Regional food and drinks experiences are an important part of Dalarna’s cultural heritage. The region has a rich selection of gastronomic destinations well worth a visit. Let the seven spots mentioned here, or one of the many other gems in the Taste of Dalarna network, guide you on a delicious summer journey that includes freshly-baked bread, fine cheeses, sweet preserves and wild delicacies.
Sahlins struts ostrich farm, Borlänge
Around a hundred ostriches of all ages live on the Sahlin family farm. You can go on a guided tour of the farm, visit the farm shop, have a coffee or eat a tasty lunch accompanied by beer from the farm’s own brewery. The expression “field to fork” definitely applies here. The ostriches are used for their meat - in, for example, sausages and burgers, and ostrich burgers and ostrich-egg ice-cream are popular menu options.
Murboannas cheese, Borlänge
Anna has transformed her family home in the village of Murbo outside Borlänge into a thriving dairy with a shop and café. Milk comes from a farm a few kilometres away and is made into hard cheeses, soft cheeses, fine cheeses, salad cheeses - basically every kind of cheese you can think of. Book a private guided tour and you can try your hand at making cheese yourself. Don’t forget to say hello to the mountain cows, Törnrosa, Flora and Hjärtrud.
Rättviks Tunnbrödsbageri flatbread bakery, Rättvik
Take the chance to see how traditional flatbread is baked - a fascinating and delicious-smelling experience for both large and small visitors. If you want you can join the baking team for a day and learn all the different stages of baking, from the first rolling out to freshly-baked bread. You can buy everything the bakery bakes in the Handelsboden, their old-fashioned country store, including local flatbread specialties Tuttul and Kavelbulle.
Grövelsjön Fjällbageri mountain bakery, Grövelsjön
This little bakery in Grövelsjön bakes buns and loaves, all made from long-fermented sourdough and using as few additives as possible. Frenchman Maxime has put down his roots here and is living out his childhood dream of starting a bakery. At 2pm, the baker goes home and leaves the store open for customers to serve themselves.
Renbiten, Grövelsjön
Sweden’s most southernmost Sami village is just north of Idre and reindeer herding combines here with a store and café. You can buy meat and delicacies made from the most important ingredients in the Sami kitchen here: reindeer, moose, fish, berries and herbs. Did you know that studies have shown reindeer meat is probably the world’s healthiest meat? If you‘re not passing the Sami village in Grövelsjön you can visit their little deli in Falun.
Muddus Hjortron, Avesta
At Kolarbo gård they make the most of nature’s bounty. The result is delicacies such as jams and marmalades, teas and chutneys. Buy your Christmas mulled wine with wild flavours such as blueberry and vanilla, sea buckthorn, or apple and elderflower. They recently opened a b&b on the farm where guests wake up to a hearty breakfast buffet.
Summer pubs in Dalarna
Spend warm summer evenings in one of the pubs that open up during the warmer months of the year. Oppigårds Brewery in Hedemora opens a summer pub on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer. Buy a selection of their beers to sample accompanied by light meals. Sahlins Brygghus in Borlänge has an open outdoor pub on Fridays, serving up burgers, beer, great music and a friendly atmosphere. Walhölls Brygghus in Söderbärke and Stjernsund Brygghus in Stjärnsund also open up to guests in the summer.
Read more about food and drink in Dalarna at Taste of Dalarna.