Where to eat in Stockholm
Stockholm eats Swedish: meatballs with lingonberries, open-faced shrimp sandwiches, fish from the market halls and a cinnamon bun with coffee. The best value is the weekday lunch special, called dagens rätt. Book dinner ahead, and expect to pay more than in most cities.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- Södermalm for relaxed dinners and Norrmalm for old Swedish dining rooms.
- Order this
- Meatballs, a cinnamon bun with coffee, and a shrimp sandwich from a market hall.
- When to eat
- Weekday lunch from 11:00 to 14:00, dinner from 6pm. Fika, the coffee and cake break, is any time.
- Book or walk in
- Book dinner at classic restaurants. Cafes and market halls take walk-ins.
- Tipping
- Service is included. Rounding up is welcome, not expected.
What to eat in Stockholm
- KöttbullarSwedish meatballs, served with cream sauce, potatoes and lingonberry jam. The standard order at a classic restaurant.
- KanelbulleA cinnamon bun, the center of fika. Buy one from a bakery with coffee.
- RäksmörgåsAn open sandwich piled with prawns, mayonnaise, egg and dill, found at cafes and market halls.
- GravlaxCured salmon with dill and mustard sauce, served on bread or with potatoes.
- Biff RydbergDiced beef, potato and onion with a raw egg yolk and pickled beetroot. A classic dish of old Stockholm dining rooms.
- WallenbergareA veal patty with cream, breadcrumbs, potato purée and lingonberries.
- KladdkakaA dense, sticky chocolate cake, eaten with cream at fika.
Where to eat in Stockholm, by neighborhood
Södermalm
Cafes, bars and relaxed restaurants around Mariatorget and SoFo. Best for an informal dinner.
Norrmalm and the city center
Old Swedish restaurants and cafes on the streets around Drottninggatan and Mäster Samuelsgatan, and the Hötorgshallen market hall. Good for lunch.
Östermalm
The Saluhall food hall and smart restaurants near Strandvägen. Dearer, and good for fish.
Djurgården
Garden cafes and a lunch spot between museums, best in the warmer months.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Pelikan
krkrSwedish beer hall · Södermalm
OrderThe hand-rolled meatballs
A beer hall on Blekingegatan with classic Swedish dishes, open from late morning until 1am. It has a weekday lunch special.
- Book
- Book online or by phone
Confirmed open: pelikan.se
-
Restaurang Prinsen
krkrkrClassic Swedish restaurant · Norrmalm
OrderMeatballs or Wallenbergare
A Mäster Samuelsgatan dining room that has served Swedish food since 1897, with meatballs and Biff Rydberg as house dishes.
- Book
- Book online
Confirmed open: restaurangprinsen.se
-
Vete-Katten
krCafe and bakery · Norrmalm
OrderA cinnamon bun and coffee
A traditional cafe on Kungsgatan for pastries and fika, with a counter for cakes and sandwiches.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: vetekatten.se
-
Rosendals Trädgårdskafé
krkrGarden cafe · Djurgården
OrderSoup or a sandwich and a cinnamon bun
A cafe and bakery in a working garden on Djurgården, open from 11:00 to 16:00 every day. Best in dry weather.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: rosendalstradgard.se
Food markets in Stockholm
- Östermalms SaluhallA historic food hall for fish, cheese, charcuterie and prawn sandwiches, with places to sit and eat.Monday to Friday 9:30 to 19:00, Saturday 9:30 to 17:00Source: ostermalmshallen.se
- HötorgshallenA two-floor hall of fish, cheese, game and street food from many countries. Cheaper than Östermalm.Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 19:00 upstairs, Friday to 20:00, Saturday to 17:00. Closed SundaySource: hotorgshallen.se
How Stockholm eats
- Meal timesLunch from 11:00 and dinner from 6pm. Many restaurants stop serving lunch at 14:00.
- Dagens rättA weekday lunch special at a set price, often with bread, salad and coffee. The best value meal in the city.
- FikaA coffee and sweet break, often twice a day. A cinnamon bun and a filter coffee is the standard order.
- TippingService is included. Rounding up or adding a few percent for good service is welcome.
- AlcoholWine, spirits and strong beer are sold in state shops called Systembolaget, with limited hours. Restaurants and bars add a large mark-up.
Signs of a place to walk past
A Gamla Stan restaurant with a tout and a menu board in six languages.
A meatball plate that is the same price as the main course at a good restaurant.
A bakery that bakes nothing on site and sells only wrapped buns.
A Västerlånggatan terrace with the same menu as the one next door.
Eating in Stockholm: questions people ask
What food is Stockholm known for?
Meatballs with lingonberries, cinnamon buns, shrimp sandwiches, gravlax and the weekday lunch special.
Where should I eat in Stockholm?
Södermalm for dinner, Norrmalm for classic lunches, and the market halls for a quick bite.
Is food expensive in Stockholm?
Yes. Lunch specials, market halls and bakeries are the cheaper options.
Do I need to book in Stockholm?
For dinner and popular restaurants, yes. Cafes and market halls take walk-ins.
What is fika?
A coffee and cake break, a daily habit in Sweden. Try a cinnamon bun.
Is tipping expected in Stockholm?
No. Service is included, and rounding up is welcome.