Finding authentic Asian food in Gothenburg can be a challenge. Some restaurants are based more towards Asian fusion instead of authenticity, and some restaurants have the right basic ingredients but either the preparation or the flavouring is wrong. Pad Thai without tamarind, Massaman curry with thin slices of beef, sushi with the wrong rice and big chunks of fish, random dishes engulfed by a soy sauce soup… the number of things that can go wrong is endless.
In this article I have some of the restaurants in Gothenburg and surrounds that have more authentic Asian food.
Restaurants We Recommend
Thai
Moon Thai
Moon Thai delivers a Thai experience, decorating their restaurant in central Gothenburg with tuktuks, bamboo and neon lights to give you the feeling of being in Thailand, even when it is cold, windy, and sleeting outside. This experience is complemented by the food, which is nicely done and pretty authentic without too much Swedification for local tastes.
Address: Kristinelundsgatan 9, 411 37 Göteborg
Japanese
The Best Ramen In Gothenburg
Competing for best ramen in Gothenburg is Ramen-Ya at Linné, and Amoshi, and Zozaki in the centre of Gothenburg. While all three places appear to have good ramen on the surface some small differences set them apart.
Ramen-Ya at Linné
When we first moved to Gothenburg and starting asking about ramen, this was the place that was recommended, with good reason. This place specialises in ramen (as it should), is usually busy, and delivers the best ramen I’ve tasted in Gothenburg.
Address: Linnéplatsen 4, 413 10 Göteborg
Amoshi
Amoshi falls into the Sushi plus Ramen category. The sushi is very good, well prepared and presented, with a nice variety of types and styles. It is a popular restaurant because of it quality and location, so bookings are recommended.
The ramen served here is fairly good – it has the right based flavours and ingredients, with some nice additions, but it lacks the authentically prepared egg, and is overall just a bit more salty when compared to Ramen-Ya. It is still of good quality and worth eating if you are in the area and have a desire for ramen.
Address: Kyrkogatan 31, 411 08 Göteborg
Koie Ramen
The first thing you notice about Koie Ramen is the decor, simple and functional design, which moves away from what you might think a stereotypical Japanese restaurant would look like, to what a modern noodle bar actually looks like. The ramen here is authentic, simple and effective, with a nice flavour in the broth, very tasty slices of well cooked pork, and the egg cooked the way it should be – contrast the egg here with the boiled egg from Amoshi – the difference is very clear. One difference here to other ramen restaurants is that you get a whole egg, and not just a half. Overall, it is a very nice ramen.
Address: Magasinsgatan 3, 411 18 Göteborg
Zozaki
Most Japanese restaurants serve mostly sushi, but Zozaki serves a variety of Japanese foods, such as tonkatsu, yakiniku, kaarage, and agedashi tofu – which are all standards in Japanese restaurants in many parts of the world, yet not served at many Japanese restaurants in Sweden. The quality and flavours at Zozaki are very good as well.
Address: Stora Nygatan 3, 411 08 Göteborg
Vietnamese
Authentic Vietnamese food can be hard to come by in Gothenburg, largely due to not only the smaller Vietnamese population, but also the fewer number of locals that have travelled there.
Saigon Food
Saigon Food has been a mainstay in Nordstan for some years now, both as a comprehensive Asian supermarket, and a restaurant, serving some of the best Vietnamese food on the west coast, which shouldn’t be surprising. Their Vietnamese offering is based mainly on their variations of pho (rice noodles). To find it head towards the McDonalds on the ground floor of Nordstan – you’ll see the sign for Saigon food – bubble tea is on the street level, and the restaurant and supermarket is downstairs.
Address: Lilla Klädpressaregatan 15, 411 05 Göteborg
Floating Saigon
Where Saigon Food focuses on the Pho, Floating Saigon offers one of the largest selections of Vietnamese (and Vietnamese inspired) foods in Sweden. It offers classics such as Bánh Xèo (savoury Vietnamese pancake) and Cá Kho (caramelised fish). The setting makes for a great location for the summer – on a boat on the canal.
Address: Basargatan 10, 411 10 Göteborg
Banh Mi Shop at Saluhallen
Banh Mi is the class bread roll filled with savoury and spicy meats (or tofu) and vegetables that is loved by Vietnamese food lovers. This shop makes Banh Mi, plus some of the soupy noodle dishes that people love. Saluhallen is in the center of Gothenburg and is a market hall with permanent stalls with a variety of foods.
Address: Kungstorget 15, 411 17 Göteborg
Chinese
With the Chinese population of the city growing, the number of authentic mainland Chinese restaurants is growing. There’s always been a selection of Asian inspired restaurants selling stir-fried foods in soy with rice, so the real-thing is a welcome arrival in the city.
Mot Hai Ba
This small restaurant on the north side of the river is the real deal, and you know that from the aroma that greets you when you step inside. But, they actually have two menus – the Swedified one and the authentic Chinese… so you might need to ask for the real Cinese menu. They have a tender roasted duck, crunchy roasted pork, mo po tofu, and even chicken feet.
Address: Nordanvindsgatan 2 F, 417 12 Göteborg
Phone: 0737438576
Gansu Köket (Gansu Kitchen)
Down Torgatan, one of the side streets opposite Nordstan is Gansu Kitchen, a restaurant serving Gansu noodles and dumplings. This style of noodles is traditionally based on a beef broth, and so has a stronger flavour, and if chilli is your thing, then you’ll also be satisfied here.
Address: Torggatan 9, 411 05 Göteborg