Fäviken, Sweden

Fäviken, located in the Jämtland region of northern Sweden is famous for being one of the world’s remotest restaurants, but also one of its best, coming in at number 25 in S. Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Located in the heart of the Scandinavian wilderness, Fäviken comprises a sprawling 24,000-acre hunting estate with a restaurant and back-to-basic accommodation housed in an eighteenth century barn.

Run by the acclaimed chef Magnus Nilsson, the restaurant at Fäviken specialises in rustic Nordic food almost all of which is sourced from the immediate surrounding area. Hyper-local cooking is the order of the day here, with meat, vegetables and local specialities such as cloudberries and reindeer lichen all being hunted, farmed or foraged within the estate. The chef rejects modern cooking techniques favoured by many fine dining establishments, preferring to harness instead traditional practices of curing, pickling and ageing. The menu abides strictly by the seasons and food is preserved in these ways during the summer and autumn months in preparation for the scarcity of winter.

The standout dish at Fäviken are surely the large succulent scallops cooked over burning juniper branches and accompanied by honey-rich mead. Other notables include wild trout encased in pig’s blood, raw cow’s heart with marrow and flower petals, and deep-fried pig’s head dipped in sourdough and served with thinly-cut slivers of aged salted herring. 

The rustic surrounds, resembling a lumberjack’s house, are candle-lit, full of original beams and floorboards, and adorned with century-old wolf skins and dried slabs of meat which are artfully hung from the rafters. The main Dining Room accommodates only 16 guests divided between 5 tables. You can also opt to eat at the Gateleg Table, a communal table with seating for eight, which offers the chance to share the experience with fellow diners in an intimate setting.

The isolation of the estate means that diners are offered accommodation in comfortable yet spartan rooms with washbasins, shared bathrooms and a sauna complete with bar and charcuterie. Rooms accommodate two people for SEK 2,500 per night, including breakfast. Fäviken’s popularity and limited space means getting a reservation can be a little tricky, as can making the long journey to get there. But persevere and you’ll be rewarded with one of Europe’s best, most authentic and truly interesting fine dining experiences.