Madame Brasserie & Café

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Where a Rubber Factory Became a Gathering Place

Inside Gummifabriken — a repurposed rubber factory at the heart of Värnamo, Småland — Madame Brasserie & Café has turned an industrial shell into one of the region's most lively meeting points. Theater, cinema, live music, conferences, and a full brasserie share the same roof, creating a place that, as the White Guide put it, is "truly a place for everyone — young and old, eager movie-goers and theater-goers, locals and distant lunch and dinner guests."

The restaurant is part of the Palmgren Group and sits within the broader Gummifabriken complex, which draws visitors from as far as Gothenburg (two hours), Copenhagen (three), and Stockholm (four).

French Spirit, Swedish Roots

The kitchen is led by head chef Jasmin Causevic and sous chef Viktor Sjögren, whose menu reads like a love letter to French brasserie cooking written entirely in Swedish ingredients. Classic preparations are grounded in local sourcing: moules à la Normande arrive made with mussels from Mollösund, and steak minute uses veal from Hagshult cattle raised in Skillingaryd. The raw beef from the same farm — seasoned simply with soy sauce, watercress, and mustard — is, according to White Guide reviewers, worth a visit on its own.

Weekday lunches follow the same philosophy: a bouillabaisse of fish and shellfish with saffron, tomato, and white wine; a poke bowl with halloumi and coconut rice for the vegetarian option; or a bacon-wrapped chicken breast with tarragon jus and roasted corn cream. Bread, salad, water, coffee, and a small pastry are included.

A Room That Earns Its Atmosphere

The décor of dark wood, leather, and stone gives Madame a warmth that sidesteps any sense of corporate venue. The wine list leans French, while the beer selection favors Swedish breweries. Friday after-work runs from 16:00 to 19:00, with DJ or live music on the last Friday of each month. The Saturday brunch rounds out a week that covers almost every occasion — breakfast meetings, pre-show dinners via the dedicated performance menu, private banquets, and catering for larger events.

The White Guide's recognition of Madame reflects exactly what the kitchen and the space achieve together: French-inspired brasserie cooking, executed with reliable craft and genuine local character, in a small Swedish city that punches well above its weight.