Taverna Gusto - rest. & pizzeria — Restaurant in Luleå kommun

I had high expectations for Taverna Gusto, but the experience was frustrating from the very beginning.

Upon arrival, the waiter realized we didn’t speak Swedish—but still refused to offer us an English menu. Another member of staff eventually brought one over, and a few minutes later, after noticing we were struggling to understand the local menu, he offered to bring us the English version (again). This lack of basic hospitality was already a huge red flag.

Then came the pressure: the waiter seemed to expect us to decide what to eat in 13 seconds, as if we were on a tight timer. No introduction, no explanation, no patience. It felt like we were being rushed rather than served.

We were seated at a table directly facing the blazing sun, with 30°C heat beaming at us—while numerous shaded tables around us sat empty. When I politely asked if we could move, the waiter pointed us to the least comfortable option possible: a table in the middle of the courtyard, still in direct sunlight. It was almost hostile.

As for drinks: I ordered a Coca-Cola and received a mystery liquid in a wine glass, filled with ice. No bottle, no explanation, no idea what it was. This is not just lazy—it’s unprofessional. On that basis, they could serve you anything — even pour and bring out someone else’s leftover drink. Would you gladly and confidently drink that at a supposedly high-end restaurant? It’s more than outrageous, considering the threatment from the very beginning!

We had placed our food order, but ended up leaving before it arrived. Sitting there drenched in sweat, after a week under the sun, was simply unbearable.

To top it all off, the waiter was wearing dirty, worn-out sneakers and carried himself with an air of superiority—trying to present a refined image while failing on every front. It felt like the entire place was more about playing a part than actually offering real hospitality. The hypocrisy and theatre were unmistakable.

We won’t be returning, and I suggest you don’t go in the first place. Style over substance, and...

I finally decided to come to this restaurant. I've heard various reviews. But they usually boiled down to the fact that the pasta is tasteless, but the pizza is worth ordering. Yesterday , the three of us came, ordered 3 appetizers and 3 pizzas. Here are our impressions:

As soon as we entered, I was hit by some kind of stench, heavy air saturated with food smells. It's hot, stuffy, you're soaked in food odors.

Now about the food:

Octopus in nduja sauce. (1 out of 5) Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding octopus, mostly it was just a huge amount of spicy red sauce. In principle, anything could be put there: chicken, fish, mushrooms, shoe sole - it doesn't matter; since the sauce is so spicy and strong in taste, it dominates the whole dish.

Burrata & tomato tartar. (4 out of 5) Standard taste, nothing special.

Carne Cruda (4 out of 5) Really pleasant taste, but again nothing special.

Parma Pizza (2 out of 5). Too much greasy liquid topping on an unusually thin crust - uninspiring!

Bresaola (3 out of 5) Nothing outstanding topping on a very thin soggy crust.

Funghi (0 out of 5). This pizza particularly shocked me: cheap mushrooms in creme fresh generously poured with oil with a truffle flavor. Ugh………

I would like to say a few words about the pizzas: it's the thinnest pizza I've ever eaten. Nowhere in Italy have I ever encountered such thin pizza. More precisely, it's thin in the middle, more like a crêpe ; with very thick fluffy edges. And if you consider the very greasy topping on this crêpe , then overall the taste is unpleasant.

Also, I wanted to note that one of our pizzas was gluten-free. I didn't like the dough, my rating is 3 out of 5.

So, my conclusion is: I will never go...

When we visited Luleå, we searched for a nice place for lunch and found this cozy pizzeria, Taverna Gusto. The location is perfect—just by the park and at the end of the main pedestrian street—making it both easy to find and relaxing to visit.

We enjoyed a delicious selection of dishes including rainbow trout, pizzas, and a tender beef steak. Everything was beautifully presented and full of flavor. After lunch, we treated ourselves to a delightful mix of ice cream and espresso, which was the perfect ending to our meal.

What made the experience even better was the warm and friendly service. The waiter was incredibly kind, and we—along with our daughters—really appreciated the pleasant small talk and hospitality. Unfortunately, we didn't ask for his name to recommend him :-)

We wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant and will make sure to visit every time we are...