Restaurant in Gothenburg, Sweden
Wine-forward brasserie, easy to book.
Brasserie Draken holds two Star Wine List awards (2024 and 2026), making it Gothenburg's clearest choice when wine is the priority for a special occasion or late evening. Booking is easy by city standards, and the brasserie format suits late arrivals better than most tasting-menu rooms. Go for the list; pair it with a date night or business dinner.
Getting a table at Brasserie Draken is direct — booking difficulty is low by Gothenburg standards, which is one point in its favour before you even sit down. The stronger reason to book is the wine program: Draken has earned Star Wine List recognition twice, in 2024 and again in 2026, placing it among a short list of Gothenburg venues where the list is the main event, not a supporting act. If you are planning a special occasion and wine matters as much as food, this is a serious option.
Brasserie Draken occupies a prominent address at Olof Palmes Plats 2 in central Gothenburg, which means arrival feels deliberate. The brasserie format — as a category , typically delivers a room with presence: high ceilings, a bar worth sitting at, and a pace that accommodates both quick meals and long evenings. For a celebration dinner or a business meal where the setting needs to carry some weight, that format works. The Star Wine List award signals that whoever manages the cellar here is doing it at a level that gets noticed beyond the local market , the same organisation that recognises programs at venues like Le Bernardin in New York City and Atomix in New York City is putting Draken in comparable company on wine quality.
The late-night angle is worth considering specifically. Brasseries, by design, tend to run later than tasting-menu restaurants , the format supports lingering over a bottle after a show or arriving after 9 PM when Nordic fine-dining rooms are already closing their kitchens. If your plan involves eating late in Gothenburg, Draken is a more reliable option than, say, Koka, which operates on a tighter service window. For a post-event dinner or a date that starts late, that flexibility matters.
Sweden's broader dining scene has produced some of Europe's most closely watched wine programs , Frantzén in Stockholm, Vollmers in Malmö, and ÄNG in Tvååker all demonstrate that serious curation outside Stockholm is the norm rather than the exception. Draken's two Star Wine List awards place it in this current, which is a meaningful credential for a brasserie, not just a fine-dining destination.
Draken is the right call for couples or small groups who want a wine-forward evening without the commitment of a tasting menu. It works for business meals where a polished room and a serious wine list signal effort. It also works as a later stop in the evening when other kitchens have closed. It is less obviously the right choice if you are prioritising avant-garde cooking , for that in Gothenburg, Project or SK Mat & Människor are better-directed options.
Two consecutive Star Wine List recognitions confirm the wine program is operating at a consistent level, not a one-year peak. For context on what that credential means nationally, it sits alongside Swedish properties recognised by the same organisation in Stockholm, Malmö, and smaller regional destinations including VYN in Simrishamn, Knystaforsen in Rydöbruk, and PM & Vänner in Växjö.
Booking difficulty is rated easy. There is no significant lead-time pressure here , you are unlikely to need to plan weeks ahead the way you would for Gothenburg's tighter tasting-menu rooms. Contact through the venue directly or via standard booking platforms. No phone or website data is held in our record, so confirm current hours and availability through a search before finalising plans.
| Detail | Brasserie Draken | Koka | 28+ | Familjen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Brasserie | New Nordic tasting menu | Modern à la carte | Scandinavian casual |
| Price tier | Not confirmed | €€€ | €€€ | €€ |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Moderate | Easy |
| Wine program award | Star Wine List ×2 | , | , | , |
| Late-night suitability | High (brasserie format) | Low | Moderate | Moderate |
| Special occasion | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
For a broader view of where Draken sits in the city, see our full Gothenburg restaurants guide. If you are building a full trip around food and drink, our Gothenburg bars guide, hotels guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the rest.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brasserie Draken | Easy | — | |
| Hoze | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Koka | €€€ | Unknown | — |
| 28+ | €€€ | Unknown | — |
| Familjen | €€ | Unknown | — |
| Bar La Lune | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Brasserie Draken measures up.
Come for the wine list first. Draken has won the Star Wine List award twice (2024 and 2026), which signals a programme serious enough to anchor a whole evening around. The brasserie format means the experience is relaxed rather than ceremonial, so this is not a tasting-menu commitment. Arrive with a plan to explore the wine selection and let it drive the meal.
For a more produce-driven, ingredient-focused dinner, Koka is the stronger call. Bar La Lune suits those who want a wine-bar atmosphere with less of a full-restaurant commitment. 28+ is the right choice if you want a dedicated wine experience with deep list credentials. Familjen works better for casual group dinners with a looser format, and Hoze is worth considering for a shorter, sharper visit centred on natural wine.
Yes, with the right expectations. Draken works well for occasions where the conversation and the wine matter more than theatrical service or a prestige address. Its two Star Wine List wins give you a credible talking point and a list worth celebrating with. If you need a formal tasting-menu structure to mark the occasion, look at 28+ instead.
The brasserie format at Olof Palmes Plats 2 is broadly suited to small groups, and booking difficulty is low, which helps with flexible party sizes. For larger parties, check the venue's official channels to confirm table configuration. Groups who want a private-room experience or a set menu for the table should verify availability before booking.
Booking difficulty is low by Gothenburg standards, so you are unlikely to need weeks of lead time. A few days ahead should be sufficient for most visits, though weekend evenings warrant earlier contact. This is one practical advantage Draken holds over higher-demand spots in the city.
The venue data does not confirm specific dietary policies, so contact Draken directly before booking if restrictions are a factor. The brasserie format typically allows more menu flexibility than a fixed tasting structure, which is a reasonable starting assumption, but confirm rather than guess for anything allergy-related.
No dress code is documented for Draken. In Gothenburg's brasserie context, neat and presentable is a reliable default: not formal, not overly casual. Given the venue's wine-focused identity and central address at Olof Palmes Plats 2, most diners will arrive dressed for a considered evening out rather than a neighbourhood local.
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