesco, the Sichuan, and the Caesar. All a 10/10. Didn’t get to the fries or the ice cream sandwiches but both looked incredible. Next time.
1998
A specialty coffee shop that will probably show up on every “best coffee in Malmö” list. A lot of the bakeries we visited also served coffee from 1998, so they’re clearly well-liked in the city. The coffee was great, the barista was friendly, and he could apparently sense my affinity for sweet things because he immediately told me about their ice cream sandwich special. I did not get it. I do regret it. The space is small, so it’s better for takeaway. Grab your coffee and head to the park nearby.
What we got: Iced oat latte and a cold brew.
Two Forks
We biked to this Middle Eastern spot for lunch after a beach day and it was the perfect call. A few food publications had named it the best hummus in town, so I already knew I was going to like it. As someone who loves a bowl, my suspicions were confirmed when I saw they had a bowl-only lunch menu. Everything was so flavorful and unique it made me want to come back for dinner. Their seabass also has a great reputation.
What we got: Bowl 1: Warm hummus with pita bread, meatballs, pilpelchuma, green peas, and parsley. Bowl 2: Warm hummus with pita bread, new potatoes, baby gem, shallots, green chili, green tahini, dill, mint, and almond dukkah.
Nordic Brew Lab
A Paul pick. It’s a very cool, minimalist specialty coffee shop, the kind where the baristas treat coffee the way sommeliers treat wine. When I walked in with a stroller, I felt so uncool and out of place. I was completely wrong. The baristas were warm, welcoming, and completely unbothered by the very talkative baby I’d brought into their zen space. The coffee was exceptional, and Paul got to taste a few extra things the barista was brewing on the side. Highly recommend it if you’re a coffee nerd or want to try something different.
What we got: Whatever the barista recommended.
Farina
Another Andrea recommendation that became one of our favorite breakfast spots. The tomato pastry was a standout, especially if you’re a savory breakfast person like me. We also tried their Chignon Raté au Citron, made from croissant dough scraps baked together and filled with lemon curd.
What we got: Tomato pastry and Chignon Raté au Citron.
Deg Bakery
They are famous for their croissant swirl, which has a filling that changes seasonally. We got the black currant, basil, lemon and toasted praline croissant. I also asked what else was popular and ended up with a miso white chocolate cookie, incredible, but maybe too rich for breakfast (I ate it anyway), and the salty vanilla bun, which blew me away. I am not normally a vanilla person, but that day, I was.
What we got: Croissant swirl, miso white chocolate cookie, and salty vanilla bun.
Bageri Leve
Another place with an excellent cardamom bun, but the real star for me was their grain bread. I ordered it with Swedish cheese and butter, which seems to be a breakfast staple, it was on almost every menu. Their bread was INCREDIBLE. I am still thinking about it and currently searching for something similar in Paris. I know. Looking for Swedish bread in Paris sounds sacrilegious, but sometimes you just need a break from a baguette.
What we got: Cardamom bun and grain bread with Swedish cheese and butter.
Ava Wine
We found this one via the SLVRBRGS recommendation list, which is how we ended up in a little square on a side of town full of cool locals and zero tourists. We stumbled upon Ava after our first choice had no seating, and what a happy accident. Orange wine, food ordered via DeepL translator. Impeccable vibes, food, and wine.
Ruths
Andrea told us this is probably Malmö’s most popular restaurant, so we made it a point to go. Tons of seating, incredibly accommodating staff (a theme in Malmö), and a menu that has something for everyone. One of my favorite lunches of the trip.
What we got: An anchovy salad for me, a fish dish for Paul.
Varv
Right by the water, nestled between old warehouses converted into cool offices — Oatly’s headquarters were literally next door. Great value for a really good meal: a 3-course dinner menu for 350 Swedish kronor, which is around €32 per person. Highly recommend.
Freden
My favorite meal of the entire trip. Very cool but casual, tons of outdoor seating, perfect for a Scandi summer dinner. I got the orange wine on tap for apéro and red on tap for dinner. Both delicious. No idea what either was, didn’t ask. Paul got the schnitzel, which seemed to be a crowd favorite. I got the Basque chicken and I am still thinking about it. Currently trying to figure out if and how I can recreate it at home.
What we got: All the wines on tap, cabbage skewers, schnitzel, Basque chicken, and homemade strawberry sorbet.
Culture
Museum of Modern Art (Moderna Museet)
As someone who finds modern art hit or miss, I’m happy to report this one is a hit. You never quite know what you’re going to get with modern art, which is exactly what I like about it. The space isn’t overwhelmingly large — important when you have a baby who might nap, or might scream, TBD. We also stopped at the museum café for iced coffee, which was excellent. The staff, as seems to be the norm in Malmö, were incredibly friendly.
Malmö Konsthall
An exhibition hall right around the corner from Leve Bakery, next to a park we visited multiple times with Ella. The space itself is impressive, and the current exhibition features the work of French-Moroccan artist Bouchra Khalili, exploring themes of belonging, community, and democracy. Really worth a visit.
Beach Day
Skanör-Falsterbo
About 30 minutes by car south of Malmö. A super cute beach town with cows just casually hanging out nearby, and at the end of the road, the most beautiful white sand, turquoise water beach I was completely unprepared for. So worth the drive.
Ribersborgsstranden
The city beach, right in Malmö. Easy to get to, sandy, and very doable with a baby.
Vaganza Beachgarden
Technically not a beach but a bar by the beach. We went for sunset and there was a live salsa band playing all night. It was so much fun to watch the sun go down with Latin music in the background. Would highly recommend for the vibe alone.
Shopping
A few spots worth exploring if you’re looking to shop:
Toffelmakaren Lilla Torg HB — for Swedish clogs
The Full Map: Malmö Map
Copenhagen guide coming soon. xoxo, Dani