Every time I go to Grandpa I get a homey feeling that is a bit unusual when entering design clothing stores. This mainly arises from the cozy home-like retro decoration as well as the extremely friendly personnel which I have consistently encountered here over the years.

Grandpa is mainly a fashion store that has a very good mix of Swedish and other International brands like April 77, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, Whyred, Uniforms for the dedicated among others. But besides the clothes one can also find furniture, decoration (such as porcelain tigers), gadgets, and movies.

There’s often a DJ playing music and on the last Thursday of each month the Södermalm’s store is opened until 9pm (SoFo Night) and wine is offered to their customers. In the Fridhemsplan’s store there is both a café as well as a bigger furniture section, including new and second-hand products.

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Grandpa | Shopping | Jeans SEK 1000
Södermannagatan 21 | Södermalm | +4686436080
Mon – Fri 11:30 – 18:30, Sat 11:30 – 17:00, Sun 12:00 – 16:00

This place is like a sanctuary to me! I go there to buy great flour for baking bread (they have manitoba cream!), the best dark chocolates, presents for friends, fresh deli products and things you never thought about but that soon you can’t live without.

Even though I tend to use the term supermarket, my friends usually explain to me that Fine Food is actually a deli store. They are right. This deli store started in Hammarby Sjöstad by a couple of chefs that believe that the best food shouldn’t only be available to the best restaurants but also to individuals. It gained so many followers that come from all over town, that it has now expanded to another area of Hammarby Sjöstad as well as to Kungsholmen.

And if you are in the South of of Södermalm on a sunny day and feel like having a already made meal just take the free boat that runs continuously over to Sjöstaden and either take a sandwich or a warm meal and enjoy your lunch next to the water. But if it’s too cold for that just sit inside in the newly open Fine Kitchen that is now serving great food for fine prices.

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Fine Food | Shopping, Snacks | Lunch SEK 90.00
Hammarby allé 62 | Södermalm | +4686433420
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 20:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 18:00

“These cheeses are extremely good! Where did you buy them?” Lots of people were asking me that, not so long ago, in a party I helped organizing. And they don’t even know the full story: they are terribly cheap too!

When you look into Wijnjas from the street it feels like you are entering a garage. Before you take the chance to enter this basement store, you’ll see piles of cheese boxes at the entrance, but inside lies one of the best selection of cheeses in Stockholm at giveaway prices.

At Wijnjas you can find excellent appenzeller, gorgonzola and brie de Meaux and even if you are not a cheese lover or just want to go for something new, the very knowledgeable personnel in the store will help you choose the best cheese for a party, dinner or just a glass of wine.

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Wijnja’s Ostkällare | Shopping
Bergsgatan 24 | Kungsholmen | +468131425
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 15:00

Discovering Aplace has been detrimental to my bank account because they always have clothes for both men and women from well known Swedish/European designers at huge markdown prices. How do they do it? I don’t know, I just know I’m there every weekend to check out any new arrivals.

The articles that you can find here are from old season collections and samples sales. At Aplace Below its not limited to clothing but to shoes, baby clothing, underwear and jewellry as well. It all depends on what sort of sale they’re having that week.

Some brands that I’ve managed to buy at rock-bottom prices are Onitsuka Tiger, Resteröds and Our Legacy. Be there early when the sales start or else the locals and other well-informed tourists will snatch up all the food stuff!

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Aplace Below | Shopping
St:Eriksgatan 79 | Vasastan | +468325110
Wed – Fri 11:30 – 18:30, Sat 11:00 – 17:00

What stockholm lacks in Starbucks, it makes up for with H&Ms. This is my guide to some of the best H&M’s in Stockholm city. Take it from a local, we know Stockholm and we definitely know our H&Ms.

The first category I wanted to tip you all about is an H&M collection that features unique pieces that look and feel more designed than the ‘average’ H&M line. For this, I go to the flagship store located across Gallerian (here), one on Gotgatan (indie shopping street of Stockholm) or to the one located on the corner of Drottninggatan and Master Samuelsgatan. Only at these stores do they display the Trend collection (as its known).

Look out for the purple label for menswear and the white label for women. The prices are of course slightly higher than usual but you’re getting pieces that look and feel more luxe.

If it’s time to spruce up my bedroom with new sheets, H&M Home would be my first option. H&M Home products are only stocked in one store in Stockholm which is located on the corner of Drottninggatan. It’s a refreshing, affordable and unique H&M to visit to source for gifts or unnecessary glittery silver laundry bins.So now the time has come to whip out your Visas and kronors and spend, spend, spend! Don’t think twice if it looks nice. You’re on holiday after all!

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H&M Uncovered | Shopping
Drottninggatan | City/Norrmalm
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00

To be honest, what really draws me back to Köttbaren is the atmosphere and the interior of the restaurant rather than the food. Don’t get me wrong, the food here IS good, otherwise I would not return regardless of how nice the place is. It feels very cozy at Köttbaren. I think it’s the heavy dark brown wooden tables, the candles reflecting off the copper pots hanging on the walls and the open kitchen where the chefs prepare and plates the diners meals. A bottle of wine, a few good friends and a hearty dinner. That’s everything about Köttbaren in a nutshell.

Köttbaren is Swedish for Meat Bar. So if you’re vegetarian, you might as well stop reading now and head on over to our review of Hermans Vegetarian Buffet. As you can gather from the name, at Köttbaren it’s meat, meat, and more meat. Choose from a daily special, steak, burger, steak tartare and my personal favorite Pelle Janzon, which is more of an appetizer to share in my opinion but a definite must-try! Its basically thinly sliced marbled oxfilet, egg yolk and fish roe all on top of a slice of toast garnished with lemon juice.

Quite popular with the locals on the weekend and they don’t take reservations so try and get there around 19:00 to avoid a long waiting. Although, their bartenders do make awesome cocktails so it wouldn’t be a total waste a time…

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Köttbaren | Bars, Shopping | Main course +/- SEK 150
Tegnergatan 32 | City/Norrmalm | +46850524426
Mon – Fri 11:15 – 23:00, Sat 12:00 – 23:00

In each major area or hub of Stockholm city, you’ll be able to find different indoor ‘markets’ where you can go to buy high quality meats. fresh produce, dried herbs and etc. Perhaps the most famous of them and quite popular for the tourists and locals alike is Ostermalmshallen. However, in this post I’ll be talking about the lesser known, ever-busy Hotorgshallen located right in the city center.

Everytime my sister and I shop on Drottningatan we make it a point to stop here (like many of the other shoppers) to recharge and get our dose of vitamins and minerals with the huge variety of dried fruits, nuts and berries which are free to sample and try. We used to be quite shy but now its a fight with the other curious and hungry shoppers to get the last dried Incaberry.

Along with the meat and seafood vendors you can find different restaurants, fine chocolates as well as a Finnish food store all in Hotorgshallen. It’s definitely one of the most diverse halls in Stockholm city. What’s special about Hotorgshallen and all other ‘halls’ in Stockholm is that every vendor has very high standards for the freshness and quality of what they sell or serve, so you are sure to be getting the very best without having to pay a very high price!

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Hötorgshallen | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Restaurants (Fresh)
Hötorgshallen, 11157 | City/Norrmalm
Mon – Thu 10:00 – 18:00, Fri 10:00 – 18:30, Sat 10:00 – 16:00

When in town you might just stroll by Nybroviken and even Strandvägen. Here there are a number of boats all departuring to different destinations in the archipelago, some more nearby then others. For example you have the low canal boats which takes you around the many islands that Stockholm is built upon or you can find the MS Josephiné which takes you out on different theme cruises for the day. You’ll even find the Cinderella boats which take you out to some of the islands in just an hour or two.

Most of the spots that I have been recommending so far depart from here. Depending on the time you have to spend and what you are looking for to experience I recommend you go here and see for yourself what you have to choose from on that particular day.

If you walk from Nybroviken along Strandvägen towards Djurgården you will soon pass a building made out of glass, here you can buy a coffee or some handcraft from the archipelago. There is also a archipelago information where they know more about what´s up in the archipelago for the day. I recommend it, I even hang there myself of and on!

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Nybroviken | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Shopping
Strandvägen, Kajplats 18 | Östermalm
Mon – Fri 10:00 -17:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 16:00

Moderna is situated on my favourite island and neighbor with the also very nice Museum of Architecture. Moderna is the most visited art museum in Sweden. It’s big, light and has one of the most creative and fun art shops in town. Their collection of artwork is really nice and their temporary exhibitions are usually excellent, they have a couple of large ones every season. Right now there’s a bunch of interesting exhibitions, go see!

One of my favourite exhibitions at Moderna Museet was Max Ernst’s “Dream and Revolution”. So many different techniques, I stared at his pencil frottage for a long time. Beautiful!

Moderna has something for everyone. All exhibitions have guided tours, which are included in the admission, check their website! For the art in the museum’s collection you can borrow audio-guides for free.

If you’re younger than 30 and are planning on staying in Stockholm for a while, I recommend you to buy the “Friends of Moderna Museet” card for 250kr/year. You get invited to previews, get 20% discount in the art shop and free admission to several other museums like the Museum of Architecture and Magasin 3. It’s a bargain!

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Moderna Museet | Art & culture, Shopping, Snacks | Entrance SEK 100.00
Skeppsholmen | City/Norrmalm | +46851955200
Tue 10:00 – 20:00, Wed – Sun 10:00 – 18:00

I don’t know what happened but my favourite café isn’t my favourite anymore. I still come here and enjoy the furnishing and cosy atmosphere but the sandwiches aren’t like they once used to be.. It’s still cheap though and definitely worth going to, it hasn’t lost it charm.

The atmosphere is warm, relaxed and creative. It was really hip a couple of years ago but people keep coming. Downstairs you find more seats and if it’s nice weather they have a couple of attractive tables outside.

It’s been serving us cheap sandwiches since 1992. Every sandwich comes with a tasty little salad as well. Their Soya-latte is one of the best in town and their carrot cake is excellent. They have music and theatre performances downstairs every Wednesday and the art hanging on the walls is for sale.

Oh, if you like the chair you’re sitting on you can buy it as well, all furniture is for sale.

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String | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Music, Shopping, Snacks | Sandwich SEK 40.00
Nytorgsgatan 38 | Södermalm | +4687148514
Mon – Thu 09:00 – 20:00, Fri 09:00 – 19:00, Sat – Sun 10:30 – 19:00