Stockholm Restaurants and Dining

(Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden)



Photo of local restaurant in the city centreDining out in Sweden's capital city is something that locals in Stockholm take very seriously and as a result, the city is filled with traditional Swedish restaurants, literally offering a 'smorgasbord' of delights and a gastronomic adventure. Most of the restaurants in Stockholm try especially hard to satisfy the ever-increasing demand at lunchtime, providing food that not only fills a space, but also is exceedingly tasty and memorable.

Due to their extreme popularity, the various dining venues and eateries in the city centre can often become very busy and so it can be rather a challenge to find an empty table. If you are simply looking for a quick bite to eat, then the cafes around Stockholm offer a good and more informal alternative to restaurants, and allow you to enjoy some of Sweden's beloved coffee and cakes.


Picture of the city's Hard Rock Cafe

What to Eat

The most traditional restaurants in Stockholm tend to specialise in classical, simple Swedish cuisine, something that is known locally as 'husmanskost'. However, the demand to satisfy a more cultural and European palate has more than been met and seasonal offerings of surströmming (soured herring) and kraftor (crayfish) are always popular.

Many of Stockholm's lunchtime dining venues now offer a choice of several specials (dagens rätt) and these are usually fixed prices, being served between 11:30 and 14:00 from Monday through Friday. However, for the ultimate in Swedish fast food, it is hard to better a hotdog (grillad korv med bröd) and these are readily available on streetside carts all over the city.

View of al fresco tables

Where to Eat

Choosing which restaurant can depend on many different factors, but wherever you are in Stockholm, you can be quite sure that you are never too far from fine dining. The centrally Norrmalm is where restaurants are most concentrated and in particular around Kungsträdgarden, where open terraces and bars quickly fill up on balmy summer evenings. Brunnsgatan is also located in this part of Stockholm and is a peaceful area close to Malmskillnadsgatan and the jazz haven of the Glenn Miller Café, while fans of the Hard Rock Café chain should head to its restaurant on Sveavägen.

Many other excellent dining options and eateries of all descriptions are to be found around Östermalm, Södermalm, Vasastan and Kungsholmen, where La Famiglia is regarded as one of Stockholm's leading Italian restaurants and enjoys a prominent position on the Alströmergatan. Nearby and facing the actual waterfront, the Tullhus area is filled with pubs offering cheap Swedish meals and good views across the archipelago.