In this Grandpa Family feature, we visit Brogatan – a legendary meeting place in Malmö, now in the hands of Viktor Hermansen, Filip Karlsson, and Per Myren. With a passion for food, culture, and community, they have created a restaurant where history and innovation come together. The interior is a mix of unique finds, handcrafted pieces from friends, and artworks by local artists. We talk about their journey, vision, and the intimate live music space, Lilla Bjurö.

On a foggy Tuesday in February, we step into Brogatan, where the neon light casts a warm glow over the grand French bar counter. We are greeted by co-owners Viktor and Filip, along with Tiago Dias, bartender at Brogatan. Together, they share Brogatan’s history, their passion for culture and food, and how they have created a restaurant that feels both timeless and personal.

How long have you had Brogatan?

We opened Brogatan in November 2022 and took over the space in August of the same year.

Tell us a bit about Brogatan’s history and how the three of you ended up taking over?

Brogatan is one of Malmö’s most legendary spots and somewhat of a crown jewel for restaurateurs. It has always been closely linked to Malmö’s cultural scene. In the ’80s and ’90s, it was a hub for prominent figures—journalists, writers, actors, musicians, and more. It was the place you went to after all the other bars had closed. Back then, you could stay open until 3 AM without disturbing the neighbors.

Since we are already involved in both Malmö’s cultural and restaurant scenes, this felt like a very exciting opportunity. The fact that it ended up being us is mainly thanks to the relentless encouragement of our fantastic property owners (Revelop), who have been incredibly supportive throughout the process. They gave us the freedom to shape Brogatan in our own way. As relatively young restaurateurs, we were given a lot of trust, and we hope we’ve done it justice.

Your furniture, tableware, and décor come from different parts of Sweden and Europe—tell us more about that.

The main reason for this is financial constraints. We funded the entire startup and all investments with our last savings and tried, as much as possible, to get help from friends and family with skills and contacts in areas like carpentry, interior design, art, and metalwork. Everyone really pitched in for very little financial compensation, but with a strong sense of community.

We truly try to take care of our friends—maybe sometimes too much from a business perspective—but that’s not why we’re doing this. Our driving force is to create a place where everyone feels welcome and has a space, regardless of their financial situation.

You have some spectacular art pieces in the space—tell us about them.

The artworks in our space are all created by our friends. They shape the identity of Brogatan just as much as we do. Many of them represent different eras of the restaurant and reflect our moods over time.

Sara Sjöbäck’s "You are the reason I saw the light” was one of the first pieces to go up (the neon over the bar), and I would say it set the entire mood and character of the restaurant. Sara was there creating the piece while we were painting, hammering, and anxiously waiting for our liquor license—so in a way, she was part of shaping Brogatan’s soul. The piece was built on-site and has become an integral part of the space.

Sebastian Blomqvist’s Lion and Ceiling in Lilla Bjurö was installed about a year after opening and, unlike Sara’s neon piece, is a nod to a more classic, grand restaurant style. Sebastian has been a close friend since childhood, and it felt completely natural for him to create a large work for us when the space became available. His piece creates a beautiful balance between the modern neon and the older building. The craftsmanship is incredible, and the level of detail is truly enjoyable.

Niklas Gagner, a skilled blacksmith and close friend, designed and crafted the beer hangers, which became a piece of jewelry on our stunning tin bar counter.

David Neman, a photographer and relatively new acquaintance, has been documenting Brogatan up close for some time now. His stunning photographs are displayed in the staircase leading to the basement, and he has an entire collection of incredible images—some of which may never see the light of day.

Mats Haglund designed the dining room using original wallpaper fragments from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, creating a beautiful space that truly enhances the dining experience.

Tell us more about Lilla Bjurö and your vision behind creating that space.

We come from a cultural collective called PLX, with music and art as our main passions. We’ve felt the absence of a space in central Malmö dedicated to smaller music performances and cultural events.

Lilla Bjurö was built purely out of passion, completely reckless when you consider time and money—but, as usual, we didn’t have the sense to stop the Brogatan train. We live by the principle that we should NEVER stop anyone with a good feeling. One thing led to another, and now we’ve created one of the most intimate and beautiful concert spaces we know.

If you could dream big—what does the future hold for Brogatan?

We don’t usually dream too far ahead—we’re too busy creating in the moment and staying in tune with the times. Our dream is to be able to pay ourselves a salary, secure a long-term lease, and not pour all our savings into a demolition contract.

If we were to dream just a little bigger, we’d want to refine the overall quality even further. Brogatan should be more of a cultural house than just a restaurant—a meeting place that transcends class divisions. A spot where you can get a beer for 50 sek while having a conversation with someone eating oysters and drinking champagne. A venue that offers intimate concerts with established artists and poetry readings with students from Skurup Folk High School. A place for everyone!

What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow their passion and open their own restaurant or bar?

Oh wow—it will consume your entire life. It will be an incredibly tough journey. If you don’t run it with your friends or family, you’ll never see them. On top of that, it’s a terrible financial investment, so it’s hard to give any rational advice.

That said, it’s also a truly wonderful industry. When the place is full, and you’re enjoying a great glass of wine or a delicious meal, all the struggles are momentarily forgotten, and you feel like you’re walking on air—until the next morning, when the chaos starts all over again.

The only thing that makes it all worth it for us is the fact that we are friends for life. And that all of our friends—and their friends—have a place to gather, where we will always push the boundaries of what a restaurant can be.

Top three favorites at Grandpa right now?

Märta, Kim, and Angelica!! (The staff at Grandpa in Malmö, editor’s note.) Our darlings and regulars. In Malmö, we take care of each other.

Brogatan playlists