Image by Aaron L

House partay! That’s the kind of atmosphere you get at Judit och Bertil. Okay, I lied. It’s more of a ‘dinner-at-your-alcoholic- friend’s-place’ kinda feeling. Nonetheless, this two story restaurant and bar is the jewel of Hornstull, or as I call it – ma’ hood.

It’s located a minute from the subway station, right beside my dream apartment building and across the neighborhood gym. It’s definitely one of those places you go and you’re like, “I bet no other tourist in Stockholm has EVER been here…” and you’re sorta kinda right! Many of the people that frequent Judit oct Bertil are locals, more specifically those who live in Hornstull.

The main selling point for this place are two things: First and foremost, the ambiance; It’s laid back, cool and it oozes a sort of buzzing electricity that can only be comparable to being slightly tipsy. Secondly, it’s the unique and fresh take on cocktails that they have every week. Its recipes the bartenders come up with themselves and they are nothing short of amazing.

The bar downstairs is always crowded with people (especially on weekends) clinking their beer together and debriefing each other on the week’s events, while the couples upstairs enjoy their scrumptious saffron fish soups (a.k.a they serve Swedish food with a twist) whispering sweet nothings to their special lady/gentlemen/undecided. It’s the perfect background noise to a perfect relaxing night out in the best part of Stockholm’s söder district, Hornstull!

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Judit och Bertil | Restaurants (Swedish) | Main course SEK 150
Bergsundsstrand 38 | Södermalm | +4686693131
17:00 till late daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Aaron L

Situated right around the corner of my apartment, Ramblas is a very small dimly lit tapas restaurant that serves up a delicious assortment of tapas for affordable prices. Its that winning combination that draws all the locals here to eat. It almost always full during every day throughout the week so be sure to make a reservation the day of or the day before!

Their tapas menu covers everything from gaspacho (cold tomato soup), dates rolled in bacon to my all time favorite gambas al ajillo. The tapas are served on flat brown bowls that quickly leave your table without space for your glass of sangria. Its a great place to go with friends or with that special someone to enjoy a jug of sangria, great food and a bustling cosy neighborhood restaurant.

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Ramblas | Bars, Restaurants (Tapas) | Per tapas SEK 53
Långholmsgatan 3 | Södermalm | +4686692536
15:00 – till late daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Aaron L

Total package. Thats how I would describe Samba Sushi. Located on the busy shopping street of Götgatan in Slussen, it serves some of the tastiest made-before-your-eyes sushi in Stockholm.

Not only is the food great but its location is ideal. The street on which it’s located, is the shopping hub for the hipsters and indie fashionistas. Samba Sushi is located smack in the middle of that scene so you’ve basically got front row seats to the Stockholm’s never ending fashion show while stuffing your face with amazing sushi.

The restaurant itself is small and the decor, simple with bar-like seating all around (so make sure to beat the lunch crowd!). The prices are slightly higher than average but for what you get (location and great taste) it’s worth it. Try it out the next time you’re town. You can thank me later

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Samba Sushi | Restaurants (Japanese) | Main course from SEK 90
Götgatan 28 | Södermalm
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 20:00, Sat 12:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Natalia Urbanska

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 soya latte you should have tea, the tea is great! The lattes are unfortunately not so great.

Hemans only uses 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 80.00
Fjällgatan 23 | Södermalm | +4686439480
11:00 – 22:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Vasco Castro

Some time ago, Shanti (see the Shanti article) 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…

That was until 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 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.

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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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Vasco Castro

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 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. Just go there, Matkultur has some of the coolest food in town.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Matkultur | Restaurants (Multicultural) | Main meal SEK 200
Erstagatan 21 | Södermalm | +4686420353
Mon – Sat 17:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Vasco Castro

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Anna Östman

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Anna Östman

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 course (Sun) SEK 100
Bondegatan 54 | Södermalm | +4687022229
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 14:30 & 16:00 – 23:00, Sat 16:00 – 23:00, Sun 13:00 – 22:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Anna Östman

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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm