The Bothnian coast - The Rough Guide to Sweden - page 265

is equally tasty: burgers (165kr), ribeye steak (285kr) and
linguini with prawns (159kr) are all good bets. Daily
5-11pm.
Eastern Palace Vasagatan 12 T 090 13 88 39. This
place serves really good Japanese and Thai food; teriyaki
salmon for 145kr or Thai mains 95-148kr. The weekday
lunch buffet is excellent value at 85kr. Mon-Thurs
11am-10pm, Fri 11am-11pm, Sat noon-11pm, Sun
noon-10pm.
Gandhi Rådhusesplanaden 17B T 090 17 50 75. Perfect
location opposite the train station for authentically tasty
Indian food, including tandoori specialities, at sensible
prices, 135kr-155kr. Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri
11am-11pm, Sat noon-11pm, Sun 3-9pm.
Great Eastern Magasinsgatan 17 T 090 13 88 38. The
best Chinese restaurant in Norrland. Very popular lunch
buffet as well as evening chicken and beef dishes from 98kr
as well as a Mongolian barbecue for 159kr. Also has a few
Thai mains from 92kr and Japanese options from 70kr.
Mon-Fri 11am-2pm & 4-9pm, Sat noon-10pm,
Sun 1-9pm.
Lottas Krog Nygatan 22 T 090 12 95 51. Upmarket pub
food served in one of the town's most popular eating
places. The extensive menu is a mix of Swedish and World
food: Mexican fajitas (159kr), steak and chips (220kr) and
pasta carbonara (129kr). Also has some twenty different
beers on tap, including Boddingtons. Mon 3-11pm, Tues
3pm-midnight,

buffets each evening for 189kr. There's a quayside terrace,
too. Open May-Sept: daily 11am-late.
Socialize Vasagatan 1 T 090 77 79 09. Housed within a
sturdy stone basement, this new, arty restaurant has
everything from birch trees as interior decor to a retro
1960s lounge bar. The menu is inventive modern Swedish,
for example, elk carpaccio with rhubarb and lingonberries
or Jerusalem artichoke gratin. Mains are around 150kr.
Tues-Thurs 4-10pm, Fri 4-11pm, Sat 4pm-2am.
TC Vasaplan T 090 15 63 21. Short for Teatercafé, this is a
firm favourite among all age groups. It's the best place in
town for top-quality northern Swedish specialities such as
grilled salmon (185kr), locally sourced steak fillet (245kr)
and pan-fried Arctic char (240kr). There's outdoor seating in
summer. Mon-Thurs 11am-1.30pm & 3.30-11pm, Fri
11.30am-1.30pm & 3pm-2am, Sat 4pm-2am.
Vita Björn Kajen 12 T 090 12 00 12. This elegant
wooden boat from 1899 is a favourite summertime haunt
for its salmon, Baltic herring and prawn concoctions;
reckon on around 189kr for a main dish. Quayside terrace,
too. Open May-Sept daily 10.30am-late.

7

BARS
Umeå buzzes at night, with plenty of stylish and friendly
bars to choose from, most of them British-style pubs or
brasseries. The city centre is most lively during termtime
when students are around.
Bishops Arms Renmarkstorget 8 T 090 10 09 90. Umeå's
attempt at an English-style pub and consequently one of the
most popular places to be seen and to do the seeing in -
always packed. There's outdoor seating in summer, and for
those chilly evenings, blankets and free-standing gas
heaters. Mon 4pm-midnight, Tues-Thurs 4pm-1am, Fri
3pm-2am, Sat noon-2am, Sun noon-10pm.
O'Leary's Västra Norrlandsgatan 5 T 090 13 58 30. A
popular pub spilling over two floors with large video
screens showing various sports, and live entertainment on
Fri and Sat nights. Happy hour 10-11.30pm on Wed, Fri &
Sat nights when it's standing room only. Mon 4-10pm,
Tues & Wed 4pm-2am, Thurs 4-11pm, Fri 3pm-2am,
Sat 2pm-2am, Sun 2-10pm.
Pipes of Scotland Rådhusesplanaden 14 T 090 13 41
00. Umeå's very own Scottish theme pub really pulls the
crowds with its After Work weekday buffet of nibbles for just
39kr until 7pm. It's a fun place for a drink, though, at any time
and a good place to meet the city's student population. Tues
5-11pm, Wed, Fri & Sat 5pm-2am, Thurs 5pm-1am.

Wed & Thurs 3pm-1am, Fri

11am-2am, Sat noon-2am.
Ì Rex Bar och Grill Rådhustorget T 090 12 60 50.
Umeå's very own Swedish-French bistro serving Swedish
classics given a French twist such as reindeer fillet (290kr),
pan-fried scallops (285kr) and turbot with horseradish
(280kr); three courses cost 570kr. Mon & Tues 11am-2pm
& 5-11pm, Wed & Thurs 11am-2pm & 5pm-midnight,
Sat noon-2am.
Rost Skolgatan 62 T 090 13 58 00. A superb and
justifiably popular vegetarian restaurant where the food is
freshly prepared and they even produce their own cheeses:
hummus sandwich is 75kr, apple salad 85kr and a cheese
platter with lentils and bulgur wheat is a good-value 77kr.
Mon & Sat 11am-4pm, Tues 11am-7pm, Wed & Thurs
11am-8pm, Fri 11am-9pm.
Sjöbris Kajen 10 T 090 77 71 23. An excellent fish
restaurant on board an elegant old white steamer built in
1915. Well-prepared fish dishes such as Baltic herring from
119kr, grilled meats from 219kr and different themed

Around Umeå: Älgens hus elk farm
Västra Nyliden 23, Bjurholm • Mid-June to mid-Aug Tues-Sun noon-6pm; mid-Aug to mid-June by advance booking on T 0932 500 00 •
120kr • W algenshus.se • You can reach Bjurholm by bus (daily: every 1-2hr; 1hr; W resrobot.se) from Umeå
Umeå is ideally placed for a jaunt to the Älgens hus elk farm in Bjurholm , a small
village 65km west of the city. Driving around Sweden you may well have caught the