Stockholm Restaurants

  1. Abyssinia

    Forget what your mother said and eat with your hands at this down-to-earth gem serving up authentic, award-winning Ethiopian grub in Technicolor mesobs (traditional woven baskets). The multi-flavoured Abyssinia Special is unmissable (carnivorous, vegetarian or vegan option), as is the heavenly Ethiopian coffee - made with a secret recipe you'll never know, no matter how sweetly you ask.

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  2. Allmänna Galleriet 925

    AG925 has all the 'it kid' prerequisites - obscure urban location (ex-silver factory), post-industrial fit-out (concrete floors, white-tiled walls, Tom Dixon lights), hip bar (saggy Chesterfields, competent cocktails) and classic grub with a modern twist (baked wood pigeon with potato and apple hash). Add impeccable service, edgy art shows and a metropolitan vibe and expect a long-term addiction.

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  3. Bakfickan

    Set in the opera house and appropriately crammed with opera photographs and deco-style lampshades, this buzzing counter restaurant is famed for its savvy old-school waiters and top-notch husmanskost ; Bakfickan shares a kitchen with super-swank Operakällaren. A great place for solo supping, it's best late at night, when you're bound to stumble across a bitching soprano.

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  4. Bergamott

    The three very cool French chefs in the kitchen don't simply whip up to-die-for French-Italian dishes, they'll probably deliver them to your table, talk you through the produce and guide you through the wine list. It's never short of a convivial crowd, so it's best to book, especially when jazz musicians drop in for a soulful evening jam.

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  5. Bistro Ruby & Grill Ruby

    Looking trés Française with its rich red walls and art-salon look, Bistro Ruby boasts Gallic-inspired dishes and a grown-up bar for civilised conversation. Next door, low-key Grill Ruby kicks back with tasty Tex-Mex grub, Big Mama Thornton on the stereo and big American brunches on Saturdays from .

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  7. Blå Porten Café

    A good bet for lunch, Blå Porten is best on a sunny day when you can linger in the romantic garden courtyard. Sunshine or not, the gluttonous table of fresh cakes and pastries is a constant, happy test of your self control. Thankfully, many of Djurgården's museums are within rolling distance.

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  8. Café Art

    This dark, atmospheric, barrel-vaulted cellar cranks up the cosy factor with its candle-lit tables, snug dark nooks and art-slung walls. A perfect spot for fika (coffee and cake), it also makes a mean salami and brie baguette.

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  9. Café Lillavi

    Set in sidewalk kiosk, this cute-as-a-button café is run by two chatty friends, Therece and Victoria, and Victoria's dad, Mats. Choose a table (there are two), sit on a sheepskin chair and tackle Victoria's aunt's devilish chocolate cake. Of course, the virtuous can always opt for the organic Thai pie served with homemade mash and red-wine sauce.

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  10. Café Saturnus

    Everyone from yummy-mummies to peckish princesses flock here for Gallic-inspired baguettes, pastries and creamy café au lait . While Saturnus' claim that it was the first to introduce Stockholm to 'proper' coffee is hotly contested, there's little doubt that its kanelbullar (cinnamon bun) is the city's biggest... and dare we say its best.

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  11. Caffé Nero

    Delectable Italian waiters and a brutally chic concrete interior give Caffé Nero the thumbs up with Vasastaden hipsters. They all flock here for mighty caffé, grappa shots, Italian home-cooking (the veal meatballs are sublime) and a creamy tiramisu that's worth the damage.

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  13. Chaikhana

    Haughtily tucked away from the camera-toting hordes, this cosy tea salon is a hit with discerning locals. Join them for afternoon sessions of tea-sipping, pastry-nibbling and oh-so-subtle eavesdropping. If the strawberry and champagne mousse is on the menu, look no further.

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  14. Chutney

    Left-leaning, boho-inclined Chutney feeds the arty masses on inspired vegetarian and vegan creations like potato pancakes, coconut stews and rich mushroom ravioli. Good value is the around Sk85 lunch menu ( to daily), with its generous helpings, free second servings and divine homemade breads. Wash it all down with a glass of organic red.

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  15. Crêperie Fyra Knop

    This Söder stalwart serves up perfect crêpes in an intimate dive with a hint of shanty-town chic - think reggae tunes and old tin billboards for Stella Artois. Give in to the Grand Marnier, orange marmalade and dark chocolate combo and watch yourself lick that plate clean.

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  16. Den Gyldene Freden

    Simmering and stirring since 1722, this venerable barrel-vaulted restaurant is run by the Swedish Academy, where (rumour has it) its members meet to decide who will win the Nobel prize. Personally, we think it should go to the chefs, whose sublime offerings include civilised husmanskost (traditional Swedish fare) such as smoked salmon with avocado crème, figs and raisin dressing. Book ahead and dress to impress.

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  17. East

    It was East that snapped Stockholm out of its lemon-chicken fixation. Years on, this eternally hip resto-bar still pulls in the punters for perfect Asian grub in Scandi-Jap surrounds. While the bar skills are patchy, the chefs, DJs and swimming piranhas will keep you snapping those chopsticks happily.

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  19. Elverket

    Best for a lazy weekend brunch, slick and cosy Elverket sits in an old electricity plant, alongside Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern's more experimental stage. Here, a mix of Capote-styled intellectuals, gossipy girlfriends and designer dads nurse hangovers over Scandi staples, Asian extras and sinfully good chocolate brownies.

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  20. Esperanto

    Hailed as the new Bon Lloc (a now-defunct restaurant renowned for its avant-garde cooking), award-winning Esperanto offers a five- or seven-course menu only. While the servings are notoriously petite, creations like duck challandaise with blood orange curd and breadcréme served with liquorice and tangerine will leave you gratified. A culinary event, book weeks in advance.

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  21. Fredsgatan 12

    Chef Melker Andersson's award-winning baby, Fredsgatan 12 (F12) is another culinary adventure - think cauliflower 'cornet' with white chocolate, salicon and caviar, veal tenderloin with lobster and tarragon, and pear fudge with ginger and cardamom. It's all served in one of the city's slinkiest dining spaces, so book ahead. Alternatively, settle for rare Danish beers at the bar or summertime mojitos on the hugely popular terrasen (terrace).

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  22. Grands Veranda

    Located inside the venerable Grand Hôtel, the smörgåsbord here is Stockholm's best. Get in early for a window seat and feast away on old-school favourites like gravad lax with a moreish mustard sauce. A new dining hotspot was scheduled to open at the hotel in May 2007, designed by Britain's Ilse Crawford and headed by Bocuse d'Or-winning chef Mathias Dahlgren.

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  23. Haga Restaurang & Delikatesser

    Deli-style wall tiles, flickering candlelight and a smattering of old Italian film posters set the tone for classic Italian favourites with a naughty Nordic twist. While the pizzas are fine, consider yourself blessed if the stuffed squid is on the menu.

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  25. Hälsingborg

    This affordable gourmet gem divides its menus into three categories: sea, farm and forest. The well-executed offerings may include wild boar or pickled kohlrabi, and guests can expect to find their own personalised hand towel in the bathroom. Book ahead.

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  26. Halv Grek Plus Turk

    Majolica tiles and mosque-inspired lighting accompany the moreish meze at this cosy Stockholm staple. Three meze dishes per person should suffice, with must-tries including basil-fried halloumi cheese with walnut and plum chutney, honey and fennel blackened chicken wings, and sesame-glazed star anise and cinnamon brazed red pork.

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  27. Hattori Sushi Devil

    Busier than a Shinjuku subway stop, this slick little sushi bar rolls out sushi so good it could make a sumo wrestler weep. The complimentary miso soup is top-notch, the fish is filthy-fresh and the artful nigiri is well worth the lunchtime queues.

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  28. Hermans Trädgårdscafé

    The cakes aren't always brilliant, but the vegetarian buffets here are unvaryingly fab. Get your aura glowing with soul-satisfying lasagne, stuffed vine leaves, crunchy potato wedges and Moroccan-inspired salads served in the barrel-vaulted basement or on the swoon-worthy summer terrace, complete with sea and city views.

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  29. Hermitage

    All hail herbivorous Hermitage, famed for its cosy laid-back vibe and soulful veggie fare. Everyone from Stockholm students to frazzled tourists come here for global flavours like spicy Moroccan stews and creamy cottage cheese pancakes. Indecisive types can opt for a bit of everything, served high and mighty on a gut-filling plate.

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