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Kvartersbion
Stockholm's Cinema Paradiso, this quaint retro gem is run by just one man. He sells the tickets, works the projector and changes the reels. The limited programme focuses on new-release art house. Adjacent café Copacabana (669 29 39) is a favourite haunt for writers seeking their muse... or at least hot chocolate spiked with chilli and orange.
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Lady Patricia
Half-price seafood, nonstop Schlager music and decks packed with sexy Swedes and drag queens make this former royal yacht a gay Sunday night ritual. Kick off at the legendary restaurant (book a month in advance), then head to the upper dancefloor where lager-happy punters sing along to Swedish Eurovision entries with a bemusing lack of irony.
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Laroy
This Stureplan 'it kid' draws the young and the beautiful for self-conscious cocktail sessions. Start off the night with French-fusion food in the restaurant, before trying your luck at charming the catwalk-worthy crowd. Tip: contact the venue five days ahead to get your name on the door.
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Lino
Lino is Stockholm's hottest gay party spot, packing a glitzy punch with its four bars, three dancefloors and mingle-friendly outdoor terrace for alfresco flirting. Disc-spinning talent includes schlager master Edward af Sillén and club head honcho DJ Bernhard.
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M/S Gerda Bar
While the nosh at neighbouring Kungsholmen wins hands down, this sassy floating bar is a fine place to sip daiquiris and catch a summer breeze. Playground of professional types (some of whom arrive by private boats), it's also a good place to snag yourself a cashed-up Swedish plaything.
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Mälarpaviljongen
When the sun comes out to play, few places beat this alfresco lakeside resto-bar for some Nordic dolce vita . Mixed during the day and mostly gay at night, it features bistro-style grub, a cosy glassed-in gazebo over the water and a darn good raspberry fudge cocktail. Call ahead for opening times, which are affected by the weather.
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Mandus
Gay-friendly Mandus is tiny, wildly decorated and disarmingly affable. Best of all, it also serves top-notch grub at midrange prices, which means more money to drink with.
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Marie Laveau
Housed in a former sausage factory, this kicking Söder playpen draws boho-chic hedonists who like to party till (relatively) late. While the grunge-chic bar and restaurant serves killer cocktails and fusion food, the sweaty downstairs club keeps punters grinding to live bands or hot name DJs from Stockholm to Noo Yoik.
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Moderna Dansteatern
If you like your moves sharp, abstract and boldly post-modern, head straight to this hothouse of experimental dance. Set in an ex-torpedo-making factory, the little theatre is one Stockholm's best bets for edgy new work from choreographers such as Satoshi Kudo, Susanne Jaresand and Anna Källblad.
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Mosebacke Etablissement
This multifunction party palace is a thumping institution. August Strindberg once hung out here, the lofty terrace is a summer-night must, and the club nights are among the city's best - don't miss veteran Friday favourite Blacknuss, with its gospel/soul/R&B tunes. Theatre and cabaret also make the occasional splash, while regular live-music jams span from Aussie rock to Nordic indie pop.
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Musslan
If you like a little French hip hop with your mussels, this tiny dark den is for you. One of Stockholm's best spots for seafood (try a bowl of whelks from Brittany), it's also a good bet for lounging to DJ-spun indie pop, deep house and reggae under the stars (they're painted on the ceiling).
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Nada
Forget Raymond. Everybody loves Nada. With its soft orange glow, mini chandelier and decadent black-toned back bar, this cosy establishment pulls Söder's 20/30-something party people. Nightly, DJs play everything from alternative pop to '80s retro while the Raspberry Sour is the undisputed hit at the bar.
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Nalen
First a dancehall, then a church, plush-looking Nalen is back to its old tricks, pumping out infectious live gigs from jazz and indie soul to sing-song synths. There are three halls, open when bands are playing, so scan the website for upcoming gigs. The downstairs bar is tiny and crowded.
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Nox
Stockholm's style council can't get enough of the designer back terrace here, with its soft mood lighting, snug poufs and chi-chi wooden decking. Inside, sexy black leather lounges, a luminous green bar (try a frozen champagne daiquiri), and smooth DJ sessions Thu to Sat keep the party people purring.
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Nybrokajen 11
The former home of the Royal Academy of Music now accommodates the Rikskonserter (Swedish Concert Institute). The graceful main hall boasts killer acoustics and hosts mostly local and international chamber music. The smaller adjoining Stallet, a converted stable, is home to Swedish folk and world music.
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O-Baren
This bar deep inside Sturehof restaurant is a popular late-night, last-call stop; it's less manic at other times, and a cool pseudo-grunge place to hang out. The white-tiled standing-room-only bar at the front of Sturehof is a popular after-work rendezvous and the perfect place to flaunt those new House of Dagmar threads.
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Olssons
While the retro neon signage, dark tinted mirrors, dancing pole and cucumber cocktail might allude to a kinky disposition, this Vasastaden favourite was actually once a shoe shop. The 'video' refers to the Studio 54-style films projected onto a screen, which is easily upstaged by the hip young crowd, super cool tunes (from retro to electro) and mighty red mojitos. Head in before or prepare to queue.
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Pet Sounds Bar
While the restaurant does decent Italo-French dishes, the real fun happens downstairs in the glam-grunge basement. Perpetually packed with indie die-hards, SoFo fashionistas and the odd Goth rocker, expect a mixed bag of live bands, release parties and kick-ass weekend DJs.
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Riche
While both bars here are hugely popular, the smaller Lilla Riche is the current choice of Östermalm's hip parade. Buffed bartenders mix the drinks, skilled DJs mix the music and a tightly packed crowd of media types and celebrities flirt, flaunt and step on each other's manicured toes. The adjoining Riche restaurant is one of Stockholm's best for Swedish-Mediterranean cuisine.
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Rival
You'll find this sleek Art Deco number, complete with swish circular bar, inside designer hotel the Rival (co-owned by Abba's Benny Andersson). While not Söder's top choice for atmospheric toasting, its architectural prowess merits a quick trip.
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Scandic Anglais
The successful re-launch of Scandic Anglais hotel in 2006 has added another swank hotel bar to the scene. A quick hop north of Stureplan, the place is the current 'it' spot for after-work drinks.
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Södra Teatern
If it's fiery flamenco, gypsy wedding tunes or Muslim stand-up comedy from London you're after, chances are you'll find it at this cultural hothouse, complete with lush La Scala-style theatre. Check the website for upcoming events, which range from live world music to erudite debates and the monthly exotica of club night Re:Orient.
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Solidaritet
If you're into house tunes, here's your new hangout. Some of the scene's biggest names have manned the decks here, from Sweden's Stonebridge, Sebastian Ingrosso, Axwell and Steve Angello to imports like Amsterdam's DJ Santito of Sorobon party fame. The queues are long and the bouncers are picky. Good luck.
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Spy Bar
The former ice-queen of the club scene has re-invented itself. Gone are the reality-TV brats and stuck-up staff, and in their place is a mock-baroque look and chilled-out combo of media types and indie fashionistas for whom well-mixed drinks and smooth electro tunes matter more than Prada mules and sports cars. It's not as cool as it used to be, and that's a good thing.
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Stampen
This one-time pawn shop is better known as one of Stockholm's legendary music clubs, swinging to live blues and jazz every night. Past guests have included Swedish jazz great Monica Zetterlund, Woody Allen, and American blues legend Tino Gonzales, who rocked up unannounced one day, stepped up on stage and got grooving at Stampen's free Saturday Blues Jam ( to Saturday).
