About Ida´s
Staff
We employ 40 people during peak season (summer & Christmas), 30 of them work in either the kitchen or restaurant, whilst the rest are responsible for everything else, such as outside lighting, general upkeep and flowers.
During low season we employ 5 chefs and 4 members of waiting staff. If we have a function or are particularly busy, then we can call in some of our extra staff.
The restaurant & Interior
Ida’s Brygga has 110 seats, which are divided into 2 sections; the original part of the restaurant and the new part which has large windows (60 + 50). Ida’s Brygga is allowed to accommodate 200 people.
The entrance to the restaurant is in the original part of the building. It was here where everything started.
It didn’t take long before the restaurant became too small, as Ida’s reputation for good food grew.
There are a lot of wooden features inside Ida’s Brygga with beams, posts & panelling. A large window lets in light and gives a wonderful view of Gota Canal. The bar and toilets can be found in this part of the restaurant.
We have built a new outside seating area which has space for around 70 people.
The story of Ida
Ida’s Brygga, situated beside the canal was a well known name 100 years ago amongst seafarers and the local population.
Outside Ida’s Brygga where the car park is today lived Ida Andersson in a small cottage. In this red cottage Ida ran everything from the harbour office to a shoe shop! That’s how she got the name “shoe Ida”.
Ida employed two women to help her. She also had a male acquaintance that lived on the floor above. It’s been said that these two women were Ida’s sisters. We believe that they came from Harge by Northern Vettern.
Ida was a single mother, which wasn’t the easiest of things back in those days. It’s no wonder that everyone has such respect for this inspirational lady.
Ida was one of the three richest people in Karlsborg and she had a heart of gold. She became the most important person along the Canal.
When we read about her, it’s easy to understand why. Whatever you needed, you could go to Ida, whether it was for a chat and a snippet of local gossip or to buy meat or Frecksta butter. People even went to Ida to borrow money or to use her telephone, as Ida was the first person in Karlsborg to have a telephone.
Outside Ida’s cottage facing the canal was a bench. An old man called Skoglund could be found sitting here most days. Despite Skoglund having a wooden leg he always managed to get to where he was going! – Once he’d got up on his bike that is! Skoglund had a lot of interesting tales to tell!
Time passed and Ida’s Brygga became forgotten until we opened the restaurant in 1997. Today the entrepreneur spirit of Ida Andersson lives on in Ann-Louise who owns and runs the restaurant and hotel. Ann-Louise also inspires other women to come up with new business ideas.
So what’s the difference between Ida’s Brygga as it is today and Ida’s Brygga back in Ida Andersson’s time? Well, where the canal storehouse once was we now have our dining room and the blacksmith’s has been transformed into our splendid kitchen!
