The spatial distribution of gourmet restaurants

ABSTRACT Restaurants provide arenas for tourists and locals to experience local food and gastronomy. However, the distribution of high-end restaurants is uneven, and a question is thus what characterizes the places where gourmet restaurants establish. The purpose of this article is to analyze the spatial distribution of gourmet restaurants in Sweden by identifying characteristics of places that attract gourmet restaurants. Innovation diffusion is used to explain the recent development of gourmet restaurants’ geographical distribution. Empirically, the paper presents a geographical information system (GIS)-based analysis of the locations of gourmet restaurants in Sweden that were listed in the restaurant guide White Guide (whiteguide.se) during the period 2005–2016. Descriptive statistical methods are used to analyze the spatial distribution of gourmet restaurants in relation to a range of socioeconomic variables representing place characteristics. Results show that restaurants are increasingly found all over the country, although urban areas and tourism destinations dominate in growth. Furthermore, the presence of food processing industries coincides with gourmet restaurants’ geography. The conclusion that there is a relationship between food processing companies and gourmet restaurants suggests a need for further research on restaurants’ use of local food products and consequences this has on local and regional development.