You gasp for air, sweaty and tired with the chorus of “Stad i ljus” still echoing in your head. You stumble down the many cobblestone streets of Lund, in search of something, something that you have been looking forward to the whole night, something to… eat. But, which place should you choose? Fear not, here comes the list that you have been looking for. I have been researching this topic this past semester and now it is time to present my findings. 

First up on my list is a place that resonates with a quote from Blade Runner 2049: “You look lonely, I can fix that” – Sesam. Why, you ask? Well, Sesam is just a nice place. The staff are friendly, the food is great and there is plenty of seating. Sesam usually gets very chaotic and packed, but not in a bad way. Its strategic location, nearly adjacent to Göterborgs nation, adds to its allure. In addition to this, they also have very impressive opening hours, extending until 4 a.m Wednesday to Saturday. Coincidence? No. Smart? Yes. Customer oriented? Absolutely. 

Although I really like Sesam, it saddens me to say that they probably serve the worst falafel in town. It bears a striking resemblance to the flatbread rolls your mom lovingly packed in your lunchbox for childhood excursions when you were 7. While nostalgia has its place, this particular flavor journey is one I could live without. But, their wide range of alternatives definitely makes up for this. Their different types of boxes seems to be the fan favorite, and I agree. Sesam also has some sort of table service, which is a bit unorthodox, but undoubtedly deserves a shout out. 

Botulfs falafel, Botan, the glass cage – a place with many names. Personally, I fondly refer to it as “bajsbotulfs”, paying homage to its once-functional toilet that still haunts my dreams. Stepping into the glass box requires strategic elbow sharpening, as it’s invariably crowded. After maneuvering through the line of fatigued and hungry students, you’re met with a thunderous “NEEEXXXTT”. Ordering comes with mixed feelings, anticipating that the falafel might not live up to expectations, especially with their new onion mix that they for some reason have chosen to include? However, a revelation struck me last week, rivaling Isaac Newton’s famous apple incident: their chicken box is phenomenal. This newfound information cast a different light on Botulfs, revolutionizing my view of the place for life. 

But let’s move beyond the food. In your hungry state, one crucial factor reigns supreme: speed, and Botulfs excels in this department. They boast an impressively fast order-to-serve rate, typically under 5 minutes. Moreover, their extensive opening hours deserve an applause, staying open until 2 a.m on weekdays and 4 a.m on weekends. Opening hours that are unmatched in Lund. I must also mention their extremely loud and varying music that gets blasted from the speakers. This might be controversial, I find it appealing. It’s as if you never left the club, and, if nothing else, it prevents you from dozing off in their comfortable red booths.

Next up, the hole in the wall that serves cylinder shaped love – Lundafalafel. It is usually ranked at the top of the list when ranking Lunds wide variety of falafel-spots. I personally am of the belief that their falafel is unmatched, rightfully claiming the number one spot. The crispy bread, wrapped around the perfect blend of falafel, greens and sauce, makes for an extremely culinary food experience. Also, they serve the biggest falafel in Lund, offering the option to indulge in an XL-sized falafel. This shows innovation and initiative from Lundafalafel, trying their best to gain an edge in the falafel-stacked landscape that is Lund. 

But, where Lundafalafel excels in taste, it falters in seating space .The total lack of seating, except for a few benches that for some reason has been removed, constitutes a significant drawback. Dining outside, especially during colder days, can be quite chilly. While their opening hours are commendable – open until 4 a.m on Fridays and Saturdays – students easily find themselves craving food on every night of the week. If that is the case, Lundafalafel probably can’t cater to your needs as it shuts its doors at 22 p.m. I would like to end this review with an ridiculous anecdote of a interaction that I overheard of a customer ordering falafel at Lundafalafel:

Customer: One falafel please.

Worker: what sauce would you want? 

Customer: I don’t know, no sauce. 

Worker: What do you mean, no sauce? You have to pick a sauce. 

Customer: No. 

Worker: Yes. Garlic?

Customer: Ok.   

This speaks volumes to lundafalafel, always looking out for their customers. Because to be fair, you can’t really eat falafel without sauce. 

Continuing, with the place that probably has the best location for attracting hungry students, Challes. It is located within 50 meters from both Malmös and Lunds nation and consists of a mini-market that also sells freshly baked pizza, a fantastic initiative I must say. So, if you are tired of the usual falafel, Challes is an ideal alternative. Especially during the night, because let’s be honest, their pizza never tastes as good as it does during the night. Beyond pizza, Challes provides an array of snacks – chips, candy, soda – catering to proactive individuals preparing for the day after. 

However, due to the 400 degree pizza ovens’ immense heat, the temperature inside of Challes sometimes gets unbearable. On the one hand, I should be fond of this sauna-like temperature, I am half Finnish afterall. But on the other hand, maybe not after a sweaty night of clubbing. Needless to say, the small bench outside of Challes comes in handy. Worth mentioning are their extended operating hours, ensuring accessibility until 4 a.m. from Thursday to Saturday – a clear reflection of Challes’ resonance with its core customer base, and we are grateful. 

Now, let’s delve into… Burger King? In Lund? Indeed, it exists, nestled at the red square near the train station. Where I´m from, where falafel is wrapped in pizza dough-made bread and is sold at ridiculous prices, our choice of night time nourishment is usually fast food. You know, burgers, fries, nuggets and all that good stuff. Therefore, it only feels right to include Burger King in my list. For me, Burger King sparks a hint of nostalgia, earning them commendation in that regard. Furthermore, their opening hours nearly rival Botulfs’. They stay open until 2 a.m on Wednesdays and Thursdays and extend their hours until 4 a.m on Fridays and Saturdays, with all other days concluding at midnight. 

Sadly, this is where my praise will end. To be fair, this might stem from a personal bias, but Burger King has never quite matched up to the standards set by other fast-food chains in Sweden. I have found this review from google that I believe describes Burger King fairly well: 

“What the actual fak in burger land is this ?
Quality of the food is dropping so much !
Never buying from this place again

The atmosphere look like homeless shelter food service more than a restaurant

And the plastic drink cup looks like you serving to your kids .
And where the ice? Absolutely zero quality”

Needless to say that Kanye’s new line, “Okey, you the king, Burger King”, is yet another absurd statement from that man. 

Last one of the list, Palmyra. Situated at Mårtenstorget right alongside Ericssons, marking an ideal spot for a pizza joint. Palmyra doesn’t particularly stand out, neither in a bad nor a remarkable way. Their food is good, but it doesn’t reach the heights of greatness. I’d recommend a visit if you’re craving pizza; they do a pretty commendable job, in my opinion even better than Challes. From my experiences, Palmyra doesn’t tend to be overwhelmingly crowded, making it a great alternative if you prefer a more serene setting to enjoy your meal at their tables. One distinctive feature that sets Palmyra apart is their decision to stay open until 5 a.m on Fridays and Saturdays. While I haven’t personally been there that late, Google indicates that this should indeed be the case. So, if you find yourself in the mood for a very late or early pizza, Palmyra is the place for you. 

Additionally, one question lingered in my head when I ate at Palmyra for the first time: why choose Palmyra? I needed answers so I posed the question to a random yet friendly customer, and the response I received was: “To avoid the line at Sesam”. Suddenly, it all made perfect sense to me, and I believe it’s a brilliant way to articulate why Palmyra holds a significant place in the culinary landscape of Lund.

In conclusion, this list is based on my personal experiences and opinions. I would like to give a huge shoutout to all the beautiful people that work long nights to feed us hungry students, we would truly be doomed without you. Afterall, it is not that deep. Where and what you choose to eat doesn’t have that much of an importance. The most important thing is that you eat something in order to prepare for the day after and settle your food cravings.