Feasting in Southern Sweden

Lindegrens Farm
When growing vegetables on his city plot in Malmö became more than a hobby, young farmer David Lindegren and his wife, Lina, moved to a farm in the countryside. His neighbour gave him his first cow as a welcome gift, and Lindegren's idea of producing his own food in an honest and sustainable way began to take shape. He set up his own slaughterhouse, which gave him oversight of the entire production process. "Here, everything is done with love and passion," he says. "We don't have anonymous animals. Animals are individuals, and that's what we communicate to others." In the farm's shop, where locals buy their meat products, all available information is written on a big board – from the animal's name, breed and sex to its slaughter date and the meat's hanging time. "In that way people know exactly what they're buying." Walk the culinary trail with David, roam his lands and enjoy lunch at his organic Lindegrens Farm. You'll certainly taste the difference.

Hållåkra Vingard 
At Hållåkra Vingard, it's easy to forget for a while that you're in Scandinavia. In a flowered garden watching over lush vineyards, you can enjoy truffles, blue cheese and excellent wines – more reminiscent of France or Italy. But this is Sweden's first eco-friendly winery and after lunch, visitors can sample red, white, rosé, sparkling and dessert wines and stroll between the sun-bathed vines. The winery started as a hobby for owner Håkan Hansson, but as the vines started to take off, he decided to take it more seriously. Scandinavian wines tend to be slightly more acidic compared to wines from Southern Europe, but rather than see this as a problem, Håkan has embraced the taste and customers seem to have taken to the unique flavour of his wines.

Hörte Brygga
Just outside Malmö, Hörte Brygga is an unassuming but elegant restaurant with views across the sea. Every week, the restaurant works with fresh produce from a different farm, and each farm must adhere to exacting standards. Animals must be comfortable and have plenty of space; vegetables mustn't be grown on fertilised land or be treated with pesticides. For the rest, the restaurant makes use of all things available. They buy a whole cow for an entire week's cooking, which means there's only one entrecote to serve. No more. They gather lots of produce in the wild: apples, plums and artichokes at a nearby castle, blueberries, raspberries, elderberry and mushrooms along the coast. Owners Martin Sjöstrand and Emma Andersson believe in simple dishes with only the best ingredients. Guests eat together, around an extended picnic table. Amidst beautiful views of the countryside and under a gentle sun the food and location make it a winning combination — no wonder then that during summer months there's a long waiting list for a table. 

Arilds Vingård
The Kullen peninsula is one of Southern Sweden's upcoming destinations with a host of cool new boutique restaurants and holiday homes popping up. And it's also making a name for itself as a wine-producing region. This is largely thanks to Sweden's biggest winery, Arilds Vingård. When Annette and Jonas Ivarsson bought the vineyard in 2007, they started off with just one hectare of land. Today it includes a restaurant and hotel rooms for the increasing number of guests, and as well as wine-tasting tours, the vineyard is also a popular wedding venue and hosts regular events. The wines that are produced here are typical Swedish varieties with a slightly higher acidity than southern European vintages. The climate is perfect for whites but red wine is also produced here, too, mostly pinot noir as it's too cold for fuller reds.

For more information about vineyards and other locally produces beverages in Skåne, visit visitskane.com