These Stockholm Restaurants Sum Up Swedish Cuisine

The Swedish have an excellent tradition of fika: making time for coffee and cake with friends and family every afternoon. But this Nordic country plates up many savoury delicacies, too: Swedish meatballs, gravlax, organic meats, potato pancakes – the list goes on. For some guidance on where to start sampling these goodies in Stockholm, eyebrow artist Sharon Lee, who recently visited the capital city, shares her top spots for delicious food and drink.

Sturehof

Sturehof is Stockholm’s original seafood restaurant, opened in 1897, and is still buzzing today. The service is outstanding and though the prices are a little on the high side, the freshness of the food is worth the cost: you’d swear the oysters were in the ocean minutes before appearing on your plate. Other seafood highlights include the scallops doused with truffle oil, royal Belgium caviar and salmon caught from the waters near Norway – and the red meat and vegetarian offerings are great as well. The wine list is extensive, with more than 600 different wines available, and the on-site sommelier is ready to answer the most obscure questions.

Operkallaren

This is a crucial Stockholm destination. Firstly, the building itself is steeped in history, once serving as the cellar of King Gustov’s opera house. These days, the space is low lit and the entire dining room – including the ceiling – is marked with grand wood carvings. The 14-course degustation goes on seemingly forever – in a good way. The service is a symphony of waiters synchronised to perfection and every course is flawlessly executed. Each dish is better than the last, finishing with a dessert of a single marshmallow roasted over an individual fire pit.

Miss Voon

If you’re after late-night dining and inventive cocktails, head to Miss Voon, near the Humlegården public park. The menu combines Asian flavours with a European sensibility, such as venison paired with shitake mushrooms or black cod sprinkled with ginger sprouts and miso. Plus, there’s live music Wednesday to Saturday nights so you can hit the dance floor with locals and tourists alike.

Fondueboden

A cheap and cheerful hole-in-the-wall where you choose your basic ingredients (meat, vegetables, fish) and fondue base, dip in your fork and devour. A dish is around A$30 and your chosen morsels are topped up as you eat so it’s impossible to leave with an empty belly. This dinner is best enjoyed with friends and family.