Skärets Krog

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A pier with a past

The white villa at Hamnen 1 has stood at the eastern end of Smögen's harbour since 1897, when herring fisherman Olof Persson built it with profits from a prosperous trade. By 1931, it had become a café with its own bakery – and the place where the famous Swedish shrimp sandwich was born. A restaurant followed in 1995, and today the building houses two distinct dining rooms under one roof, each with the same unobstructed view over the harbour inlet and the boats packed tightly along the pier.

The team behind the table

Skäret is run by Oscar Gyllström, Thomas Sjögren, Douglas Fyhr, and Åsa Viken. Thomas Sjögren, named Swedish Chef of the Year in 2015, leads the kitchen with a focus on the West Coast pantry: local ingredients drawn from the waters and land of Bohuslän, cooked and baked from scratch every day. The ambition, stated plainly on their own pages, is "the finest dining experience in Bohuslän" – delivered by what the team calls the West Coast's friendliest crew.

Restaurant & Pianobar

The main restaurant occupies the upper floor of the villa, reached by a flight of stairs that opens onto harbour views on all sides. The White Guide, which awarded Skärets Krog its "Very fine level" recognition for 2026, describes the scene with some amusement: diners find themselves at eye level with the deck of Norwegian yachts moored just outside the window. Classic Swedish flavours with a modern twist are the kitchen's signature, and on select evenings Sweden's finest pianists take the stage – making this as much a gathering place as a dining room.

Café, Bistro & Bakery

Downstairs, the Café & Bistro offers freshly baked goods, fresh seafood, and hot dishes from morning through to late evening during peak season. Smögens Bakery – a separate operation on the same premises – produces sourdough bread, Danish pastries, and what the house describes as the West Coast's best cinnamon bun, baked fresh each morning in Smögen.

Events and the seasons

The calendar at Skäret fills with guest appearances and special evenings – a ramen collaboration, a lobster event with a gin partner, a full day at sea with lobster in focus. The restaurant follows the rhythm of the Swedish coast: opening in spring, running at full pace through summer, and closing after October. It is, in every sense, a place shaped by the sea and the seasons around it.