4 Best Restaurants in Stockholm, Sweden

Chef Björn Frantzén creates exquisite dishes using imagination, passion, and a little science—a combination that has earned his restaurant Sweden’s first (and so far only) Michelin three-star rating. The extensive tasting menu, which changes daily, is the only option, so eating here is extremely expensive but also unforgettable. Every meal begins in the lounge bar with appetizers, then moves to the downstairs dining room, where chefs present every dish personally. The experience concludes with dessert back in the lounge bar. Wine and non-alcoholic pairing menus are available, though you can also order separately off the huge wine list. Note that reservations for the following month are released at 10 am local time on the first day of each month, and you need to be quick to snatch one up.

On the island of Lilla Essingen, just off the western end of Kungsholmen, this former Electrolux household appliance factory (hence the name) is now a farm-to-table bistro serving delicious Swedish cuisine. Chef-owner Henrik Norström and his team use seasonal Swedish produce (listing its source wherever possible), which they then prepare with creative, modern twists to produce outstanding dishes. The decor is simple yet elegant, with light flooding the restaurant through enormous windows during the day. In fine weather, meals are also served on the outdoor terrace overlooking the water.

Located inside the Grand Hôtel, this informal bistro has large windows, colorful floor tiles, and a horseshoe-shaped bar that together create an atmosphere of casual elegance. The menu changes frequently and focuses on Swedish and international dishes such as salted cod, lamb, seared beef, and arctic char, beautifully prepared using fresh Scandinavian ingredients. Portion sizes are moderate, so guests typically order more than one dish.

This massive restaurant with two huge bars is a complete social, architectural, and dining experience that surrounds you with wood paneling, leather chairs and sofas, and distinctive lighting fixtures. In the elegant dining room, fine Swedish cuisine is served, but the scene is as much social as culinary. There's a bar directly facing Stureplan, where you can sit on a summer night and watch Stockholmers gather at the nearby Svampen (the mushroom-like concrete structure that has been the city's meeting point for years). Upstairs are two bars that fill well into the night with young people and loud music.