Stockholm Hotels

Stockholm - Eating & Drinking

Stockholm Cusine

Restaurant culture developed late in the Nordic countries; home cooking was the norm through much of the 20th century. Today, however, Scandinavians love eating out and do so with aplomb. People don't go to a high-end restaurant to eat something familiar. Rather, they come to be surprised by what they're served. No novel technique, combination, or presentation is off-limits. In Stockholm’s restaurants innovative young chefs are making unabashedly artful food, assisted by the natural bounty of the archipelago, which offers up succulent berries, distinctive herbs, earthy chanterelles, ethereal lamb, and superb fresh fish.

The restaurants of the moment are always packed, so it can sometimes be a battle to find a free table, even on weekdays. For the most popular places, you should book in advance, especially for Fridays and Saturdays.

If you’re looking for a budget meal, your best bet is Indian, Thai or Turkish. If you’re after fast food on the go, there are the usual hot dogs, burgers and paninis available in most neighbourhoods. More traditional but rarer are the Swedish strömming stands, which serve delicious fried fish on a piece of bread.

For something fancy at a reasonable price, it’s a good idea to have your main meal at lunchtime rather than in the evening. Most Stockholmers eat a proper meal between 12.00 and 13.00, when many restaurants swap their à la carte menu for a fixed-price menu at a considerably lower price – looks out for signs offering ‘Dagens Lunch’ or ‘Dagens Rätt.’

Before and after meals there’s an abundant nightlife, but the coolest watering hole must be the Icebar at the Nordic Sea hotel (Vasaplan). Created by the folks from the Icehotel at Jukkasjarvi, the bar is -5C all year round, and all fittings, including the glasses, are carved from frozen water (woolly gloves and boots supplied).