Must-see restaurants in Sweden

  • Ekstedt

    Stockholm

    Dining here is as much an experience as a meal. Chef Niklas Ekstedt's education in French and Italian cooking informs his approach to traditional…

  • Thörnströms Kök

    Gothenburg

    Classic technique, flawless presentation and a creative approach to local, seasonal ingredients helped chef Håkan earn his Michelin star. Hidden away in a…

  • Rutabaga

    Stockholm

    At Rutabaga, celebrity chef Mathias Dahlgren pushes vegetarian cuisine into the realm of art: the menu features vividly colourful salads and other unusual…

  • Kryp In

    Gamla Stan

    Small but perfectly formed, this spot wows diners with creative takes on traditional Swedish dishes. Expect the likes of salmon carpaccio, Kalix roe,…

  • Jay Fu's

    Uppsala

    Fusion doesn't always work, but while some of the combinations here sound mildly indigestible – like mac and cheese with grilled lobster, truffles and bok…

  • Icehotel Restaurant

    Lappland

    Locally sourced ingredients, international twists and beautiful plating make for a culinary trifecta at the Icehotel's dining room and cocktail bar…

  • Finnhamns Café & Krog

    Stockholm Archipelago

    The kitchen and service at Finnhamns Krog, steps away from the ferry dock, are top notch: classy yet comfortable, and capable of transforming seafood into…

  • Magasinet Härön

    Bohuslän

    Within a stone’s throw of the sea in an 1847 fisherman’s magasinet (depot), this seafood star is located…

  • Bolaget

    Visby

    Take a defunct Systembolaget (state-owned alcohol shop), chip the ‘System’ off the signage, and reinvent the space as a buzzing, French bistro–inspired…

  • Salt & Sill

    Bohuslän

    Waterside Salt & Sill, attached to a floating boutique hotel, is one of the best seafood restaurants in the region (which is saying something), with an…

  • Grands Verandan

    Stockholm

    Head here, inside the Grand Hôtel, for the famous smörgåsbord – especially during the Christmas holidays, when it becomes even more elaborate …

  • Namu

    Malmö

    Brainchild of Masterchef Sweden winner Jennie Walldén, Namu (meaning 'tree') serves up artfully prepared Korean dishes adapted according to the…

  • Skanörs Fiskrögeri

    Skåne

    By the harbour, this marine-chic restaurant is a must for seafood lovers, as its harbourside location and white smokehouse chimneys attest. The fish soup…

  • Arjeplog Vilt & Kafé

    Lappland

    Just over from the museum, this place has it all, from snacks to dried salmon, reindeer pelts, sausages and souvenirs for sale. Don't miss the special…

  • Güntherska

    Uppsala

    An 1870 grande dame of a cafe that enjoys an exemplary position with terraced seating across from the river, and an elegant interior with regency-style…

  • St Jakobs Stenugnsbageri

    Lund

    Mouth-watering is the only way to describe the selection of stone-baked breads, knotted cardamom rolls, melt-in-your-mouth coconut-lemon towers and crisp…

  • Surfers

    Visby

    Not your normal Chinese restaurant abroad, the speciality here is Szechuan finger food designed to share and ranging from Chinese dumplings to traditional…

  • Krakas Krog

    Gotland

    The owners of Krakas Krog make a point of sourcing their ingredients from Gotland’s fields, woods and sea, including frogs’ legs direct from the garden…

  • Johan P

    Malmö

    Old-timer Johan P continues to enthral diners with its fresh-off-the-boat seafood. Choose your fishy favourite from the market-style counter out back or…

  • Brygghuset

    Bohuslän

    Across the estuary from the Fiskebäckskil ferry terminal, this celebrated waterfront restaurant is lauded for its superb fish dishes that taste so fresh…

  • Nya Skafferiet

    Southern Sweden

    Worldly Mediterranean cafe right behind the main square. There is a superb lunch buffet, as well as a well-stocked deli offering a bounty of cheeses,…

  • Hembygdsgården Cafe & Museum

    Lappland

    Head to the Storuman tourist office to get directions here or you'll never find it. On one of the islands out in the lake, reached by a causeway, you'll…

  • Saltimporten Canteen

    Malmö

    This wonderfully minimalist open canteen housed in the old Salt Importing Warehouse, now a haven of creative and design offices, has polished concrete…

  • Martin Bergmans Fisk

    Lappland

    This smokery at the junction of E45 and the Vildmarksvägen, 3km north of Vilhelmina, is so popular that even the Inlandsbanan train stops twice a day to…

  • Ájtte Museum Restaurant

    Lappland

    This Sami restaurant makes it possible to enhance what you’ve learned about the local wildlife by sampling some of it – from suovas (smoked and salted…

  • Wägga Fisk & Delikatessrökeri

    Southern Sweden

    This bright and cheery seafood restaurant sits on a picturesque harbour about 2.5km from the centre of town – a pleasant 30-minute stroll. Choose from the…

  • Sandskogens Värdshus

    Skåne

    Under the tutelage of one of Sweden's most highly regarded chefs, Daniel Müllern, this restaurant serves up exquisite five-course dinners served in an…

  • Mat & Destillat

    Lund

    This high-end experimental kitchen and cocktail bar is turning heads on the Scanian culinary circuit for its artful, inventive locavore dishes offering…

  • Johan's Krog

    Bohuslän

    Johan the chef tantalises with the likes of cod loin in shellfish sauce with a scallop-lemon confit, mussels with fennel, or pan-seared sole with beets…

  • Gourmet Grön

    Southern Sweden

    This waterside award-winner serves vast, healthy, tasty buffets with a strong emphasis on organic and vegetarian food, offering excellent value. You can…

  • Lilla Bjers Farm Pub

    Visby

    About 7km southwest of Visby, Lilla Bjers is an award-winning farm eatery with a great outdoorsy feel, locavore food (as local as home-grown can be!),…

  • Hans På Hörnet

    Lappland

    This very local spot has a popular buffet lunch (90kr), and also serves up inexpensive salads, sandwiches and pies. This is the place to try palt, a…

  • Kafferummet Storken

    Uppsala

    From a nondescript entrance on Stora Torget, stairs lead to this sprawling hideaway, its eclectically furnished rooms seemingly stuck in time. Order at…

  • Crêperie Tati

    Gotland

    Folks line up 20-deep for the tasty sweet and savoury crêpes served at this boho/hippy/cowboy/hipster ranch with its quirky collectibles and small garden…

  • Kopparhattan

    Dalarna

    An excellent choice is this funky, arty cafe-restaurant in the Dalarnas Museum complex. Choose from sandwiches, soup or a good buffet including vegetarian…

  • Moon Thai Kitchen

    Gothenburg

    The owners have opted for a 'Thailand' theme and decided to run with it a few miles, hence the kaleidoscopic whirl of tuktuks, flowers and bamboo…

  • Surf Shack

    Malmö

    Enjoy a surfing-dude theme and a menu of top-range burgers, including a vegie option of tofu and black beans, 'no roll' (wrapped in lettuce) and healthy…

  • Flickorna Lundgren På Skäret

    Skåne

    Signposted off the main road between Arild and Jonstorp, this is a huge, justifiably famous cafe in a gorgeous garden setting. Grab a large plate of…

  • Gärdens Café & Vedugn

    Skåne

    Head for the outside terrace with its mini maze, riot of flowers and pretty tiled tables. A former cafe (the cinnamon rolls still sell out fast), the thin…

  • Eatery Social Taqueria

    Malmö

    This fun, boutique taqueria belonging to Swedish celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson's stable serves the best Tex-Mex small plates you'll get this side of…

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