Stockholm Recommendations

Area: Djurgården
"Walk In. Dance Out."

Because of course. When in Rome. 😊 Fun, interactive museum with scene costumes, memorabilia, and a recreated recording studio. This is also the home of the Swedish Music Hall of Fame and Eurovision exhibits. I recommend taking the boat commute from Old Town's Skeppsbrokajen to the Gröna Lund pier to get here.

Area: Old Town

Viking-themed restaurant and bar, named after the legendary Viking ship Aifur – which in turn was named after the biggest and most dangerous rapid that the Northmen faced on their journeys to Constantinople. The menu (great mead selection) results from research about life, food, and culture from the years 700-1100.

The owner was a popular Eurodisco artist in the 90s. Is it a bit of a tourist trap? Absolutely. But the execution is solid, the food is very good, and it is 100% an experience.

Area: Södermalm
"Vampire-free Bar!"

100% garlic-based menu. From appetizers to desserts, including beer and shots, all you get on your plate is garlic in all its forms and combinations. "So what if one does not like garlic? Just drop by and have fun trying one (or more) of the 101 shots. Maybe the most famous Tony Montana, for cinema buffs, or No Fear So Far for the bravest. My choice? No. 36: Harley Davidson Oil."

From here, it's also close to Soldaten Švejk (The Soldier Švejk), my favorite Czech-style beer place in Stockholm. I rarely go to one and not the other.

Area: Djurgården

This is the halfway point on the 5-mile walk around incredibly picturesque Djurgården. Have coffee, pastries, or a light lunch while watching the Baltic ferries slowly go by. Run by the same family for over 50 years, friendly service, fresh food, and with a priceless view.

Area: Old Town

Café situated in historic cellar vaults where infamous Swedish officer and assassin Jacob Johan Anckarström was arrested for the murder of King Gustav III in 1792. There were previously secret passages to the Royal Palace and Stockholm Cathedral from these vaults that were used for storing supplies for Royal soldiers during the First World War. Great café. Great atmosphere. It is easy to imagine medieval shenanigans taking place here.

Area: Old Town

Best Italian-style espresso bar in Stockholm. Possibly in all of Sweden. Serves my favorite espresso brand by a wide margin, Filicori Zecchini, which can't be found in any other café in Stockholm. Say hi to the owner, Christer, for me. 😊👋

Area: Östermalm

"Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt keeps the fire alive in Ekstedt’s pre-electric Scandinavian kitchen, which doesn’t include gas stoves or electric tools. Expect grilled, smoked, boiled, broiled, and baked seafood, meat, and veggies from his huge fire pit and wood-fired oven."

I haven't had a chance to visit, but it is way up high on my bucket list.

Area: Slussen
Photo: Svenska Brasserier / Beatrice Graalheim

"The Gondola, the restaurant in the sky with one of Stockholm's best views, and the vibe is predictably chaotic. Through the wall-to-wall windows, the Mälaren waters glitter in the sunlight."

Always solid. My first favorite place to get a strawberry margarita. 😊

Area: Central

"The Hallwyl Museum was originally built as a private residence in 1893-1898 for Count and Countess Walther and Wilhelmina von Hallwyl. Almost at the outset Wilhelmina had the idea to preserve her home and collections for posterity, and she embarked upon an ambitious project of cataloguing every object in the house. From kitchen equipment and personal possession to works of art – each item was numbered, photographed and meticulously described by Wilhelmina and her staff of assistants and experts. The house with all its contents was donated to the nation, and the museum opened in 1938, with everything maintained exactly as the last day the Halwyls' lived there."

This home was the set for Ingmar Bergman's Oscar-winning movie Fanny & Alexander. The Hallwyl were among the first Swedes to install electricity, a phone, a water closet, and more, so it is such an amazing snapshot in time, made possible by Sweden's most famous packrat.

Area: Central Station
The original ice bar. Fun 30 min.

"The planet’s first permanent ice bar, made of ice from the world-famous Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Lapland. Everything except the liquids in the drinks is made of ice, and the temperature is kept at a constant 23 degrees Fahrenheit."

Area: Södermalm

"Traditional cuisine since 1908. Kvarnen serves carefully prepared traditional cuisine from all over Sweden – maintained and refined through generations."

My favorite place to get the best version of traditional Swedish food. This is a place where you can get moose, reindeer, pickled herring platter with paired aquavit flights, etc. Up front is a pretty busy and noisy beer hall, so ask for a table in the dining area next to the back bar for a cozier experience.

Area: Södermalm
The postcard views of Stockholm.

Monteliusvägen is a picturesque walking path located near Slussen in Stockholm. It offers stunning panoramic views of the city’s skyline, including iconic landmarks such as the City Hall, Gamla Stan (the Old Town), Riddarholmen Church, and Lake Mälaren.

Area: Södermalm

"Mosebacketerrassen is not your sky-high rooftop bar, but rather a large terrace up on a hill offering fantastic views over Lake Mälaren, Gröna Lund, and parts of Södermalm and the Old Town. One of the largest and most popular roof terraces in Stockholm during the summer."

This theater terrace has an amazing view and is one of my favorite outdoors hangouts. Chat up with strangers on the communal wooden benches or challenge someone to a game of boule.

Area: Central

Tunnbrödsrulle (thin bread roll) is arguably Sweden's favorite late night post-party food. Here's a video of when Anthony Bourdain tried one at another place, but I like the ones from here better. 😊

Area: Central
Photo: Samuel Unéus/Operakällaren

"Operakällaren (the opera cellar) has a fantastic history that dates back to 1787 when Gustaf III allowed the serving of beer to the court servants and theater people in the basement of the Opera House he had built five years earlier. The wings of history still resonate in the atmosphere of our cultural landmark. Still, it is also a house of innovation and opportunities with four restaurants, a cocktail bar, a wine cellar, and banquet halls."

Michelin Star dining in the Opera House in Central Stockholm. An institution that never goes out of style.

Area: Djurgården

"Skillful gardening, biodynamic philosophy, and a mere 10-minute remove from downtown make the vegetables from this urban farm a dream choice for the best chefs in town. Stroll around the beautiful plantations and the apple and pear orchards, pay a visit to the stone-oven bakery, and do lunch in the large, light greenhouse cafe."

I love this area. I always made a point to go here every summer when I lived in Stockholm. Just getting here is a beautiful experience, as the whole Djurgården island used to be a Royal equestrian leisure park.

Area: Old Town
"Sixth Barrel"

Medieval-style tavern in a 17th-century vault. It serves time-typical food like roasted piglet and more, music, and drinks. Every year when I visit, I meet up with friends here to share a few jugs of their own "homemade" braggot mead. I love this place, as there is nothing like it here in the U.S.

Area: Djurgården
Photo by Pwagenblast - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

"Skansen is the world’s oldest open-air museum and was founded in 1891. Here you can experience everything from music, dance and traditions to old historical environments and Nordic animals. Skansen features historical environments and buildings from all over the country. Check out our bookable viewings and go on a guided tour to find out what it was like to live in Sweden in the old days."

This is straight up time-travel. There is staff dressed up in time typical clothes doing chores in the different cabins, houses, and stores, that you can ask about "their" life at the time. There is also a little zoo with animals native to Scandinavia.

Area: Östermalm

"Knowledge of history provides keys to other worlds. At The Swedish History Museum, you will experience dramatic life stories, power struggles, love, celebration, and everyday life from the ice age to the present day. We are passionate about the history of Sweden and how history affects society."

This is where I go to get my Viking age fix, but don't miss "the Gold Room," where gold collars from the migration period, silver pendants from the Viking period, reliquaries decorated with gemstones from the Middle Ages, and other amazing objects are on display. Sweden has had legislation to protect antiquities since the 17th century, which is the reason for the unusually large number of gold and silver objects that have been preserved.

Area: Djurgården

"The Vasa ship capsized and sank in Stockholm 1628. After 333 years on the seabed, the mighty warship was salvaged, and the voyage could continue. Today, Vasa is the world's only preserved 17th-century ship."

Quite an astonishing journey back in time at Sweden's most visited museum. The crew wax recreations are eerily lifelike.

Area: Old Town

Great Irish pub. Like the TARDIS in Doctor Who – seemingly larger on the inside than on the outside. It looks tiny from the street, but the stairs in the back take you downstairs to the medieval vault with a surprising amount of nooks and crannies.

Area: Östermalm

"Östermalm Market Hall has been an institution ever since it opened in the beautiful brick building on Östermalmstorg in 1888. Stroll around the counters packed with fresh fish, meat, sweets, and traditional delicacies or have a seat at one of the many restaurants or wine bars for some people watching. Östermalmshallen houses 18 traders, many of which have been here for generations."