Forshems Gästgivaregård

The story

Forshems Gästgivaregård, Götene – Sweden's Oldest Inn with White Guide Recognition

Sweden's Oldest Inn, Still Setting the Table

People have been stopping at Forshems Gästgivaregård since the 13th century — originally, perhaps, to visit the medieval church next door. Today, as the White Guide notes with some warmth, the dining room is rather more crowded than the nave, and the conversation considerably louder. Hikers returning from Kinnekulle fill the room while hostess Mia Johansson works to make herself heard above the hum, presenting what the house calls the måltidsäventyr — the meal adventure.

That phrase captures the spirit of the place precisely. Stefan and Mia Johansson have run Forshems Gästgivaregård since 1991, building a philosophy around one simple principle: use what the surrounding landscape offers, and choose everything else with care. It is slow food in the truest sense — not a long braise by definition, but a way of thinking about where food comes from.

The Meal Adventure

The kitchen works with a surprise menu that shifts with the seasons. On a recent visit noted by the White Guide, forest mushrooms arrived on toast, dried fallow deer appeared in an amuse-bouche, poached perch fillet anchored one main course, and a wallenberger made from pheasant another. The flavours are subtle and ask for a moment's attention — this is not food that shouts. Drinks lean on local producer Qvänum Mat & Malt, while the wine list favours the Old World.

The indoor experience — always pre-booked — runs from wild garlic season in spring through to just before Christmas, with long, unhurried meals as the format. Summers bring a different proposition entirely: a relaxed grill buffet in the garden, open to walk-ins. The two experiences, as the house puts it, differ like night and day.

Slow Food Credentials and a Sense of Place

In 2004 Forshems Gästgivaregård received a diploma from the international Slow Food movement, and in 2006 and 2008 the inn was selected alongside members of the Swedish national chef team to represent the country at Terra Madre in Italy. The recognition has continued: films, radio appearances, press coverage and, now, a place in the White Guide's Fine level for 2026.

The inn is also a producer in its own right — its range of wild garlic products has spread to several outlets across the region, carrying the kitchen's craft beyond the dining room. For those wanting to extend a visit, the Johansson sisters run nearby Falkängen, offering overnight packages with transport, breakfast and the meal adventure combined.

What holds it all together is a conviction that the guest makes the party — and that the land around Kinnekulle has more than enough to offer a table set with honesty and skill.