Gothenburg has some good (and bad) spots for eating, drinking, fika-ing and doing, which can be hugely varied in price and range. I'll give my thoughts and a link, but you can decide for yourself if it's convenient for you or if the specific prices suit.

Each week I'll just write about two or three things that come to my head, no particular theme or mission, just to spread the word on good things to do in this town.

Some of my favourites lately are (in no particular order)...


FOOD | Yammy Yammy
A sad truth that I discovered early on in my stay, sadly evidenced again and again: there is a serious dearth of even semi-authentic cheap-and-cheerful Asian food, not just in Gothenburg, but indeed in most of Europe. (I wrote earlier about Hello Monkey, but that couldn't be described as 'cheap'.) In Gbg, there's sushi everywhere, obviously, and the Chinese dumpling and Thai take-away invasions feel like they're making ground, but in the meantime: Yammy Yammy. Very tasty noodle dishes, soups, some Korean takes on lax and even a few Japanese beers at very reasonable prices make this place a bit of a local winner. Try the beef Bimbimbab or any of the teriyaki chicken dishes; I don't think you'll be disappointed. Open for dinner and lunch, the daily specials are good value. This one's also very conveniently located a few doors down from the cinema, so it's pretty perfect for a quick cheapo feed before a flick.

BOOZE | Puta Madre
This place is really a restaurant I suppose, but I've only been for the cocktails, so that's what we're talking about here. For those on a strict budget, stay away. For those feeling like a carefree evening of delicious drinks you think you can do yourself but really can't, go nuts. We tried (between four) a Pi ñ a Colada, Margarita, Mojito, an Old Fashioned and (off the menu, bless them) a Whiskey Sour and they were all very tasty indeed. Came to around 980 kr for the cocktails and a few beers. The average cocktail price is 114 kr, which seems stiff, but they're well made, the service is friendly and the setting in that back red room is fantastic. They really went to town on the ‘south of the border' speakeasy theme, so it looks great and the music is fantastic, old-timey stuff that you certainly don't hear anywhere else in town (as far as I know...). Very enjoyable night out.

For a nice night out, how about... noodles at Yammy Yammy, a movie, a critical debrief with a beer at Ölhallen 7:an before a short stroll to Puta Madre for a cocktail or two?

FOOD | Café Skogen
This truly is one of Gbg's best kept secrets. It's what I imagine it might have been like going to a café here about 30 years ago (ref. both décor and prices, by the way). Think Starbucks on Opposite Day. No espresso machine, just a huge pour-it-yourself urn of black coffee with a pile of mugs. No stainless steel benches, just lino floors and a regular house kitchen being used by what I'm guessing is a mother/daughter team to cook up generous serves of bacon and eggs, pannbiff, basic sandwiches, pancakes and loads of other simple, tasty treats. Stupidly cheap wares, a completely unpretentious atmosphere and an unusually chatty bunch of locals earn this place a top spot in my esteem. Some irregular opening hours, however, so safer to go before 2pm if memory serves.

BOOZE | Ölhallen 7:an
7:an is a turn of the (last) century pub right next to Saluhallen at Kungsportsplatsen with wood-panelled walls and old-fashioned beerhall furniture that give it a very local feel. It's been around for so long that it's the only place in Gbg (or so I'm told) that doesn't have to serve food to sell beer. It really feels like a dockworkers' hang, which I suppose is what it was back in the day. They have a nice selection of beers, reasonably priced. It can get pretty tight when it's full, but I've always nabbed a table within a few minutes of loitering at the bar. Very convenient for a quick ale before a movie at SF Bio, or as a meeting place before heading out in the centre. Unpretentious, pleasant and - don't tell the owners I said this - a pretty cosy spot for a rainy evening coldie.

FOOD | Krakow
Let me start by saying that I really like heavy Euro fare like baked meats and cabbage and I really like beer, so this place was always likely to tick my personal boxes. A good and reasonably priced selection of the above fills the menu. Vegetarian friends shy away from this place, although I can also say the fried cheese dish here is pretty top notch if you need a persuader. The service can be a bit loose, but it's been good as much as bad, in my experience, and at least it's always been friendly. Definitely book in advance; I've been turned away twice without a booking, but they can usually fit you in if you call even during the day of the night (if that makes sense). Great atmosphere, always loud and buzzing, amazing smells and hilarious owners behind the bar - I haven't been disappointed yet.

MUSIC | Late Night Club @ Henriksberg (Tuesdays)
I've only been to this night once or twice, but it's been going for a while and always seems to have a good line-up of local talent (of which there is a LOT), a solid crowd and a nice atmosphere. Kind of place you bump into someone you know who you didn't know would be there. It's run by a bit of a local legend, Eddie Wheeler, who knows a lot of musicians and seems to be liked by all of them - a rare thing for a booker! It's only 20 kr, but you have to suffer a 20 kr mandatory wardrobe as well. Let's not get into that... Beers are from 29 kr, so you can get away with a nice night of tunes with a cold one in your hand for around 70 kr - pretty good value, say I. Take earplugs if you like, you know, hearing stuff.

BOOZE | Kino / Hagabion
Part of the alterno/arthouse cinema building, here you get two bars in one, the bigger room upstairs, the Berlin-esque hole-in-the-wall downstairs. Same managers, same menu, same prices. This one became a bit of a regular hang over summer, mostly because it boasts a very pleasant beer garden out on Linnégatan. The stor stark is Bitburger at 46 kr, which is a bit more than your average, but a bit nicer, too. The food is above average for a bar, but again, not the cheapest in town. A favourite is the brie plate for 45 kr. Quite a cool vibe, warm lighting, more hipsters than you can poke a pair of baby-blue Raybans at (good or bad, you decide) and usually very good music makes this place a fun, relaxo evening with mates.

FOOD | Casa Nostra
Pasta and other tasty Italian food, nice wines and good service. Not the cheapest place in town, but by no means the most expensive either. More importantly (I think), even if I have paid a bit more for a dish, I've always walked away satisfied with my meal. I haven't spent much time in Italy, so I'd be lying if I said with certainty that the décor and atmosphere are authentic, but it feels pretty southern European to me. Great for a midweek low-key meal with friends or family.

FOOD | Hello Monkey
Very, very tasty Asian fusion chow. A little on the pricier side for Gothenburg, but my girlfriend and I stuffed ourselves with great food and cocktails for around 1000 kr, so for a special occasion, I reckon that's OK. The fish cakes were out of this world and the rice paper rolls, which are hard to come by in Gbg, were pretty fantastic as well. Book well in advance, I'd say, as it's a fairly small dining area. Also, we were upstairs and it was really vibrant - I only saw downstairs on my way to the loo, but to me it didn't look as fun.

COFFEE | Doppio
A good, central spot to grab a coffee and a snack alone or with friends. Run by an almost exclusively expat crew (One Swede, an Aussie, a Kiwi and a Scot, last time I checked), it's friendly, stylish and, crucially, makes a pretty good cup o' coffee. I can't speak for their milk coffees (latté etc), since I'm an espresso person myself, but in my opinion if you can't get an espresso right you're pretty much just covering up with fancy milk. Friends getting milky treats are always happy, so far as I can tell. The bacon, avocado etc bagel is damn tasty as well. And don't let anyone talk you out of the lemon croissant, it's awesome.

Hugh Nicholas is a cafe owner, events organiser, musician and occasional GD contributor who has lived in Gothenburg for about three years.