Popular Hamilton food spot celebrates milestone

Gothenburg was founded by Susanna Rislund Fullana (pictured) and Carl Bloxam in 2009. Photo / That Green Olive
From humble beginnings on Hood St to becoming a stronghold in Hamilton’s culinary scene – popular restaurant Gothenburg has had quite the journey.
Now, the foodie hotspot is celebrating its 15th year in business.
Gothenburg was founded by Susanna Rislund Fullana and Carl Bloxam in a small location on Hood St in 2009.
“It was very intimate… – it had space for about 50 people. We built a lovely clientele of regulars and [quickly] made a name for ourselves,” Rislund Fullana said.
What made them stand out was their concept of dining: it’s a tapas-style restaurant, where several plates are ordered to be shared with the whole table.
The dishes themselves are a fusion of several cuisines.
“It’s like a culinary world trip. We’ve got around 30 nationalities working at Gothenburg, including staff with roots in India, China, Italy America,” she said.
“I am multicultural myself – my father is Spanish and my mother is Swedish – and Carl and I both worked in other countries and travelled a lot, so we love the sharing concept and trying food inspired from different parts of the world.
“I can’t even do traditional three-course meals anymore, because I get food envy.”
The tapas can be influenced or inspired by any type of cuisine.
“Anyone in our kitchen is allowed to propose a menu concept,” Rislund Fullana said.
“It just has to pass the taste test… and we have a strong focus on sustainability, so the item can’t generate waste, the chef has to use the whole product.”
According to what ingredients are in season, a few menu items will change every couple of months, however, there are also some fixtures.
Initially, in the Hood St venue, Gothenburg also had pizzas and other mains on the menu, but Rislund Fullana and Bloxam slowly removed them.
Looking back on the past 15 years, she said the most memorable time has been the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was extremely stressful, it felt like being dropped off a cliff. It was terrifying time.
“But Hamilton was so lovely, people really showed up for us.”
She said another positive thing that came out of the pandemic was the team itself.
“It was an opportunity for our team to bond and work under different circumstances, a bit more relaxed.”
Gothenburg has a team of 40 people during the summer peak time – a significant jump from the team of eight that the restaurant started with. About three team members have been working there for 10 years.
Rislund Fullana puts it down to the work culture and hands-on involvement with her team, saying it was important to her that they could have a balanced lifestyle – a tough feat in the industry – and that she was working “shoulder to shoulder with them”.
“It all comes down to our people. Looking after our people is the key to our success.”
Over the years, the restaurant has risen in popularity – not only among locals. Notable visitors had included the All Blacks and Flight of the Conchords.
Also, Gothenburg repeatedly featured in Cuisine Magazine’s Good Food Guide, most recently, it was named a Cuisine Destination in the 2024/25 guide.
Apart from the “lively menu of tapas” and “tasty and beautifully presented small plates”, Cuisine Magazine also highlighted Gothenburg’s venue, describing it as an “airy, glass-encased dining area and adjacent deck overlooking the Waikato River”.
Rislund Fullana said when Gothenburg outgrew its Hood St venue, a friend showed her and Bloxam the place on Grantham St.
“I remember standing on top of the stairs and… it was love at first sight. I remember thinking if we don’t take it, someone else will and we are going to regret it forever.”
But Rislund Fullana has no regrets.
“Waikato is a diamond in the rough. It has amazing meat and cheeses and produce.
“[Granthan St] is the perfect spot for us, close to the river and very serene. I can’t imagine being anywhere else. We’re going for another 15 years.”
In honour of their anniversary, Gothenburg will bring back some special $15 menu items from past years, including Pork and Kimchi Dumplings, gin-soaked salmon and tempura battered vegetables – the latter of which was on their first-ever menu.
To find out which plates make a return in the weeks leading up to September 15, visit Gothenburg’s social media pages.
Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist and assistant news director at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.
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