Nya Hattfabriken

The story

Nya Hattfabriken – Classic Swedish & European Dining in Västerås

On a cobblestone street beside the river Svartån, in one of Västerås's charming rows of timber buildings, Nya Hattfabriken has been doing exactly what it set out to do since opening in the autumn of 2011: be the city's most classic neighbourhood restaurant. The name is a small fiction – a hat shop once stood here, not a factory, but the owners thought "factory" had a better ring to it. The spirit behind the name captures something real about the place: unpretentious, confident, a little playful.

The Room

Step inside and the atmosphere does the talking. Chequered floors, cognac-coloured leather sofas, a bar counter and tables of dark wood create the kind of enveloping warmth that is genuinely difficult to find. White Guide, which awarded Nya Hattfabriken its Fine level recognition, described it as one of the most embracing neighbourhood restaurants around – and it is hard to argue with that.

The Food

The kitchen calls its philosophy "God mattradition" – good food tradition. In practice, that means drawing on Tore Wretman's Swedish culinary heritage and weaving it together with European classics. Professor Wretman's Toast Skagen, steak tartar, Wallenbergare and Kalix löjrom sit alongside Moules Frites, Boeuf Bourguignon, sirloin with béarnaise and Crème brûlée. The Swedish and European traditions are treated with equal seriousness, neither overshadowing the other.

The Space for Groups

Upstairs, the Hatthyllan room accommodates between 10 and 40 guests looking for a private setting for a dinner, celebration or event – a quieter floor above the main buzz of the restaurant below.

Nya Hattfabriken serves lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, with the kitchen open to both walk-ins and reservations. For those who cannot make it in person, much of the menu is also available for pick-up.