Some friends think we only eat at fine dining restaurants. That could not be more wrong. Not everything needs to be served under a cloche. We eat in all kinds of places. Still, it makes more sense to write about a Michelin restaurant where your money is on the line.
But Kåseberga Bykrog deserves a blog post. Not because of the food or the setting, but simply because it means something to the people who live there, and to those who return each summer.
Think of pubs in England. They are vanishing faster than ever, like common sense on social media. More than 2,000 have closed in the past five years alone. What was once the heart of the village now often stands empty and forgotten.
And Bykrogen is not the only one of its kind. There are many small restaurants like it scattered across the countryside—places that rely on locals just as much as summer guests.
It is more than just a dinner and a beer. It is a laugh, a news channel for what is happening in the village, and a place to borrow a corkscrew when yours has mysteriously vanished.
But most of all, it is a form of what the Danes call hygge. You cannot point a finger at something specific. It is the whole atmosphere.
When we were there last time, we had the wienerschnitzel, peas, and french fries, and the wienerschnitzel was really good.
The wine list consists of a few bottles that change over time, always a surprise. Or, if you prefer, you can always go for a half bend at the bar, where they pour from the bag-in-box—those are decent too.
At the table beside us sat a woman reading a book, with her dog, who had the cutest dog ears. Of course, his name was Dobby.
She was there because something with the bus line had cancelled a departure. So for her, it became a sanctuary instead of sitting freezing on a bench, waiting for the next one to come.
We need these kinds of places. But with high costs and the hard life that comes with running a restaurant, they need you.
So remember Bykrogen if you are in the area. Perhaps we will meet at a shared table, and talk about everything that matters—and a few things that do not.
Yes. For the atmosphere—and who would want to miss the latest village gossip?
Absolutely. A classic case of good value for money.
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