Must-see restaurants in Sweden

  • Ekstedt

    Stockholm

    Dining here is as much an experience as a meal. Chef Niklas Ekstedt's education in French and Italian cooking informs his approach to traditional…

  • Thörnströms Kök

    Gothenburg

    Classic technique, flawless presentation and a creative approach to local, seasonal ingredients helped chef Håkan earn his Michelin star. Hidden away in a…

  • Rutabaga

    Stockholm

    At Rutabaga, celebrity chef Mathias Dahlgren pushes vegetarian cuisine into the realm of art: the menu features vividly colourful salads and other unusual…

  • Kryp In

    Gamla Stan

    Small but perfectly formed, this spot wows diners with creative takes on traditional Swedish dishes. Expect the likes of salmon carpaccio, Kalix roe,…

  • Jay Fu's

    Uppsala

    Fusion doesn't always work, but while some of the combinations here sound mildly indigestible – like mac and cheese with grilled lobster, truffles and bok…

  • Icehotel Restaurant

    Lappland

    Locally sourced ingredients, international twists and beautiful plating make for a culinary trifecta at the Icehotel's dining room and cocktail bar…

  • Hermans Trädgårdscafé

    Södermalm

    This justifiably popular vegetarian buffet is one of the nicest places to dine in Stockholm, with a glassed-in porch and outdoor seating on a terrace…

  • Café Pascal

    Vasastan

    Roughly hewn walls, lush foliage and rotating exhibitions of contemporary art and photography set the scene at this award-winning cafe. Food options are…

  • Rosendals Trädgårdskafe

    Djurgården & Skeppsholmen

    Set among the greenhouses of a pretty botanical garden, Rosendals is an idyllic spot for heavenly pastries and coffee or a meal and a glass of organic…

  • Camp Ripan Restaurang

    Kiruna

    It might be located at the local campground, but this popular restaurant is a smart, contemporary affair. Lunch options are limited and often husmanskost …

  • Woodstockholm

    Södermalm

    Reservations are essential at this hip yet welcoming hotspot. The menu's theme changes every seven weeks or so, with a focus that ranges from specific…

  • Finnhamns Café & Krog

    Stockholm Archipelago

    The kitchen and service at Finnhamns Krog, steps away from the ferry dock, are top notch: classy yet comfortable, and capable of transforming seafood into…

  • Magasinet Härön

    Bohuslän

    Within a stone’s throw of the sea in an 1847 fisherman’s magasinet (depot), this seafood star is located…

  • Bolaget

    Visby

    Take a defunct Systembolaget (state-owned alcohol shop), chip the ‘System’ off the signage, and reinvent the space as a buzzing, French bistro–inspired…

  • Salt & Sill

    Bohuslän

    Waterside Salt & Sill, attached to a floating boutique hotel, is one of the best seafood restaurants in the region (which is saying something), with an…

  • Albert Hotell

    Southwestern Sweden

    This marvellous restaurant-hotel combo is based in a splendid 19th-century wooden villa. Superb, modish Nordic dishes might include steak with bone marrow…

  • Kafe de Luxe

    Småland

    An urban-boho vibe, great music (live at weekends) and '50s- to '60s-style decor, including an adjacent candy-coloured ice-cream parlour, contribute to…

  • Grands Verandan

    Stockholm

    Head here, inside the Grand Hôtel, for the famous smörgåsbord – especially during the Christmas holidays, when it becomes even more elaborate …

  • Koksbaren

    The Bothnian Coast

    One of the best spots to dine in town, light-filled, contemporary Koksbaren puts sophisticated spins on quality produce, much of it regional. Expect…

  • Namu

    Malmö

    Brainchild of Masterchef Sweden winner Jennie Walldén, Namu (meaning 'tree') serves up artfully prepared Korean dishes adapted according to the…

  • Fäviken Magasinet

    Jämtland

    This intimate 16-seat, five-table mountain restaurant has one of Sweden's finest culinary reputations, drawing strictly on seasonal Jämtland produce and…

  • Havvi i Glen

    Jämtland

    A proud standard-bearer for the Slow Food Sápmi movement, Havvi i Glen initiates you into the richness of mountain Sami cuisine, with game, mushrooms and…

  • Skanörs Fiskrögeri

    Skåne

    By the harbour, this marine-chic restaurant is a must for seafood lovers, as its harbourside location and white smokehouse chimneys attest. The fish soup…

  • Arjeplog Vilt & Kafé

    Lappland

    Just over from the museum, this place has it all, from snacks to dried salmon, reindeer pelts, sausages and souvenirs for sale. Don't miss the special…

  • Güntherska

    Uppsala

    An 1870 grande dame of a cafe that enjoys an exemplary position with terraced seating across from the river, and an elegant interior with regency-style…

  • Matildas

    The Bothnian Coast

    The menu at this small, stylish bistro is short, sweet and seasonal, with a real depth of flavour to the dishes, wonderful attention to presentation and a…

  • Vin & Skafferi Hus 13

    Southwestern Sweden

    Next door to the fortress hostel, this friendly wine bar and restaurant dishes up great lunches for 165kr (freshly fried mackerel, meatballs), with more…

  • Innefickan Restaurang & Bar

    Östersund

    With a cosy cellar ambience – all exposed brick and contemporary art pieces – Innefickan packs a great deal of creativity into its succinct menu. Try the…

  • St Jakobs Stenugnsbageri

    Lund

    Mouth-watering is the only way to describe the selection of stone-baked breads, knotted cardamom rolls, melt-in-your-mouth coconut-lemon towers and crisp…

  • Surfers

    Visby

    Not your normal Chinese restaurant abroad, the speciality here is Szechuan finger food designed to share and ranging from Chinese dumplings to traditional…

  • Pescadores

    Småland

    A family-run fish restaurant located in one of the quirky brick buildings that once belonged to the match-making empire. The father and son owners were…

  • Krakas Krog

    Gotland

    The owners of Krakas Krog make a point of sourcing their ingredients from Gotland’s fields, woods and sea, including frogs’ legs direct from the garden…

  • Johan P

    Malmö

    Old-timer Johan P continues to enthral diners with its fresh-off-the-boat seafood. Choose your fishy favourite from the market-style counter out back or…

  • Tällbergsgårdens Hotell

    Lake Siljan

    Celebrating its 100th birthday in 2018, this luxe hotel restaurant offers locavore haute-Swedish dining of an evening, decadent Saturday afternoon teas…

  • Lörruden

    The Bothnian Coast

    Lörruden's restaurant sits amid red fishing cottages right by the water and has a devoted following of Sundsvall customers due to the chefs' passion for…

  • Brygghuset

    Bohuslän

    Across the estuary from the Fiskebäckskil ferry terminal, this celebrated waterfront restaurant is lauded for its superb fish dishes that taste so fresh…

  • Frank

    Central Sweden

    A glance at Frank's place on the web will give you a sense of what to expect at this edgy bistro which is turning heads from Västerås to Stockholm. Here,…

  • Strandstugan

    Central Sweden

    Down by the lake is this delightful wooden cottage, set in a flower-filled garden, where you can get coffee, sandwiches, quiches, desserts and other home…

  • Två Fiskare

    The Bothnian Coast

    This white-tiled place takes Nordic fish very seriously indeed. Not only does it sell it fresh, it also prepares a handful of exquisite seafood and fish…

  • Nya Skafferiet

    Southern Sweden

    Worldly Mediterranean cafe right behind the main square. There is a superb lunch buffet, as well as a well-stocked deli offering a bounty of cheeses,…

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