If you’re on the E4 headed from Stockholm to Malmö and bored with the selection of Burger Kings, Max Hamburgares and hot dogs at the monotonous gas stations along the route, check out Hotel Gyllene Uttern halfway between the two cities, on the banks of Lake Vättern for lunch.
Exterior of Hotel Gyllene Uttern
Built in the 1930s by Gyllensvaan, a cavalry captain, Hotel Gyllene Uttern was one of Sweden’s first motels. The first thing that strikes you is that it is a mish mash of different architectural styles – one part resembling English castle, another looking like a Swedish wooden cabin, all joined together in an imperfect but interesting way. And then from the restaurant there’s a vast panoramic view over the seemingly endless Lake Vättern.
Last week, when we stopped off for lunch on our way back to Stockholm from Malmö, there was around 30 cm of snow, gray skies and lumps of ice floating in the lake, but it still looked stunning so imagine how it looks basking in sunshine!
The à la carte lunch menu ranges from SEK 145 to SEK 285 but they do a special Travel Lunch in the Riddarsalen restaurant for around SEK 139. For your money, you’ll get the set dish of the day, an extensive salad buffet, water, tea/coffee and biscuits. It’s perfect for people on the road who want a wholesome lunch in a more elaborate atmosphere. And the food is pretty good – think home-cooked dishes served up by motherly, friendly waitresses. If you’ve got more time to spare and want to splash out, go for the à la carte menu. We enjoyed Wallenbergare (a Swedish veal meatball-like speciality) with potato gratin and lingonberries, accompanied with a crammed plate of salad and topped off with an excellent cup of strong coffee to keep us awake on the rest of our journey.
To find Hotel Gyllene Uttern, take the exit for Gränna/Gyllene Uttern, close to Jonköping, and it’s just 5 minutes off the highway on your left hand side.
