Alex Zane in Gothenburg: Three top dishes for a gourmet break

Copenhagen gets all the gourmet attention, but Gothenburg, home to Scandinavia's largest port, is starting to feature highly on foodies' lists.

Fika at Café Kringlan

Start your day with a fika. This is not a traditional dance, but a term which loosely translates as "drinking coffee with a pastry". Choosing what to have at Café Kringlan is tricky, but my recommendation would be a kanelbullar, or cinnamon bun. These are not as sweet or sticky as their English counterparts but they're so delicious that it's well worth leaving some room in your bag to bring a few back.

Fried herring at Strommingsluckan

Street food in Gothenburg means Michelin-style food, served from vehicles no bigger than an ice-cream van. The best place to sample one of these lunchtime hotspots is Strömmingsluckan. The food van is located in Magasins- gatan and locals queue around the block for the Gothenburg classic – fried herring, mashed potato and lingonberry sauce.

Seafood ravioli at Sjomagasinet

As the largest fish market in Scandinavia is only 250 metres from the kitchen, it's no surprise the food at this Michelin-starred restaurant is so fresh. Inside a beautiful former warehouse, you'll find head chef Ulf Wagner working his magic on dishes such as delicate seafood ravioli; the kind of food that doesn't just tempt you back to the city, but forces you to book your return visit before you've left.

To see American Express Insider Alex Zane's video on Gothenburg, visit youtube.com/AmericanExpressUK