It’s in the centre of Ystad, more specifically in the old town: Helsas Gård. A picturesque courtyard from the turn of the 17th century with all the characteristics of old Scandinavian buildings: exposed wooden beams and colourful walls, just as if time had stood still.
INFORMATION
Star product: seasonal food
Suitable for: vegans, vegetarians, celiacs
Average Price: 15 €
Contact: Besökaregränd 1, 271 80 Ystad, Sweden
Tel.: (+46) 411 171 50
Closed from November to March.
The whole courtyard has been a protected area since 1968, when it became property of the local council. In 2007 all the buildings and premises in the courtyard were converted into apartments and workshops so that local craftspeople could work there and sell their wares. Back then, Birgitta and Helga, two passionate cooks with an infectious love for life, decided to start up their small café/restaurant to add a bit of life and excitement to this very special place in Ystad. As they explained, they opened the café where they would like to go themselves: a place where you feel good and happy, which is committed to quality and environmental responsibility, with a good dose of healthy food; a warm, fun space that respects the environment; staff with a fun, positive attitude towards customers and life.
The café has a large selection of pastries and bread –some without gluten– which they make and bake every day on the premises, and lunches with a spectacular vegetarian buffet that changes every day with seasonal local produce.
Their repertoire ranges from colourful salads with delicious vinaigrettes, vegetable stir fries, seasonal vegetable soups, hummus, stews, pasta, rice dishes, roasted vegetables, fruit salads and a wide selection of irresistible homemade desserts and pastries. The menu includes all the water you want; you can get as many refills as you wish. Apart from this, they would be delighted to surprise you with a whole range of local, handmade drinks such as beer, soft drinks and fruit juices.
We chose a varied local salad with a mustard dressing, rice noodle curry, broccoli salad with raisins and sesame, carrot stir fry with ginger, chickpea and green pea hummus, orange lentil and beetroot melange, a selection of local olives, some of their bread and pastries, and fresh fruit from their garden. Simple, homemade, delicious recipes that give you a glimpse of the savoir faire of a chef and the love from someone who just loves what they do.
The restaurant opens every day early in the morning for breakfast until the early evening between March and November. They have a mishmash of tables with different colours and shapes in a large terrace in the courtyard so you can relax outside when the weather is good. They also have a wireless internet connection for customers if you would like to go there to work.
If you’d like to be surrounded by 300 years of Swedish history, eat local produce cooked with tenderness and love, and take it all in while sunning yourself in a picture-postcard setting, you simply cannot miss this magical spot in Ystad.
