As gasoline prices continue to rise, Kansas tries to satisfy a yen for new and exciting foods close to home. Instead of climbing aboard an airplane to Sweden, food travelers stop at Lindsborg for a smörgåsbord of kåldolmar, köttbullar, prinsesstårta and a pepparkaka or two.
More than 100 years ago, nearly a hundred Swedish immigrants determined to settle on the prairie and escape the oppression of the Lutheran religion. They established the community of Lindsborg in central Kansas.
With them, they brought a love for farming, families, and faith. They held onto their rich Swedish culture and cuisine.
Today, many Lindsborg citizens are ancestors of those first immigrants. They have remained faithful to their heritage, making the town a premier spot in Kansas for great Swedish cuisine.
The sights, sounds, and smells of Sweden make Lindsborg seem like a separate world, one filled with friendly people and different customs. For example, brightly painted wooden Dala horses line the main street in “Little Sweden.” Only well-established businesses committed to the Swedish culture earns a wild Dala horse.
The Swedish Crown and Vasa Club, a traditional Swedish-style restaurant at 121 N. Main, plans to have a Dala horse outside the front door one day.
The Vasa Club is a newly renovated, upscale pub that shares the same building as the Swedish Crown Restaurant. The Vasa includes a 52” high definition television for special events and extended hours.
Vasa means ship. Tall, arching wood ceilings represent the hull of a ship and the nautical theme continues throughout the décor.
Traditional Swedish food includes kottbuller or Swedish meatballs, the most popular item on the menu, said Bob McCall, co-manager. The fully stocked bar carries Swedish beverages such as akkurat, a Swedish-style beer.
Most of the traditional Swedish-style recipes come from local Swedish families who have been here since the town was established, according to McCall. “We’ve been lucky enough to have been given authentic recipes by some of the community. For example, our Swedish meatballs come from my business partner’s mother in law,” he added.
Another specialty is pickled herring, served with homemade Swedish rye bread and dill sauce made from scratch.
Timid visitors can order steaks that have been trimmed and cut at the restaurant.
The Swedish Crown and Vasa is one of several Swedish-style restaurants in town. There are also The Cookery and Ol’ Stuga, a sandwich shop. For Swedish baked goods Lindsborg offers the Swedish Pastries and Emporium, the Courtyard Bakery & Café, and The Butcher, Baker & Candlestick Maker.
“We’re a very small town,” McCall said, “and our businesses depend on the cooperation that we receive from the community.” He said the business has a need and obligation to support the other businesses and to help the community thrive.
For example, he pointed out that the majority of paintings hanging in the Vasa are by local artists. Restaurants plan menus together for special events such as the Midsummer Festival, “so not every restaurant is offering Swedish meatballs,” McCall said.
“If we work together we can accomplish more,” he added.
The Swedish Crown is open from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Vasa is open from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily except Tuesday.
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