HOMESTEAD & SEASONAL RESTAURANT

Solgårdskrogen is owned and run by Genevieve & Jonathan Bjurenstedt. Jonathan is a chef with experience working in England, Australia and France as well as Sweden. Genevieve is an ex-lawyer from Australia who retrained as a sommelier after moving to Sweden. 

After meeting in London in 2000 we moved to Australia in 2003 and then to Stockholm in 2007 where we ran a family-owned bistro for 8 years before moving to the village of Nittsjö in 2015. We had no previous ties to Dalarna, our move was motivated by the desire to become closer to nature and to the production of the ingredients in the food that we serve.  

We began by converting a barn into a prep kitchen and building an outdoor kitchen with a large woodfired grill. Dining was mainly outside in the garden. In 2018 we built the greenhouse which now serves as our dining room. We have since installed a woodfired oven and hibachi grill in the greenhouse. 

During the summer we run a seasonal restaurant from the property serving food based on locally sourced ingredients cooked over open fire and spiced with flavours inspired by our travels. Ingredients are sourced from our own property (vegetables, quails & Orpingtons, homemade sourdough) as well as local farmers and neighbours with a passion for foraging berries and mushrooms in the surrounding forests as well as fishing in the local lakes.

In 2025 we started an exciting partnership with Alfred from Sunnanheds Fjällko (mountain cattle); we buy whole animals and dry age the premium cuts, using the meat for both our set menus and our hamburger. Read more about all of the local producers whose products we proudly serve below.

The drink list is based on wines we have imported ourselves from France as well as wines from Australia (made in a way that we like i.e. without additives) and local beer. Our food is served on ceramics from Nittsjö Ceramics, which is Sweden’s oldest ceramic factory, located in our village.

OUR PRODUCERS 

Alfred from Sunnanhed’s Fjällkor

Alfred raises organic, grass fed mountain cattle in Sunnanhed. We buy whole animals, using the meat for charcuterie production, our set menus and of course our burgers which we serve in the pub.

Anders & Marit from Älvdalslax

Älvdalslax is a small-scale, family run, sustainable rainbow trout farm that prioritises quality over quantity and takes care of the entire process from roe to fry to fish to roe. We serve both roe and fish from Älvdalslax.

Hansjö Dairy

Hansjö Dairy is a small family business located in the village of Orsa making award winning cheeses from their own cows milk. Their cheeses can be found on most of our menus as well as on our hamburger.

Steirnhööksgymnasiet Rättvik

This is the local agricultural school. We buy whole organic pigs, which we and use in our homemade charcuterie, as well as organic potatoes, which we use for our delicious fries served in the pub.

Tinn from Karl-Tövåsens levande fäbod

A Fäbod can be described as a form of small-scale farm where the animals are sent to a pasture for summer grazing. This one has been active since the 1600s and we buy their amazing thick sour cream and butter.

Yvonne from Björgården

Super creative Yvonne makes all kinds of jams, syraps, vinegars, juices and concentrates from local and organic ingredients. She and her husband Jonas also raise a local breed of sheep, Dalapälsfår, of which there are only a few hundred left in Sweden. We buy in whole Dalapälsfår lamm as well as vinegars & concentrates.

Lina from Mor Lina’s goat farm 

Lina runs a goat farm in a village called Born in Rättvik. The goats graze deep in the forests during the summer but come running to Lina when she gives the ancient Swedish herding call (it’s magic, you have to see it to believe it). We serve goats cheese from Lina’s farm. 

Emil & Emily from Widichs

Emily & Emily have a farm in Gustafs where they raise sheep & chickens as well as grow the heritage wheat from Dalarna “Dalavete”. We hatched our Orpingtons from eggs from Widichs.

Our neighbours Mats, Håkan & Krille

Mats & Håkan love to fish in the local lakes and often come by with their catch of the day. 

Our regular Leif from a neighbouring village

Leif loves to go out into the forest and pick berries and mushrooms. He picks much more than he could possibly eat and delivers the excess to us. 

Emma the mushroom expert

Emma is a talented local artist who also has what can only be described as an obsession with mushrooms, she has found and identified over 100 different edible mushrooms in the local forests. She leads mushroom excursions for the public and has identified over one hundred edible mushrooms in the local forests and we love to experiment with the edible mushrooms she finds.

LissEllas Senap

LissElla makes extremely flavoursome mustards from seeds grown in Dalarna.

Nittsjö Ceramics

Ceramics have been produced at the factory in Nittsjö since the 1800s and we have always served our food on their plates. The newly renovated showroom is a perfect destination to visit before or after your meal, located only a 10 minute picturesque walk through the forest away.

OUR TEAM

Lars & Elin

A married couple, these are old friends of ours who even worked a few shifts at our previous family-run bistro in Stockholm. Lars is a well-known sommelier who lives and works in Stockholm but spends his summers here at Solgårdskrogen. In addition to working as a sommelier at some very well known restaurants in Stockholm he also teaches at Restaurang Akademien (The Restaurant Academy) in Stockholm. Fun fact: Lars was once the lead guitarist in The International Noise Conspiracy. His wife Elin is an entrepreneur in the entertainment & music industry but turns her hand to restaurant service at Solgårdskrogen during the summers. They will be serving you if you book our Seasonal Menu or our Dalhalla Menu. Lars will also be serving the set lunch menu in the greenhouse this summer.

Mats

Mats is a chef & sommelier who is new to our team this year but is a local with many years experience cooking in the best restaurants in Dalarna and is very committed to showcasing local produce.

Erik & Molly

Lucky for us Erik, who is a great chef, is a resident of Nittsjö and has been part of the team since the start of Solgårdskrogen. Molly is his 16 year old daughter who will soon be working her fourth season serving our food.