Restaurants & dining – All our local tips

You’re walking down Fleminggatan one afternoon. You think you could really do with a drink, but got no idea where to go. After all, you are not in the most exciting part of town. Fear not. Allmänna Galleriet is just a stone’s throw away at Kronobergsgatan. It is not signposted, so you need to look out for it. This spacious urban venue is a reconstructed printing house that hosts a bar section and a restaurant along with a gallery.

The bar has a fairly good selection of beers and wine and you can eat some light dishes such as oysters, olives or sandwiches. The lounge section with its chesterfield sofas is perfect for an afternoon drink.

The restaurant occupies a separate part of the venue, and offers a Swedish/European style menu of good quality at moderate prices. On Friday nights Allmänna Galleriet is overcrowded and the atmosphere almost a bit boorish. A far better option is to go here on a weeknight.

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Allmänna Galleriet | Art & culture, Bars, Restaurants (Swedish)
Kronobergsgatan 37 | Kungsholmen
Tue 17:00 – 23:00, Wed – Sat 17:00 – 01:00

The bar Babs is sort of hidden away – behind the lobby of cultural movie theatre Zita. Zita doesn’t show the average Hollywood blockbusters but more alternative films that appeal to smaller audiences, like documentaries. And even if you can go to Babs without seeing a movie first, the type of customers is similar.

Babs is quite grown up and relaxed. It’s a place to come and chat with friends or with colleges after work. The music is there, but not important since this is a place for conversation, not party. They do serve food but the atmosphere is more of that in a bar.

The thing that best mirrors the alternative of the movie theatre is the bathroom – you have to take a look! 70’s wall paper, odd pictures on the walls and an old radio playing elevator music.

It’s location is on the street that divides the areas of Östermalm and Norrmalm but since most people walk up here coming from Stureplan on Spotted by locals it belongs to Östermalm.

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Babs Kök & Bar | Bars, Restaurants (Fancier bar food) | Main meal from SEK 194
Birger Jarlsgatan 37 | Östermalm | +468236101
Mon – Tue 17:00 – 00:00, Wed – Sat 17:00 – 01:00, Sun 16:00 – 22:00

What the interior decorators were on when they started designing Bauer is probably something we don’t want to know.

“Should we make it look like a children’s room with big colourful cartoons? Or like a fancy living-room with a lot of white and stucco in the ceiling? Or why not a shed with photos from someone’s holiday? I know, let’s combine all these three ideas! Yeah, great idea!” And therefore, Bauer is a big white room with stucco, colourful cartoons and a wooden panel. In some strange way it actually works.

Bauer is one of the few places that has a big lounge area where you can sit down without having to order food. It’s spacious with a lot of seats to hang out at for a couple of hours.

If you want something to eat with your drink they have a bar menu with some tapas and a few bigger dishes. The tapas are quite small, they are more about taste than being full, according to the waiter. So if you’re hungry make sure you order at least two to three because they do taste really good. Or go for one of the main dishes on the bar menu.

The prices are more on a Stureplan-level than Södermalm-level. Which means that it is quite expensive for being in this part of the city. But the setting is good, the food is good and the people friendly so it is definitely worth a visit.

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Bauer | Bars, Restaurants (Spanish) | Glass of wine SEK 82.00
Götgatan 15 | Södermalm | +4686400820
Mon – Fri 16:00 – 01:00, Sat 13:00 – 01:00, Sun 18:00 – 00:00

I have to be honest. The only reason I went inside Berlin STHLM the first time was because I was going with a few friends to my favourite bar Snotty (see the Snotty article) and it was just too packed. Berlin is just on the other side of the street and we thought “hey, why not try it out?” That turned out to be a lucky move.

Berlin STHLM is tiny (just like Snotty). It works both as a bar and as a restaurant even if there are just a handful of tables where you can sit down. On the menu are a few full dishes but most people just get one or a couple of very cool tapas with their beer. On the menu they are called “gaffelbitar”, meaning fork bites but they are a tad bigger than that and they can definitely fill you up if you order a few. There is also a regular menu with items from 105-145 SEK, like dijon burger, gratinated green muscles or Swedish “lapskojs” (mashed potatoes with some salty meat in it, here it comes with reindeer) served with fried egg and beetroot. They also have some really good beers, wines and cocktails.

One of the owners has worked in Berlin and wanted to create the same kind of mish-mash of people of different style and age hanging out together. He succeeded!

You can not reserve a table and there is no phone number to the restaurant so just drop by.

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Berlin STHLM | Bars, Restaurants (Unique tapas) | Gaffelbit (tapas) SEK 35.00
Skånegatan 71 | Södermalm
17:00 – 01:00 daily

There are not that many places in Stockholm where you feel just as comfortable taking a glass of wine as a cup of coffee. Most places it is either way. Of course you can have a coffee at most places that serve wine, not so much the other way around. Café Tabac is one of the exceptions.

Located in Gamla Stan near Kornhamnstorg it has a great (?) view over Slussen (maybe one of the ugliest places in Stockholm). This is the place you go to for a drink or coffee after work on a weekday. Or maybe a meal with friends.

It’s divided in a café area and a restaurant area. You can have hot meals in the café too, but I would recommend the bruschetta with tomatoes and prawns. Delicious. They also have cakes and cookies if that’s more what you want with your coffee. Or wine or bear.

The food in the restaurant is fairly price worthy. I prefer the pasta before the tapas though. Not that the tapas aren’t good, but they are very small and for that quite expensive.

It can be quite crowded, so if you come on a weekend you might want to make a reservation. But most of the times you would get a table and that’s what so good about this place. You can actually be spontaneous and just drop by.

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Café Tabac | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Spanish) | Glass of wine SEK 45.00
Stora Nygatan 46 | Gamla Stan
Mon – Thu 10:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 00:00

Going to Caliente when it’s getting more and more frio here in Stockholm is a great escape from the real world outside. Sure, it’s beautiful when it’s white and snowy here, but I don’t really like the cold. That’s when I just want to indulge myself in good food to be happy again. Which is what you get at Caliente.

I have been to Spain a few times, but I have to say I almost like the Spanish food at Caliente more than the Spanish food in Spain. The tapas at this restaurant are absolutely delicious. I haven’t tried them all, but I cannot remember that I have had any that I didn’t like. I cannot even pick out any favourites. I like them all and try to taste as many as possible. That’s why I have to keep coming back here. To make sure they all have been tasted.

Usually when I come here with my friends we pick about three different tapas each and a couple of extra depending on how many there are of us. All of them to share in between us. The tables are small so it will be overflowed with food and I cannot help feeling like a child in a candy store. Never knowing which one to start with.

To make it a little more like Spain you can order a jug of Sangria with your food or a nice Rioja wine. No matter what you choose, you won’t leave here disappointed.

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Caliente | Restaurants (Spanish) | Tapas SEK 60.00
Fleminggatan 22 | Kungsholmen | +4686522686
Mon – Fri 17:00 – open end, Sat – Sun 15:00 – open end

After another summer season in Corsica, Campoloro is back to town!

OK, I need to make something straight right away: I love cooking, but the French cuisine isn’t something I would die for! But then, there’s Canpoloro.

Campoloro is a tiny restaurant that serves superb Corsican food for good prices. It is so small that you can actually see the chef preparing your meal in the open kitchen just in front of the main dining room. This proximity between the chef and the customers allows both to frequently engage on conversations about specific dishes. The fact that the person preparing your food is doing it just in front of your eyes in a small space with very friendly waiters creates an overall home feeling with really good food.

Two more things: 1st, don’t do like me; this is a tiny restaurant, so try to book in advance. 2nd, don’t wait too long to go there, as the chef moves back to Corsica during summer (May – September) to run his Mediterranean restaurant.

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Campoloro | Restaurants (Corsican) | Main dish SEK 189.00
Döbelnsgatan 71 | Vasastan | +466128109
Tue -Thu 11:00 – 14:00 & 17:00 – 22:00, Fri – Sat 17:00 – 22:00

In the heart of Södermalm is this classic bohemian restaurant with no meat on the menu. During lunch hour you get veggie stews, bami goreng and lasagna for 75 kr. In the evenings there is an à la carte menu with more well prepared dishes of filling quorn filé with mashed potatoes, sauteed tofu with roasted sweet potatoes, halloumi cheese with grilled vegetables and much more.

It is a very simple place and there is no table service – day and evening you order at the counter. The furniture has been the same for many, many years but then again Chutney is in no way trying to be a fancy place. The place is very comfortable with the laid back atmosphere and customers. It’s popular with students – you see more than one table in the afternoon filled with thick books and uni students discussing some project or other.

You can come in here for just a caffe latte as well and even if there are no sandwiches or salads like in the cafés there are plenty of freshly made pies and cakes. Just take a look in the glass front counter and take your pick.

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Chutney | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Vegetarian) | Quornfilé SEK 130.00
Katarina Bangata 19 | Södermalm | +4686403010
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 22:00, Sat – Sun 12:00 – 22:00

Greek food is more than tzatziki and souvlaki and if you want the best of whatever you prefer when it comes to the Greek cuisine you should go straight to Faros. Faros is a family run, small and great restaurant in the middle of Södermalm. The tables are close to each other and the atmosphere is friendly and intimate. There are two sections with a bar in the middle. But the bar is not really the kind of bar you hang out at for drinks. More a waiting area to pick up your take-away food at.

The food at Faros is excellent. Tasty, well prepared and lots. If you’re not full after dinner here, you eat too much. One of my favourite dishes is the lamb filet. So nice and tender. Just perfect. I like Greek food because it’s quite uncomplicated, but still so tasteful. And that is what this place is too. Uncomplicated and therefore very good.

At the moment they are doing some construction work on the building where the restaurant is placed. Don’t let the scaffolds scare you off though. Faros is still there. It’s actually easier to find it now since they have put up a huge Faros-sign on the corner of the building.

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Faros | Restaurants (Greek ) | Main dishes from SEK 150.00
Sofiagatan 1 | Södermalm | +4684421414
Mon – Fri 16:00 – 00:00, Sat 13:00 – 00:00, Sun 13:00 – 23:00

After the fire that consumed the restaurant about one year ago, Grill is back in business and with more faces than before.

Grill belongs to the F12 group of fine restaurants and opposite to most of the others, minimalism doesn’t rule here. This is the first thing one notices when getting into Grill. There are 10 different divisions with a decoration ranging from the hunting cabin to the Mary Poppins’ style and to my favorite, the brothel. And all of them look nothing short of stunning.

But when I mentioned that Grill has different faces I also mean more than the amazing interior design. At lunch time one can usually taste great traditional Swedish food with a twist. And my thoughts about traditional food is that they are a good base for really good food, as long as you either spice things up or use high quality ingredients. Grill manages to deliver both!

At dinner time the menus are divided in a combination of flavors from all over the world, which are cooked over open fire. And if you feel like hanging around for a while after the dinner, just hit the South Beach style bar for some of the best drinks in town.

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Grill | Bars, Restaurants (Crossover) | Lunch SEK 110.00
Drottninggatan 89 | City/Norrmalm | +468314530
Mon – Fri 11:15 – 14:00 & 17:00 – 01:00, Sat 16:00 – 01:00, Sun 15:00 – 22:00

This is a great place for dinner or just dessert, or both! The buffet is delicious and the pastries are very tasty, especially the carrot-cake. The atmosphere is very cosy and warm.

You always get two buffets for the price of one! And students eat half price every Monday.

It’s situated on a hill, with a great view over the water. It’s cosy both inside and outside. You can sit on the terrace and enjoy the view during colder seasons as well thanks to heaters. During summer they place hammocks outside, best place for relaxing

Instead of a soyalatte you should have tea, the tea is great! The lattes are unfortunately not so great.

They only use organic ingredients and the tea and coffee are fair-trade. Every weekend they set the table with new and different buffets from all over the world. A very inventive and aware restaurant you shouldn’t miss out on!

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Hermans | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Vegetarian) | Buffet from SEK 68.00
Fjällgatan 23 | Södermalm | +4686439480
11:00 – 21:00 daily

Until recently this place was called Street and although changes have been made, the crowd is similar. Street was part of the new “Hornstull” with a weekend street market, fancy but cool restaurant and bar/club in the big garage looking local. Strand has taken over and reformed both the restaurant and the club, but sadly there is no market.

On the other hand they have worked a lot to make the club a great one. There are constantly cool things going on, like interesting bands and well known DJ:s. For the ones who have been to the club Ugglan over on the other side of Södermalm it comes as no surprise that it’s the same people who are behind Strand.

The Ugglan concept with boule courts in the basement and completely new bands playing in the tiniest of rooms is present, but since Strand is a much bigger place they can welcome bigger artists, both on stage and in the DJ-booth. For example internationally well known Peter, Bjorn And John had their release party here. More regular things is that P3, the young radio channel with all the new music, have their monthly bar here. And a thing called Cinemat, which is movie and soup is also here every month. Check the calendar (only in Swedish) for exact dates.

Strand still feels like a living room away from home with many sofas spread about and pingpong tables hidden in alcoves. You can’t help to feel relaxed.

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Hornstull Strand Etabl | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Crossover) | Entrance club SEK 60.00
Hornstulls Strand 4 | Södermalm | +4686586350
Tue 17:00 – 00:00, Wed – Fri 17:00 – 02:00, Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 16:00 – 22:00

Sometimes a bar is just a bar and that’s the only reason why you like hanging out there. Imperiet is one of these bars.

Imperiet is placed on the ground and second floor in Skrapan. Skrapan used to be the building where the tax authorities had their offices. Now it’s housing a shopping center and student flats.

The first floor is a café daytime and a bar at night. Upstairs there is a restaurant and a bar. Bars with this kind of lounge area are still quite rare in this part of the town so those chairs and tables are greatly appreciated. The colour setting is in the brownish to beige scale and quite discreet. Not overly trendy, but nice and pleasant.

Like the colours, most guests are not overly trendy either, but nice and pleasant. Could sound boring, but quite the opposite. It’s a laid back and friendly atmosphere here. Most people are around 30, some older, some younger. Not too trendy, but still a bit aware of the trends of today. And a few locals celebrities. The people at Imperiet seem to fit the place. An average bar with average people. But in a positive way. I never get the feeling that I’m not trendy enough here. They welcome everybody.

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Imperiet | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (International) | Beer SEK 50.00
Götgatan 78 | Södermalm | +4686606065
Restaurant: Mon – Wed 17:00 – 23:00, Thu – Sat 17:00 – 02:00
Kafé: Mon – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 03:00, Sun 11:00 – 01:00

When I wrote about Shanti (see the Shanti article) a couple of months back, it was by far my favorite Indian restaurant in town. I had been in many of them, including Indian Garden. In fact I had been there several times and they always had good food. But Shanti too, plus a great location and atmosphere. So I had forgotten about Indian Garden… until a couple of weeks ago!

Martin, a friend of mine decided to gather a small group of friends for his 30 year old party on a Monday, just before people got their salaries. If you know Stockholm well enough, then you know that this is the perfect combination for having an empty restaurant. When I arrived, the place was packed. The tables where not only fully occupied, but there where people waiting for a table! I was mesmerized! Had Stockholmers changed or had the place changed?

Well, after passing through the crowd at the door and looking for my table I noticed that the place had a much better decoration. The music also helped making a rather cozy atmosphere. Then food came to remind me how much I love Indian food: perfect!  We all stayed until the spot closed down, and that’s when I noticed that the people working there are extremely friendly and kind. Well, Shanti is much closer to where I live, but Indian Garden is well worth the extra 15 minutes ride. Just need to remember to book in advance. Thanks, Martin!

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Indian Garden | Restaurants (Indian) | Chicken Tikka Masala SEK 115.00
Heleneborgsgatan 15 | Södermalm | +4686407430
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 23:00, Sat 12:00 – 23:00, Sun 13:00 – 22:00

In a town where sushi bars can be found in every corner, it is hard to define which one is the best. But Ki-Mama certainly places itself among the top ones side-by-side with others such as Roppongi or Hattori Sushi Devil.

This spot drags sushi lovers from all over town willing to take a typical cold winter walk between the Odenplan subway station all the way up to Observatoriegatan to get there. In fact, many Japanese also do the same as it is common to find some here.

Ki-Mama is a small place with very simple decoration except for the giant cool whale on one of the walls. The sushi price is similar to many other sushi-bars, but expect to get very fresh fish divided into nicely sized pieces. Besides sushi and miso soup (served with mussels) there are also warm dishes such as the excellent yakiniku and eby-gyoza. Worth trying!

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Ki-Mama | Restaurants (Japanese) | Sushi SEK 100.00
Observatoriegatan 13 | Vasastan | +468333482
Mon – Fri 11:30 – 21:00, Sun 15:00 – 21:00

When again the autumn chill come crashing in over our lovely city many, many Swedes get on the first plane to Thailand. For those who lack the money or the time for that sort of trip, the restaurant Koh Phangan on Skånegatan has been able to act as a substitute for several years.

As soon as you set your foot in the door it’s like entering a new world – Southeast Asia. The interior – floors, tables, the bar – is all bamboo style. There is no other light than strings of tiny blues, greens and reds. The main area is filled with tropical plants and you can hear the sound of crickets. Choose if you want to have your dinner in a hut or a tuk tuk. And if there is a rain storm in the middle of your meal – don’t worry, you won’t get wet.

The food is authentic too. All the important dishes are here, like the coconut soup with chicken, Tom Ka Gai, and the spicy and sour shrimp soup, Tom Yam Koong. Dishes are marked “no hot”, “little hot” and “very hot” and at times the spiciest has made the hot weather in Thailand fade in comparison to the fire in your mouth.

Everybody who’s lived in Stockholm has been to Koh Phangan and marvelled over it ages ago. But the food is still great and for a first time visitor it’s an experience not to miss.

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Koh Phangan | Bars, Restaurants (Thai) | Pat Thai Pak SEK 139.00
Skånegatan 57 | Södermalm | +4686425040
Mon -Tue 11:00 – 00:00, Wed – Fri 11:00 – 01:00, Sat – Sun 14:00 – 01:00

It’s my firm belief that I’m a reincarnated Italian. There can’t be another reason why I eat so much pasta. And love it so much. If I go out for dinner, I tend to most often choose an Italian restaurant. From all the Italians in Stockholm, one of my favourites is La Famiglia.

A good Italian restaurant should be small and intimate, if you ask me. La Famiglia has room for quite a few customers, but the place is divided into three seating areas so it feels quite small. My experience of Italy is not more than a daytrip to a small town on the Austrian border, but I would assume that this is what a typical restaurant would look like in Italy. (Because it looks like any Italian restaurant in an American movie.)

So what about the food? It’s delicious. A couple of years ago I went there for my birthday dinner and had the best saltimbocca ever. A perfect birthday present. They also serve a pasta dish with Italian sausage and tomato sauce. Fantastic. The other dishes are great too, but those two are the kind of dinners you never forget. If you round up the dinner with their marvellous chocolate cake you will leave the place with a smile that last for a quite a while.

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La Famiglia | Restaurants | Pasta dish SEK 150.00
Alströmergatan 45 | Kungsholmen | +4686506310
Mon – Sat 17:30 – 00:00, Sun 17:30 – 23:00

The building that now hosts landet, used to be a post office. Even though people go there nowadays to grab a mushroom soup with pesto or a beer instead of a package, the concept is pretty much the same. And it’s not only the students from konstfack and people living and working in the area that come here. Landet manages to have followers from all over town, something that not many places in the Stockholm surroundings can brag about.

This spot is mainly divided in a restaurant and a bar, and both of them are extremely popular. In the restaurant, one can get excellent crossover food with clear Swedish influences and the personnel working here is both professional as well as very kind.

In the club arena there’s a lot going on. From Wednesday to Saturday there are many fun live concerts and DJ gigs that probably make Landet the best place outside town for a night out…and one of the best in Stockholm too!

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Landet | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Crossover) | Lunch SEK 95.00
LM Ericssons väg 27 | Outside South/East | +46841019320
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 13:30 & 17:00 – 00:00, Fri 11:00 – 13:30 & 16:00 – 01:00, Sat 17:00 – 01:00

This is THE spot for Chinese/vegetarian food. It’s so delicious I don’t know where to start. Fresh vegetables, organic tofu, soy products and mushrooms, especially the shiitake mushrooms are divine! The restaurant has a really fresh, clean and professional feeling to it.

I take everyone I know here, this place is a pearl! Last time I took my mom and she absolutely loved it.

You should definitely eat Chinese style, which means ordering different dishes and then sharing them. The dishes are pretty large so three persons can easily split two dishes, which means it’s both cheap and a big taste-experience!

They don’t use eggs or dairy products, though often different kinds of nuts. The service is wonderful and you’re welcome to peek into the kitchen. If you have any questions at all, they have the answers. Once I came there with a friend who was allergic to all kind of nuts, they were really careful and sweet, and the food ended up being delicious as usual.

Be sure to call and book a table the day before, it’s a popular spot and the restaurant is pretty small.

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Lao Wai | Restaurants (Vegetarian) | Meal SEK 165.00
Luntmakargatan 74 | Vasastan | +4686737800
Mon 11:00 – 14:00, Tue – Fri 11:00 – 14:00 & 17:30 -22:00, Sat 17:30 – 22:00

If you for some reason would end up in the western suburb of Vällingby you must not miss the opportunity to visit Massagotti. It is located in the fashion shopping centre K:fem and serves the best coffee in Stockholm. If you ask me.

With your coffee you have a bunch of excellent small Italian pastries to choose from. They are small, not too small, but just the perfect size for what you want with your macchiato or cappuccino. My favourite is a white chocolate cannoli. Or the one with pistachio. They are both delicious.

If you’re more hungry and the sandwiches and salads they serve on the ground floor isn’t enough, you take the stairs up to the Massagotti restaurant. The lunch is a bit over the average lunch price, but very very good. You have four different dishes to choose from and with your main course you get to choose three different small side dishes. For example pineapple chutney, artichoke with parmesan or a sweet pannacotta for dessert. Very tasteful.

If coffee or food is not really what you are craving, but more a glass (or bottle) of wine you take a seat in the sofa upstairs and relax for a while. Watch other people shop while you sip your cold chardonnay. Can be just as rewarding as a new pair of shoes.

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Massagotti | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Italian) | Caffe Latte SEK 30.00
Vittangigatan 2 | Outside North/West | +468371535
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:00

What I love about cooking is the experimental part. Trying out new methods, mixing common ingredients in unusual ways and most importantly finding out about new ingredients. It is with no surprise that this is a spot I love going to! Mostly because they dare, thus making this an inspirational place for my home cooking.

Matkultur is a multicultural restaurant where food and ingredients from opposite parts of the world are combined in order to create a new experience. Things that I never thought would make sense together result in simply extraordinary dishes. The menu is very short, but it is modified regularly and even with these (positive) changes I find the food to be consistently excellent. This year the menu is divided by continent and it’s exciting just to read it!

This is a small place that aims to have a slow tempo but it is always full and one must book a table for the weekend, although I’d also recommend doing the same during the week.

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Matkultur | Restaurants (Multicultural) | Main meal SEK 200.00
Erstagatan 21 | Södermalm | +4686420353
Mon – Sat 17:00 – 00:00

Don’t be fooled by the name. Monks is no café, but the only brewery in Stockholm city. Yeah, you guessed it – this is a place for beer lovers.

You can visit the brewery, they even organise courses to teach you more. But most people just come to the bar/restaurant to enjoy one of the already made beverages. Monks don’t only sell their own brand, in total they have more than 1400 different types of beer.

The “Monks” part of the name comes from the inspiration and knowledge gathered from the history of the European convents. They say themselves that they serve traditional food, that they have every trappiste beer there is and that they also keep many cloister beers and wines with traditions from convents. If you are a novice but want to learn more, try their beer tasting evenings.

Now, the only catch is that really good quality beer is not cheap. Their own Monks Orange Ale cost 77 SEK for 33 cl and many more than that (be sure to ask before you order if money is an issue).

Most of these beers should be enjoyed more like a good wine than like something you gulp down while watching sports on tv. But if you are from Holland or Belgium it might be stupid to buy the beer from your own country here. Try one of the Swedish ones instead, they are hard to find abroad. Ask the staff for recommendations.

The main dishes are 150-230 SEK.

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Monks Café | Bars, Restaurants (European) | Monks Bavarian Pils 40 cl SEK 47
Wallingatan 38 | City/Norrmalm | +468230030
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 15:00 – 01:00, Sun 17:00 – 23:00

Many visitors who come to Stockholm ask the same question. Where can we find a restaurant that serves Swedish food? It’s not easy, but now you need to look no further.

Pelikan is an establishment that has been around forever – or to be more exact for 104 years. 1904 when it opened it was named Port Arthur and the clients were all men mostly there to drink the allowed amount of hard liquor at the time – two white and one brown.

You can still order the very strong Swedish snaps at Pelikan but nowadays the place is more famous for the food and beer. The main restaurant area is a big “beer hall”-style room with high ceilings and lots of noice. The food is traditional Swedish stuff, which means lots of meat, fish and potatoe dishes and not so heavy on the vegetables. The most popular Swedish meatballs comes with mashed or boiled potatoes, creamy sauce and lingonberries – and it’s delicious (see pic). Pelikan is also a typical beer place, they got a few good ones on draft and even more on bottle, including some nice Chezch and great local beers from small breweries like Nils Oscar.

Most of the people who come here are the after work crowd of all ages. A couple of pints with colleges on the way home or a bite to eat is the thing. There is also a bar next door “Kristallen”, with a slightly younger crowd. It’s a cool place too but it lacks the history of Pelikan.

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Pelikan | Bars, Restaurants (Swedish) | meatballs SEK 162.00
Blekingegatan 40 | Södermalm | +46855609090
Sun – Thu 16:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 13:00 – 01:00

Pleasant is a small place with dimmed lighting and an interesting interior that is best described as a hybrid of the Amazon and Star Trek.

It is pretty much a local bar, frequented mostly by people who live or work nearby. It is one of those really good places that aren’t listed in DN PåStan.

If you want to pop in for a drink in the early evening or go for a snack after work this is a good option in an area that doesn’t have too many bars.

The prices at Pleasant are modest, service is friendly and the food is really good; the Szechuan style chicken drumsticks are lush.

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Pleasant | Bars, Restaurants (Intern.) | Food from SEK 70.00
Kammakargatan 9 | City/Norrmalm
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sun 11:00 – 03:00

Ramblas, over in the Södermalm corner of Hornstull, used to be a so called “sunkhak”. It is kind of hard to translate, maybe dive bar would be the closest but generally people went there for the cheap beer and no other reason. No effort was put into decoration, sevice or anything else. But that was then.

Now you’ll be smart and reserve a table before you come here because it is very often full. The reason is that the prices are still good and the tapas are great – filling and tasty. Among my favourites are chorizo riojano, made hot in the oven with tomato and onion and the queso frito. The beer can still be had at 30 kr and a glass of wine is 46 kr, which is not bad at all in Sweden, and worth remembering if you are on a budget but still like to eat out.

The place is dark and cosy and all sorts of people come here – from the “poor” student who were here before when the beer was even cheaper to older couples and families. And if you forget to book ahead and are left without a table there are plenty of other good budget places just around the corner, like Indian Garden (check the Indian garden article) and Därmedpasta.

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Ramblas | Bars, Restaurants (Spanish tapas) | Patatas con aioli SEK 38.00
Långholmsgatan 3 | Södermalm | +4686692536
15:00 – 01:00 daily

The first time I visited Roxy I was amazed by the great food and fantastic service. It was love at first sight. And the love is still there. I really cannot find a bad word to say about this place.

Whenever I come here I cannot understand why I don’t eat here every day. Maybe because that would ruin me. But I would be happy every day. Finding gold so close to home is always a sweet, sweet feeling. What’s really the use of using my own kitchen then?

The last time I was here I brought some friends from my home town. I knew they would be impressed, and I wasn’t wrong. Even one friend who is quite pecky with her food was more than happy with what she ordered. The tuna I had was to die for. It’s a fairly small place and you cannot really bring a big company to this restaurant. We were six people and occupied the largest table then. But I guess that’s what makes it so nice too. The small intimate feeling.

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Roxy | Restaurants (International) | Main courses from SEK 200
Nytorget 6 | Södermalm | +4686409655
Tue – Thu & Sun 17:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 17:00 – 01:00

I love Indian food. For me, this is the perfect comfort food, and even though I love cooking, I stopped making Indian food at home as it usually takes a big effort and one can enjoy great indian meals out for very affordable prices.

There are many good indian restaurants in Stockholm but Shanti is one of my favorites, along with Indian Garden. It is typically full even during the week and I’d recommend everyone who is going there on weekends either not to show up during dinner rush hour or to just book a table in advance.

Shanti has the typical indian dishes such as tandoori, tikka masala and palak paneer which are consistently excellent. Food is usually served on traditional indian metal dishes and during these global warming times it is important to notice that this spot mostly uses ecological products in its very warm atmosphere. Ah, and the naan bread is worth trying too, but don’t even waste your time trying to get it before your meal, as the chef has some Gordon Ramsays tendencies…

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Shanti | Restaurants (Indian) | Tikka Masala SEK 130.00
Katarina Bangata 58 | Södermalm | +4686426722
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 23:00, Sat – Sun 13:00 – 00:00

Svejk has always been popular – and the reason? Czech beer, Czech food and almost Czech prices does the trick. They have several tasty beers on draft like Bernard, Primator and of course the classical Krusovice and Pilsner Urquell. And even though they have increased the prices to 56-57 it’s still a good deal since you get a full 0,5 liter instead of 0,4 like in most other places. And at Svejk they know how to pour it – it can take 10 minutes and has great foam on top. The food is tasty and you get big portions of meaty dishes like gulasch and schnitzel. And nothing on the menu is over 128 kr.

People of all ages, styles and nationalities also come here for the atmosphere with a dark bar area and a slightly more lit up dining room. If you don’t fill up a table with your group you might get to share – a great way to strike up conversations with new people.

The only downside is that you can’t reserve a table and between 18.00 and 20.00 there might be a 60-90 minute wait. My tip is to arrive at 17.00 when they open, many people do. There can even be a small line outside at 16.55 but everybody gets a table then. You can also pass by about an hour before you will get hungry, put your name on the list and then take a stroll until the table is ready for you.

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Soldaten Svejk | Bars, Restaurants | Draft beer SEK 56.00
Östgötagatan 35 | Södermalm | +4686413366
Mon – Thu 17:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 17:00 – 01:00, Sun 17:00 – 23:00

You will not have a problem finding a Greek restaurant on Södermalm. They can almost be found on every street. So which one to pick?

One good choice is picking Sonjas grek on Sundays. On Sundays all main courses cost 100 sek. The same food as every other day, but a little cheaper. Appetiser, desserts and drinks cost the same though.

The food always taste really good here. The meat dishes come with potatoes, tzatziki and roasted vegetables. All very delicious. I can personally especially recommend the lamb chops.

The Sunday crowd are all different kinds of people. The cheap lunch / dinner is just as appreciated by families with kids as by the hung-over 20 or 30 something from the neighbourhood.

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Sonjas grek | Restaurants (Greek) | Main courses on Sunday SEK 100.00
Bondegatan 54 | Södermalm | +4687022229
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 14:30 & 16:00 – 23:00, Sat 16:00 – 23:00, Sun 13:00 – 22:00

Sturehof is probably the kind of bar you will find in a Stockholm guidebook. But there is a risk that you won’t get any further than to the first bar if you are not familiar with the place. I know I would probably get stuck there. Luckily I was accompanied by a regular at my first visit here and she took me past the first bar, through the restaurant to the middle bar.

In my opinion this middle bar is more pleasant than the first bar. There is something about the green ballerina skirts they cover the lamps in the ceiling with that appeals to me. The crowd in this bar is also slightly younger than in the first bar. Even if Sturehof is located at Stureplan, the posh area in the city, you don’t get that snotty feeling other bars in this area can give you.

Coming here hungry shouldn’t be a problem since you find the restaurant between the divorce bar and the middle bar. The food is a good mix of Swedish and French dishes. Not cheap-cheap, but they do have a few dishes that won’t leave a too big hole in your pocket. If you want the bar feeling you can still order food at the bar too.

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Sturehof | Bars, Restaurants (Swedish-French) | Glass of wine SEK 85.00
Sturegallerian 42, Stureplan 2 | Östermalm | +46084405730
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 02:00, Sat 12:00 – 02:00, Sun 13:00 – 02:00

Rörstrandsgatan is one of the nicest streets in Stockholm. There are several bars, cafés and restaurants here. So if you’re in this part of town, you will most surely find a place you like here.

One of my favourite places here is Systrarnas Lundbergs. If I’m meeting a friend in this area, we usually go here. Even if we’re just meeting for a drink, we most of the time find ourselves eating too because drinks can make you hungry and the food is good (especially the lamb) and price worthy. And it’s nice to not having to make your own dinner at home.

What almost always strikes me when I come here is that this seems to be one of the most popular places for women to meet their friends (or girlfriends) at. I won’t lie if I say that at least 80 % of the guests here are women. So it’s almost like a women’s only dinner party at Systrarna Lundbergs.

There is nothing too fancy about this place and I think that’s why I like it. It’s the perfect place to go for drinks and/or dinner on a weekday. You usually get a table, even if you sometimes have to wait a little, but not for very long. And the staff is nice and polite. They make you feel very welcome.

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Systrarna Lundbergs | Restaurants | Main meal SEK 100.00
Rörstrandsgatan 12 | Vasastan | +468305747
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 23:00, Fri 16:00 – 00:00, Sat 12:00 – 00:00, Sun 16:00 – 22:00