Gothenburg
The natural-wine wave reshaped Gothenburg's wine bars — these are the ten worth a Friday evening. The wine bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — Linné, Magasinsgatan, Avenyn, Vasastan all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.
LINNÉ · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Gothenburg's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Aquavit Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
MAGASINSGATAN · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Boutique cocktail bar with a tight rotating menu. Order: Aquavit Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
MAGASINSGATAN · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Natural-wine and small-cocktail bar with a tight rotating list. Order: Aquavit Old Fashioned. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
VASASTAN · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cocktail-and-restaurant bar with a Mediterranean menu and a serious bar programme. Order: Aquavit Old Fashioned. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
LINNÉ · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cocktail bar with a hi-fi sound system and a tight rotating menu. Order: Aquavit Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
VASASTAN · $ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage Swedish beer hall from 1898. Order: Aquavit Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Gothenburg or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten wine bars that any serious drinker in Gothenburg would tell you to put on the list.
Gothenburg's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Aquavit Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
Boutique cocktail bar with a tight rotating menu. Order: Aquavit Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Gothenburg? See our guide to the best wine bars worldwide, or compare wine bars city by city.