Image by Tiki Room

You feel a whole mixture of excitement, curiosity and the slight need for a wee as you walk down the iron staircase of the average run-of-the-mill restaurant (that serves portions too small on plates too large) and enter the bar with bamboo covered walls, Tiki heads and bartenders in Hawaiian shirts. “Aloha!” you say, catching your balance after tripping on the last step.

The Tiki Room is located in the basement of Mellow, a slightly upscale restaurant located in St. Eriksplan. The bar serves up drinks inspired by Polynesian culture and are served in a Shrunken Skull. If you’re in the party mood you can order HAWAI’IAN LANAI (LAVA BOWL) which is made for 2-3 people to share. It’s served in a large bowl with Tiki heads surrounding it and a volcano in the middle with a flaming shot of sambuca. A must try!

The bar has the Polynesian theme running through everything. Retro tv, 50′s rock, red leather chairs and diner-esqeue sitting booths to through you back in time. The cocktails are great and the bartenders super friendly and can make you anything you want even if its not on the menu. Just tell them what sorta flavors you’re jonesin’ and consider it done.

Definitely one of my most unique find here in Stockholm city.

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The Tiki Room | Bars, Music
Birkagatan 10 | Vasastan | +468331555
Mon – Sat 16:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Peppar AB

This article may seem a little late due to the photo but read on and you’ll find out that it’s actually Christmas at this bar/ restaurant all year long.

Peppar is crazy. I mean seriously, if you wanna have drinks with some friends at a really unique place this is it. It’s like no bar you’ll ever visit in Stockholm and perhaps the rest of the world. It is where Santa Claus and all his elves die and go to heaven.

Besides beers, cocktails and ciders, you can also order food. At Peppar they serve simple New Orleans themed dishes. The chili here is to die for! It’s a really cool and relaxed place to come to visit and definitely will make great holiday photos.

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Peppar | Bars
Torsgatan 34 | Vasastan | +468342052
Mon – Sat 17:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Aaron L

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Natalia Urbanska

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

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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Lao Wai | Restaurants (Vegetarian) | Meal SEK 175.00
Luntmakargatan 74 | Vasastan | +4686737800
Mon 11:00 – 14:00, Tue – Fri 11:00 – 14:00 & 17:30 – 22:00, Sat 17:30 – 22:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Vasco Castro

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 Råkultur and that tiny one on the folkungagatan/götgatan crossing.

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Vasco Castro

Vurma is mostly a café but also a bakery. Because of the second, it is possible to combine the great ingredient combinations they have with various kinds of freshly baked breads. I also love the excellent pasta/quinoa salad choice they have. In fact both of these selections are almost unlimited as customers are free to pick the ingredients according to their wishes.

This spot is also very popular among vegans as Vurma offers a wide variety of alternatives for them. But maybe the strongest point of Vurma is the environment. It has a mix of kitsch and cozy with warm wallpapers, plenty of colors on the tables and dishes and many small tasteful details.

The clientele is loyal and friendly and even though it is usually crowded, Vurma still manages to hold a relaxed mood where time passes slowly. Even though Vurma can be found in Gästrikegatan and Polhemsgatan (closed in Hornstull for the moment), it still manages to keep its very local feeling!

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Vurma | Coffee & tea | Sandwich SEK 50.00
Gästrikegatan 2 | Vasastan | +468306230
10:00 – 18:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Suzanna Schwarz

Tranan’s Bar is found in the basement of the restaurant with the same name. The bar is a safe bet when you want to be sure to get in a good party mood. It is always crowded, the music tends to be good and there is always one or other kind of exchibition.

I have kept going to Tranans bar year after year and it remains one of my favourites. From the bar you can order the famous meat balls, which are supposed to be the best in town. However, these are not on the menu so you need to ask the staff.

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Tranans bar | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Swedish ) | Main meal from SEK 125
Karlbergsgatan 14 | Vasastan
Mon -Thu 11:30 – 00:00, Fri 11:30 – 01:00, Sat 17:00 – 01:00, Sun 17:00 – 23:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Suzanna Schwarz

It is easy to overlook this beautiful venue for contemporary art and head straight to Moderna museet when in Stockholm. However, I really recommend a visit to Bonniers Konsthall to check out the current exhibition or grab a snack in the cafe.

The building, which is an airy and bright glass construction located right off St Eriksplan, is a pleasure to visit in itself. The artists exhibited at Bonniers Konsthall are generally young and upcoming and the foundation awards scholarships every year to new talents. I really like the edge and diversity of the exhibitions.

The café next to the entrance offers good coffee, some salads, soups and pastries as well as brunch at the weekends.

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Bonniers konsthall | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Entrance fee SEK 60
Torsgatan 19 | Vasastan
Wed – Fri 12:00 – 19:00, Sat – Sun 12:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Suzanna Schwarz

Ten years ago a friend of mine, introduced me to this incredible retro experience: at Valand nothing has changed since opening in 1954. Everything, from the Svenskt Tenn bracket lamps, the Italian stone floor and dark wood panels to the selection and presentation of cakes and sandwiches are authentic.

So forget about caffe lattes or paying for your coffee with a credit card – at Valand you’ll quickly be reminded of how recent the North American/Italian coffee culture is to Stockholm’s café scene. Apparently, the only thing that has changed since the fifties is the opening hours; back in the days Valand used to be a busy hotspot open ’til 11 in the evenings.

When television replaced the cinema, the local four theatres closed down and Valand became increasingly empty. Now it is a fairly quiet café where mostly local teens or odd visitors go. Valand is a true original and a great place if one wants to find a quiet spot for a little while or if you simply feel like indulging in nostalgia.

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Valand | Coffee & tea | Coffee SEK 25
Surbrunnsgatan 48 | Vasastan
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 19:00, Sat 09:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm

Image by Suzanna Schwarz

Ritorno has become a bit of an institution in Vasastaden in the West part of central Stockholm. The café itself opened in the 1930′s, and is always busy, particularly on Sundays when the place is crowded.

The faded wallpaper, kitschy art, chandeliers and soiled red carpet create a charmingly run down atmosphere. Not much has changed since the old days and there seems to be no need to. Ritorno’s clientèle is quite mixed and it’s perfectly fine to sit here for hours with a book or laptop, which means that it is well frequented by students fancying a change of scene from the library.

On the menu are traditional cakes and pastries, as well as some classic Swedish dishes such as oven baked herring or salmon pudding.

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Konditori Ritorno | Coffee & tea | Coffee SEK 23.00
Odengatan 80-82 | Vasastan | +468320106
Mon – Thu 07:00 – 22:00, Fri 07:00 – 20:00, Sat 08:00 – 18:00, Sun 10:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Stockholm