This week we crossed the river to Restaurant Piga, one of our longest and most loyal customers. They do good quality, seasonal based Swedish food that has a modern touch to it. Each staff member is an expert in their field, they know what they have and what they do best. Somehow they manage to get it right for you every time. So when you visit Piga, sit back and relax, and let them take care of you. We talk over with Majsan what Piga is all about, our history, their ‘The Day Laborer’ concept, and of course Supporting your locals.
Piga opened in Eriksberg in 2015, a neighbourhood just over the river, only a 2 minute boat ride away from our brewery. Piga means handmaid, they believe in craftsmanship. Their open kitchen is modern yet the place has an old-school, traditional feeling inside where everybody gathers around in the kitchen to spend time together and help each other out.
Majsan has lived in Eriksberg for over ten years and is the wonderful genius behind creating Piga. Her restaurant has played a huge part in bringing the Eriksberg community together. She has been our friend since way back in the good old days at Doppio, a cafe previously run by our two co-founders, Adam and Richard, before the brewery adventure began, or as Majsan said, “I’ve known Beerbliotek since the couple of fools at Doppio thought it would be fun to start a brewery”.
She has had a long career in the beer industry, and as it happens worked with us at the start in Sales, following from working at SABMiller. Majsan and our brewery team created two beers Piga Pilsner and P.IPA, which we still make today as their house beer.
Hi Majsan, it’s very good to see you. To start, what is the concept of Piga?
We’re bringing it back to the old days as we enjoy the craftsmanship of cooking. For us, it’s important that we know everything is made from scratch, with the finest ingredients sourced locally. Each meal made here is created from a lot of care for the food, and the person eating it.
Who creates the menu, and what is the concept?
Håkan, our Head Chef and my partner, and his kitchen team create new menus every six to eight weeks that balances between trend and nostalgia. Our knowledgeable dining team has already done all the preparatory work and thinking for you. They will guide you through your time here, so for anybody who hasn’t been here before, they should let themselves be taken care of when they come here.
Who would you say is your typical customer?
Somebody who enjoys good quality food and wine, who likes to be pampered. We have a lot of regulars as we change our food menu based on the seasons, this concept means a lot of our guests can come back and try something new. However, the pandemic makes that hard as it is a costly way of working.
Can you tell me about ‘The Day Laborer’ option on your food menu?
Back in the day, the day laborer was a person who performed a hard day’s work for a penny then quickly moved on to find the next task. We do the same thing with our food. We’ll make the most out of an ingredient that day until it runs out. So you can ask us about our today’s laborer, and how much they work for.
What Craft Beer do you have stocked in the bar?
We mostly have beerbliotek beer, as we work in a similar way to you; following the seasons, sourcing good quality ingredients and bringing it back to the basics. Of course it is important for us that we have a relationship with a local brewery. We’re all about taking everything from the closest source.
How are you doing during the pandemic?
It has been a hard hit. Our staff were our first priority. Everyone has worked hard to keep going. People are still being kind, everyone in the neighbourhood is helping each other out, and our guests know that we will take care of them. For those who can support us, we will keep you safe.
Want to learn more about Restaurant Piga?
Meet the people behind Restaurant Piga, Håkan, Majsan and Johan, over on their website.
You can read more on Pigas concept here,
You can find their Address, Contact and Opening hours here.