Food & Drink on Öland - Kroppkakor, Smoked Fish & Farm Shops

Öland's cooking is down-to-earth and closely tied to the island, a dish eaten here in its own regional version, smoked fish straight from the harbour, and a dense scattering of farm shops selling lamb, cheese, strawberries and jam direct from the producer. Plan where and when to get what, and you'll eat far better on Öland than at the beach kiosk alone.

Kroppkakor, the island's own version of the national dish

The classic is kroppkakor, filled potato dumplings. On Öland, though, they're not the same as the paler dumplings from neighbouring Småland, öländska kroppkakor are their own regional variant. The dough is made largely from raw, grated and pressed potato plus a little boiled potato, which is what gives them their greyer colour.

The classic filling is fried, diced pork belly with yellow onion and a little allspice. They're served with melted butter, unwhipped cream and stirred lingonberries, hearty, filling, and typical of the island's cooking.

Where to eat the best kroppkakor

A handful of farms and eateries have made the dish their speciality, and they're spread right across the island.

• Arontorps Kroppkakor & Mat, the best-known address, at Torslunda 102 near Färjestaden, close to the bridge. It serves kroppkakor "på äkta öländskt vis" (the genuine Öland way) made from raw grated and boiled potato with cured pork and onion. The restaurant is open daily year-round, a handy first or last stop right after the bridge. Tel. 0485-388 87.
• Evas Kroppkakor in Köpingsvik (Kroppkaksstigen 7) makes its dumplings naturally gluten- and lactose-free and runs its own smokehouse for fish, meat, sausage and isterband. The restaurant is open Thu to Sat, 11:00-17:00; catering runs year-round. Tel. 0485-720 15.
• Ninnis Kroppkaksbod in Lottorp in the north (Hagelstadsgatan 21) makes grey kroppkakor to a traditional family recipe using its own potatoes, and has a White Guide listing to its name. Served with lingonberries, cream and butter, at around 44 SEK a piece. Opening hours are limited (including Thu and Sat, 11:00-17:00). Tel. 0485-273 00.

Neither Arontorps nor Evas publishes fixed menu prices online, if you're planning to the last krona, ask on site or by phone.

Smoked fish from the harbour

At the harbours, fish smoked on-site is part of island life. On the northern tip in Byxelkrok, Ölandsfiskarn sits right on the water (Neptunivägen 11). The smokehouse has been at the harbour for generations, now run by Magnus Sandin; the fish is smoked to their own recipe, alongside hot dishes, open sandwiches and fika with a sea view.

Reliably open year-round, by contrast, is Ölands Fisk & Rökeri (Toiwos Fisk), but that's not in Byxelkrok, it's in Färjestaden (Rökgatan 2). Opening hours are Tue to Fri, 9:00-17:00, and Sat 9:00-14:00. On offer are hot-smoked salmon in several flavours, cold-smoked salmon, gravlax and cold-smoked prawns. The owner used to run the smokehouse in Byxelkrok, so the hot-smoking tradition has, in a sense, travelled with him. Neither smokehouse publishes portion prices, that's sorted at the counter.

Lamb, cheese and sweet things from the farm

Öland is grazing land, and it shows in the food. From naturally reared lamb to farmhouse cheese, plenty can be bought straight from the producer, farm shops are dotted right across the island, and there's more on this in the guide Shopping & Flea Markets on Öland.

• Lamb - Lammbutiken i Äpplerum (Äpplerums Bygata 16, near Borgholm) sells meat from naturally reared lamb, plus lamb and sheepskins, island honey, a café and a small exhibition. In autumn you can order lamb boxes with a whole or half lamb, already butchered. Tel. 0485-56 01 39. In the south, Ölands Kvalitetsprodukter offers lamb boxes with a whole lamb (around 20 kg), butchered to order, at 169 SEK per kilo of carcass weight.
• Cheese - Ölands Köksmejeri in Alby in the south-east is a small farmhouse dairy (est. 2013) making cheese from local milk, from blue cheese and fresh cheese to matured hard cheese. Its "Solvända" won silver at the World Cheese Awards. There's no farm shop on site, it's sold through outlets in Alby, Färjestaden and Borgholm, and online.
• Strawberries & jam - Norrgårdens Gårdsbutik in Ventlinge near Degerhamn in the south makes jam, preserves, spices, vinegar and linseed oil from its own strawberries, sea buckthorn and pumpkins. Strawberries are sold ready-picked or as pick-your-own when in season. Tel. 0485-66 11 74.

A summer experience in its own right is Lammet & Grisen ("The Lamb & The Pig"), where a whole lamb and pig are roasted and carved in front of guests, served with hot and cold sides made from Öland and Swedish ingredients. Table bookings are taken after 14:00; it's open in the summer season only, not year-round.

Seasons, what's available when

Much of what Öland has to offer follows the calendar, and it's worth knowing the rhythm.

• Strawberries ripen from late June to mid-July, that's the window for pick-your-own at the farms.
• Lamb is at its best in autumn. Ewes lamb in spring, and the lambs come off summer grazing in September at around six months old, ready for slaughter, early autumn is the best time for fresh lamb and lamb boxes.
• Restaurants in the summer towns and the beach kiosks open mainly for the main season; outside it, choice thins out noticeably. July is peak season, with campsites full and queues on the bridge; May and September are quieter, good if you want a relaxed meal out. More on this in the guide Best Time to Visit Öland.

If you want somewhere reliably open outside the main season, stick to the year-round addresses - Arontorps, Ölands Fisk & Rökeri and the fika spots listed below.

Fika and sweet things

A coffee break with something sweet - Sweden's fika, is part of the Öland routine. Three addresses are open year-round and reliable even in the off-season:

• Nya Conditoriet on Storgatan in Borgholm - 1950s-style, and the town's only year-round conditori.
• ÖlandsChoklad on the quayside in Färjestaden, with home-made chocolate and ice cream.
• Fredriks Bröd & Bakverk in Färjestaden, an artisan bakery with fresh bread and breakfast.

In the summer towns, further cafés, ice-cream parlours and small restaurants open for the season; outside summer, the offering shrinks noticeably.

Practical planning notes

Öland is long, and that affects how you plan your eating. From Färjestaden at the bridge end to Byxelkrok on the northern tip is around 90.5 km along road 136, roughly an hour and 15 minutes by car. If you want to combine the smoked fish in Byxelkrok with the kroppkakor near Färjestaden in a single day, budget for a fair distance on the road, or split it across a north day and a south day.

Handily, the smoked fish in Byxelkrok can be combined with the poppy fields of Neptuni åkrar, about two kilometres north on road 136, where several signposted parking areas have information boards. Byxelkrok harbour itself has pitches for motorhomes and cars, with shower and toilet facilities.