The story
Ruths grew from the bones of Bastard, one of Malmö's most beloved evening restaurants. The same owners and the same head chef made the move, and the result – recognised by the White Guide as one of Malmö's most influential restaurants – is something with an even broader reach: a place open from early morning to late at night, seven days a week, where the energy shifts naturally from espresso and pastry to long lunches and candlelit dinners.
The room itself sets the tone. Enter from the busy back street off Lilla Torg and you step into an open, airy space with bar seating along street-facing windows, a deli counter stocked with house-made preserves, Italian cheeses and vegetables, and a large open kitchen at its centre. The kitchen's counter, clad in bright blue tiles, has become the restaurant's visual signature – and its beating heart. Cooks work in full view of the dining room throughout both lunch and dinner service.
The cooking leans into the traditions of southern Europe without fixing itself to any single address. Terrines, Italian cured meats, tartelettes, quality olives and burrata appear regularly, alongside seasonal vegetables that get serious attention whether they accompany the fish or the meat. The menu moves with the seasons: a lamb shank braised in red wine with borlotti beans and bagna cauda at lunch; slow-roasted lamb shoulder with grilled summer cabbage and black olive-tomato tapenade at dinner; grilled mackerel with datterini tomatoes, capers and marjoram when the season calls for it.
Breakfast is taken just as seriously. Ruths rye plate – rye bread, salted butter, havgus, orange marmalade and a boiled egg – sits alongside Turkish fried eggs, semolina porridge with macerated strawberries and pistachios, and yoghurt with fresh honey from Bokeslundsgården. The bakery supplies bread and pastries throughout the day, and a barista is on hand from opening.
The wine list is extensive and tilts firmly toward natural producers – small European estates from France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Germany, Austria and England. Many of the wines rotate on tap, changing often enough that regulars always find something new. It is a list built to match the kind of grazing, sharing style of eating that Ruths encourages.
On Sundays, a wood-fired oven fires up in the courtyard, and pizza comes to the table straight from the flames. It is a detail that captures what Ruths does well: straightforward pleasures, executed with consistent care.
Recognition
Details
History
One of Malmö’s most prominent evening restaurants, Bastard, has been renovated and changed its concept. It was a successful move from a beloved evening spot to a place with an even bigger city vibe – Ruth is open all day, from morning breakfast to the last glass of wine. The owners and head chef remain the same, and the standard of modern European rustic cuisine remains just as high. From the bustling back alley at Lilla torg, you enter the restaurant’s open and airy entrance, featuring bar tables along the street-facing windows, a delicatessen counter offering everything from house pickles to Italian cheeses and vegetables, and the large, newly expanded kitchen with its bright blue tiled bar counter, which has become the restaurant’s signature and beating heart. Here, chefs prepare food for an open audience for both lunch and dinner, and throughout the day, the barista is ready to serve your coffee over the counter alongside delightful pastries. The dishes offer a playful nod to Italy and France, with terrines, Italian cold cuts, tartelettes, quality olives, and burrata as typical highlights. These bites pair perfectly with the substantial wine list of natural wines, several of which are available on tap. The kitchen follows the seasons and experiments with exciting green accompaniments for both pork and fish, which frequently appear on the menu. Ruth displays constant finesse in the kitchen, which is why many already consider it their favorite haunt. On Sundays, the wood-fired oven is fired up in the cozily decorated courtyard, and pizza is served piping hot to the table.
good quality, good value cooking
Location
Instagram