Must-see restaurants in Stockholm

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Grands Verandan

    Stockholm

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

  • Flying Elk

    Gamla Stan

    Not your average pub – Michelin-starred chef Björn Frantzén has added contemporary vigour and polish to the traditional pub experience. The menu is all…

  • La Neta

    Stockholm

    Competition for the title of 'Stockholm's Best Taqueria' is not fierce, but La Neta wins hands down. Fast-food pseudo-Mexican eateries are all over town,…

  • Meatballs for the People

    Södermalm

    All hail the mighty meatball, the expected star turn at this neighbourhood favourite serving a variety of meatballs daily, from moose and deer, to wild…

  • Outside view of Hälsöcafet facade

    Mahalo

    Södermalm

    Fresh, colourful Mahalo celebrates all things vegan with a short, scrumptious selection of ecofriendly dishes. Top choices include the Buddha bowl, a…

  • Bakfickan

    Stockholm

    The small, casual ‘hip pocket’ of Operakällaren, this comfy restaurant is crammed with opera photographs and deco lampshades. Dexterous old-school waiters…

  • Wienercafeet

    Wiener Caféet

    Stockholm

    Step into the lavish art-deco interior here and you are transported to the grand cafes of Vienna and Paris. Pastry chef Per Bäckström has ensured that…

  • Den Gyldene Freden

    Gamla Stan

    Open since 1722, this venerable barrel-vaulted restaurant is run by the Swedish Academy, where (rumour has it) its members meet to decide the winners of…

  • Blå Dörren

    Södermalm

    A stone’s throw from Gamla Stan, Blå Dörren (The Blue Door) occupies the site of a 17th-century pub. Vaulted ceilings and warm timber panelling set an…

  • Fem Små Hus

    Gamla Stan

    Fem Små Hus offers the perfect combination of authentic historical setting with traditional cuisine, just a short walk from the Royal Palace in the heart…

  • Chutney

    Södermalm

    Sitting among a string of three inviting cafes along this block, Chutney is one of Stockholm’s many well-established vegetarian restaurants, offering…

  • Detail of mural at Sturehof.

    Sturehof

    Stockholm

    Superb for late-night sipping and supping, this convivial brasserie sparkles with gracious staff, celebrity regulars and fabulous seafood-centric dishes …

  • Eriks Gondolen

    Södermalm

    Perched above Slussen atop the antique lift Katarinahissen, this place is known for top-notch Swedish food, refined service, perfect cocktails and endless…

  • Lisa Elmqvist

    Stockholm

    Lisa Elmqvist is somewhat of an institution in Stockholm, famed for its fresh, gorgeous seafood dishes. Classics include shrimp sandwiches and a gravadlax…

  • Söders Hjärta

    Södermalm

    The quintessential Swedish kvarterskrog (neighbourhood tavern), humble, old-school Söders Hjärta has no shortage of VIP fans: Abba reputedly headed here…

  • Matbaren

    Stockholm

    One of celebrity chef Mathias Dahlgren's restaurants at the Grand Hôtel (the other is Rutabaga), the bistro-style Matbaren (‘Food Bar’) boasts a Michelin…

  • Babette

    Vasastan

    A white-neon rooster welcomes you to Babette, a friendly, compact, boisterous bistro with lipstick-red banquettes, curbside tables and a tiny open kitchen…

  • Hantverket

    Stockholm

    Green velvet curtains and suspended terracotta planters set a theatrical scene at this slinky, spacious bistro-bar. While the lunch menu includes a good…

  • Östermalms Saluhall

    Stockholm

    Östermalms Saluhall is a gourmet food hall that inhabits a delightful many-spired brick building. It's a sophisticated take on the traditional market,…

  • The Market

    Stockholm

    Located inside the Scandic Continental hotel, minimalist, light-filled The Market is notable for its expansive buffet breakfast and focus on sustainable,…

  • Tranan

    Vasastan

    Locals pack this former beer hall, now a comfy but classy neighbourhood bistro with a seafood-heavy menu and chequered tablecloths. The food combines…

  • Tennstopet

    Vasastan

    Had there been a Swedish version of Cheers, it would’ve been filmed here. Oil paintings, gilded mirrors and winter candlelight set the scene for a…

  • Holy Greens

    Stockholm

    This crisp, friendly cafe serves huge, healthful bowls of greens, grains and superfoods at good prices – try the Laxokado, with baked salmon, black rice,…

  • Bergamott

    Kungsholmen

    The very cool French chefs in this kitchen don’t simply whip up to-die-for French-Italian dishes, they’ll probably deliver them to your table, talk you…

  • Lao Wai

    Vasastan

    Tiny, herbivorous Lao Wai does great things to tofu and vegetables, hence the faithful regulars. Everything here is gluten-free and vegan. A different…

  • Operakällaren

    Stockholm

    Inside Stockholm’s show-off opera house, the century-old Operakällaren is a major gastronomic event. Decadent chandeliers, golden mirrors and exquisitely…

  • Café Saturnus

    Stockholm

    For velvety caffè latte, Gallic-inspired baguettes and perfect pastries, saunter into this casually chic bakery-cafe. Sporting a stunning mosaic floor,…

  • Vassa Eggen

    Stockholm

    Featuring a domed dining room sitting beyond a glassed birch forest, this stylish dining pad is named after Somerset Maugham’s novel The Razor’s Edge…

  • Sturekatten

    Stockholm

    Looking like a life-size doll’s house, this vintage cafe is a fetching blend of antique chairs, oil paintings, ladies who lunch and servers in black-and…

  • Caffé Nero

    Vasastan

    Packed with local hipsters during the busy lunch hour, this stylish but casual neighbourhood cafe serves substantial Italian meals (fish, pasta, salads)…

  • Hötorgshallen

    Stockholm

    Located below Filmstaden cinema, Hötorgshallen is Stockholm at its multicultural best, with stalls selling everything from fresh Nordic seafood to fluffy…

  • Sjätte Tunnan

    Gamla Stan

    Situated in a medieval cellar in the heart of the old town, Sjätte Tunnan offers a glimpse into a forgotten world. Venture deep into the bowels of old…

  • Flippin' Burgers

    Vasastan

    Part of Stockholm's current obsession with burgers, FB has a brief menu (just a few types of burger, fries and shakes) and a perpetual line out the front…

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