Gamla Stan in Stockholm (by Roberto Aloi)

I have been living in Stockholm for a few years now and newcomers keep asking me if I have any nice restaurants to suggest. Most of these people don’t look for the Michelin Star kind of restaurants. They just want a nice, cozy, place where they can have a decent lunch, dinner or coffee with their family or friends, within a reasonable budget. Therefore, I decided to write down the list of my favourite places and to update it every time a find a new gem. For most of the places I mention in the post, it is generally a good idea to book in advance. I also created a Google Map including all the places mentioned in this blog post.

Espresso

Historically, there was one place in Stockholm where you could have an Italian Espresso which had nothing to envy to the real Italian ones. That place was Sosta Bar, a tiny little place where you could enjoy your espresso at the desk, like a proper Italian. Today the espresso scene in Stockholm is expanding with a few more coffee place with a focus on espresso. D’Abramo is my personal favourite, followed by Sempre Espresso Bar. The Caffetteria del Corso also has a decent reputation among Italians in Stockholm, but I don’t feel it reaches the same quality levels as the other three places mentioned here. It’s worth mentioning it anyways, though, due to its extremely central location.

Ice Cream

The best ice cream you can find in Stockholm is probably the one at Gelato Scarfò, in Ålsten, Bromma. Unfortunately, not so central. Until 2016 Sosta Bar was making gorgeous ice creams, too, but the place is now closed.

Pizza

If you enjoy kebab, banana or pineapple on your pizza, please leave this blog immediately. If you are still reading and you are looking for an authentic Italian pizza experience in Stockholm, visit Giro Pizzeria Napoletana. It is more expensive than a usual pizzeria (a pizza costs up to 189 SEK), but it is worth the price. Even better, on the 4th floor of Ålhens at T-Centralen, you will find Pane Fresco. Here you can enjoy a proper pizza and, in summer, you can even do that on a terrace, assuming the weather permits. Less central, there is also Flatbread in Sundbyberg. If you are looking for a decent pizza nearby Zinkensdamm, try Pane e Vino. 800 grader in Odenplan and Pizza Hatt (not to be confused with Pizza Hut) in Vasastan are some kind of concept-pizzerias; they both suffer from lack of a proper oven (they use an electrical one) and they have a limited selection, but the dough is well prepared and their pizza is way above average in Stockholm. Capri Due’s Backfickan in Vasastan has a limited space, but the atmosphere and the dough are more than acceptable. Again in Vasastan you can find Menomale. The place is quite small and they do not accept reservations, though. Even if you are lucky enough to find a table at peak time, the place is usually crowded with a long queue of customers waiting for take-away, which makes the atmosphere not great. They provide home delivery via their website, though. Another Menomale, a lot more spacious and with a nicer atmosphere exists in Kungsholmen.

Swedish Brunch

A number of restaurants provide a brunch option which is very convenient if you want to try basically the entire range of traditional Swedish food, ranging from charcuterie and meatballs to fish and desserts, within a budget. My favourite brunches so far have been at Långbro Värdshuset, which offers free parking and gives you the possibility to enjoy a nice walk alongside a beautiful lake, and Kvarnen, which has the advantage of being in an extremely central location.

Swedish Food

If you believe a brunch is too much food for you and you are looking for a good traditional Swedish meal, you can try Pelikan (I suggest to try the boiled knuckle of pork there). Prinsen is usually a safe choice, too. If you are visiting the area around Stockholm and you end up in Uppsala, ensure you pay a visit to Domtrappkällaren, in case you fancy some reindeer or a traditional raggmunk.

Fika

If you come to Stockholm, you need to fika properly. The fika crown goes to Vetekatten, where you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee together with some of the best traditional Swedish cakes. In summer, I strongly recommend you to visit Konditori Lyran, in Skärholmen. Far away from the city center, it’s worth the trip. Ensure you have the time to visit the surrounding area. The place has a stunning view on the water and a walk through the nearby forrest paths is a must. If you prefer something closer to a touristic area don’t miss Karamellan, just next to the Royal Palace in Drottningholmen, which offers a nice selection of cakes.

Meat

The atmosphere at the BBQ restaurant Grill is very special and their lunch buffet offer is rich, but if you are looking for a higher quality (also read more expensive) meat-based meal you should try Grill at dinner time. If you are looking for a burger, I suggest Svenska Hamburgerköket in Midsommarkransen. If you are a fancy-meatballs kind of person, you may enjoy Meatballs for the People.

Kebab

Looking for the best kebab in town? Pay a visit to Amida Kolgrill in Medborgaplatsen. They have special lunch offers.

Pubs

My favourite pub is probably The Queen’s Head, which has a really good (but quite expensive) selection of beers and nice food. I also like Akkurat in the Slussen area. Krogen Soldaten Svejk is an option, too, even if I’m under the impression the food there is not as good as it was a couple of years ago.

Indian

I don’t consider myself an expert about Indian food, but I really enjoy The Indian Garden in Liljeholmen. Great food (even the plain naan there are awesome), friendly staff and gorgeous interiors. After dinner you can enjoy a walk by the water in one of the most beautiful spots in the city. It is more expensive than the usual Indian restaurant in Stockholm, but it is still accessible.

Greek

Fancy some nicely grilled meat or a moussaka, accompanied by greek beer? Esperia is a good option. Very central (it’s located between Slussen and Mariatorget), adapt for large groups, decent portions, not very pricey. Book in advance.

Spanish

If you’d like to enjoy some tapas in a cozy atmosphere, you could try the Ramblas in Hornstull. My suggestion is to go for three tapas per person (or four if you feel particularly hungry) and to share. Each tapa costs between 60 and 100 SEK, most of them contain generous portions. Ensure you take the time to go for a walk and visit the nearby islands Reimersholmen or Langholmen. Book in advance.

Julbord

If you are visiting Stockholm over Christmas and you are looking for a lot of Swedish traditional food, a Julbord (or Christmas Buffet) is probably what you are looking for. They are a bit more pricey than a normal dinner, but they are generally worth the price. My favourite so far? At Långbro Värdshuset (already mentioned above), at KristineHovs Malmgård in Södermalm and at Hufvudsta Gård in Solna.

And you?

Do you know any interesting place that I should include in the list? Let me know in the comments and I’ll try to pay it a visit!