Must-see restaurants in Sweden

  • Govindas

    Lund

    In a quiet, leafy cobbled courtyard, vegetarian Govindas is a hit with kronor-conscious students and anyone craving a spicy curry and cool raita. Much of…

  • Flying Elk

    Gamla Stan

    Not your average pub – Michelin-starred chef Björn Frantzén has added contemporary vigour and polish to the traditional pub experience. The menu is all…

  • La Neta

    Stockholm

    Competition for the title of 'Stockholm's Best Taqueria' is not fierce, but La Neta wins hands down. Fast-food pseudo-Mexican eateries are all over town,…

  • Bakfickan

    Stockholm

    The small, casual ‘hip pocket’ of Operakällaren, this comfy restaurant is crammed with opera photographs and deco lampshades. Dexterous old-school waiters…

  • Wienercafeet

    Wiener Caféet

    Stockholm

    Step into the lavish art-deco interior here and you are transported to the grand cafes of Vienna and Paris. Pastry chef Per Bäckström has ensured that…

  • Den Gyldene Freden

    Gamla Stan

    Open since 1722, this venerable barrel-vaulted restaurant is run by the Swedish Academy, where (rumour has it) its members meet to decide the winners of…

  • Fem Små Hus

    Gamla Stan

    Fem Små Hus offers the perfect combination of authentic historical setting with traditional cuisine, just a short walk from the Royal Palace in the heart…

  • Detail of mural at Sturehof.

    Sturehof

    Stockholm

    Superb for late-night sipping and supping, this convivial brasserie sparkles with gracious staff, celebrity regulars and fabulous seafood-centric dishes …

  • Bistro Magasinet

    Vaxholm

    Featuring a commanding terrace with water and fortress views, laid-back Bistro Magasinet is as good for a vino as it is for a feed. The produce is mainly…

  • Lisa Elmqvist

    Stockholm

    Lisa Elmqvist is somewhat of an institution in Stockholm, famed for its fresh, gorgeous seafood dishes. Classics include shrimp sandwiches and a gravadlax…

  • Matbaren

    Stockholm

    One of celebrity chef Mathias Dahlgren's restaurants at the Grand Hôtel (the other is Rutabaga), the bistro-style Matbaren (‘Food Bar’) boasts a Michelin…

  • Hantverket

    Stockholm

    Green velvet curtains and suspended terracotta planters set a theatrical scene at this slinky, spacious bistro-bar. While the lunch menu includes a good…

  • Östermalms Saluhall

    Stockholm

    Östermalms Saluhall is a gourmet food hall that inhabits a delightful many-spired brick building. It's a sophisticated take on the traditional market,…

  • Italienaren

    Visby

    It's hard to resist a good-looking Italian, even in Visby. Urbane Italianaren keeps things uncomplicated: pizzas, pasta dishes and two mains, which might…

  • The Market

    Stockholm

    Located inside the Scandic Continental hotel, minimalist, light-filled The Market is notable for its expansive buffet breakfast and focus on sustainable,…

  • Da Matteo

    Gothenburg

    The perfect downtown lunch pit stop and a magnet for caffeine connoisseurs, this cafe and award-winning microroastery serves ethically sourced speciality…

  • La Maison

    Vaxholm

    After running a Parisian bakery, Kerstin Lekander decided to bring a little Gallic flair to Vaxholm. Decorated with rustic floorboards and a communal…

  • Crêperiet

    Lund

    This laid-back stop, with its handful of tables and stripped-back decor, produces superb galettes with an imaginative combo of ingredients including…

  • Atmosfär

    Malmö

    A polished neighbourhood bistro with outdoor tables in the warmer months, Atmosfär serves good-value, flavourful combinations such as red cabbage with…

  • Magnus & Magnus

    Gothenburg

    Ever-fashionable Magnus & Magnus serves inspired and beautifully presented modern European dishes in an appropriately chic setting. It’s an unpretentious…

  • Holy Greens

    Stockholm

    This crisp, friendly cafe serves huge, healthful bowls of greens, grains and superfoods at good prices – try the Laxokado, with baked salmon, black rice,…

  • Jessens Saluhall & Bar

    Visby

    Strung with light bulbs and great for people watching, this fabulous deli-cum-eatery is run by three affable brothers. Daily specials generally include…

  • Restaurant 2112

    Gothenburg

    Appealing to refined rockers and metalheads, this upmarket joint serves only burgers and beer. But what burgers! These masterpieces range from the…

  • Gattostretto

    Lund

    Located over medieval ruins and co-run by an affable Roman chef, this breezy cafe-restaurant serves a tasty slice of dolce vita. Guzzle down proper…

  • Operakällaren

    Stockholm

    Inside Stockholm’s show-off opera house, the century-old Operakällaren is a major gastronomic event. Decadent chandeliers, golden mirrors and exquisitely…

  • Café Saturnus

    Stockholm

    For velvety caffè latte, Gallic-inspired baguettes and perfect pastries, saunter into this casually chic bakery-cafe. Sporting a stunning mosaic floor,…

  • Utö Bakgård

    Stockholm Archipelago

    In a red-timber cottage just up from the harbour, this adorable bakery serves a smashing cardamom bulle (bun) that is one of the best in Sweden. Sweet,…

  • Malmstens Fisk & Köj

    Lund

    Locals swear the seafood here is the best in town. Tucked into a classy corner in the gourmet market, the menu is reassuringly brief, depending on what is…

  • Saluhall Briggen

    Gothenburg

    Originally built as a fire station in 1891, this handsome red-brick pile is now home to an appetite-piquing indoor market. Scan the counters for a…

  • Koka

    Gothenburg

    Stylish Koka is distinguished by its smart, contemporary decor – blond wood, clean lines, mood lighting – and a dedication to conjuring up inspired dishes…

  • Vassa Eggen

    Stockholm

    Featuring a domed dining room sitting beyond a glassed birch forest, this stylish dining pad is named after Somerset Maugham’s novel The Razor’s Edge…

  • Tant Brun Kaffestuga

    Around Stockholm

    In a small alley off Storagatan, this delightful 17th-century cafe is set around a pretty courtyard. It’s well worth seeking out for its home-baked bread…

  • Sturekatten

    Stockholm

    Looking like a life-size doll’s house, this vintage cafe is a fetching blend of antique chairs, oil paintings, ladies who lunch and servers in black-and…

  • Sofias Kök

    Lappland

    A very local spot for a good-value lunch buffet and Swedish standards such as chunky pea soup. In the evening you can nurse a pint with the local barflies.

  • Vatten

    Bohuslän

    Legendary fish dishes are served in this gourmet cafe-restaurant attached to the Nordiska Akvarelmuseet, with the archipelago as an ideal backdrop.

  • Åstols Rökeri

    Bohuslän

    Feast on the likes of fish stew and Åstols Rökeri's very own smoked salmon at this fish smokery with summer restaurant attached.

  • Hötorgshallen

    Stockholm

    Located below Filmstaden cinema, Hötorgshallen is Stockholm at its multicultural best, with stalls selling everything from fresh Nordic seafood to fluffy…

  • Sjätte Tunnan

    Gamla Stan

    Situated in a medieval cellar in the heart of the old town, Sjätte Tunnan offers a glimpse into a forgotten world. Venture deep into the bowels of old…

  • Under Kastanjen

    Gamla Stan

    The real reason to hit Under Kastanjen is for its picturesque setting, on a cobbled square, beside a chestnut tree, surrounded by ochre and yellow…

  • Hermitage

    Gamla Stan

    While it lacks atmosphere or any culinary punch, casual Hermitage is a good spot for a well-priced, no-fuss meat-free feed. The limited vegetarian buffet…

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