Foodie Finds: 4 Great Places to Eat in Stockholm

Indian Garden

Living in Seattle for so many years, I was able to try many different types of food ranging from Vietnamese to Italian, but one of my absolute favorites is Indian cuisine.  I can say that I love Indian food and everything about it, especially the spices and the flavors.  To me, it feels very different from what I had growing up as a child in my small town in Eastern Washington so every time I have it it feels like a luxurious treat.  When I first moved to Stockholm, I was on the lookout for a good authentic Indian restaurant where I could enjoy those flavors that I had long been missing.  With so many Indian restaurants in Stockholm to choose from I must say that Indian Garden is my absolute favorite, after having tried many different Indian restaurants around Stockholm.  Indian Garden features a wide array of dishes from tandoori to curry as well as the usual items found in almost every Indian restaurant so there is always something for everyone.  Vegetarians will be happy to know that there are several choices to choose from and meat eaters will delight in the many Indian specialities ranging from mild to spicy.  If you come for dinner you can enjoy one of the several "before dinner drinks" to choose from on the menu.  Last time I had dinner there I had a champagne glass while my boyfriend tried one of their speciality cocktails, Goa Collins.

The original restaurant is in Hornstull (Heleneborgsgatan, 15), a very small place yet quite cozy, perfect for an evening out or to stop by and eat lunch.  The second location is near Medborgplatsen (Västgötagatan, 18) and was newly renovated this year.  It went from a bit of a drab dark place to a beautiful open and light filled restaurant where you are able to see into the kitchen while they are making food.  That being said, prices did go up a bit but the food and quality did not change one bit.  It is still hands down my favorite Indian restaurant in Stockholm.  Many new curries have been added to the menu, since reopening.  I had the pleasure of trying the vegetarian Mango Paneer Masala and I can still taste it whenever I think about it, it was that good!   I had friends visiting this weekend from Italy so I decided to take them there for lunch.  They have daily lunch specials, which are about half the price of the dinner menu.  My friends chose the tandoori chicken and chicken tikka masala while I had the vegetarian gryta and none of our dishes disappointed!  We all loved our lunch, including the three side orders of garlic nann bread!

Blå Porten

When the weather is nice, one of my all time favorites things to do in Stockholm is take the ferry out to the archipelago (as you might have read in my archipelago series), so when the sun is shining I also enjoy taking the ferry from Slussen to Djurgården, which is another island that makes up the city of Stockholm.  From there you can spend a lovely afternoon walking around the island and enjoying the nature.  Unfortunately when I chose to take the ferry the other day and spend the afternoon in Djurgården with my friends it was cold and windy, so we were not up for walking around the island all day.  Instead we decided to have lunch at a Swedish restaurant called Blå Porten (Djurgårdsvägen 64), which is on your left when you get off of the ferry.   The restaurant dates back to the 1600's and is easily distinguished with its iron blue gate out front.  It almost looks like a secret garden from the outside, as it is almost completely walled in.  Walking by you might never know this is truly a hidden gem.  

Every time I have out of town guests I always take them here because it serves great traditional Swedish food in a very homey atmosphere.  In the summertime or when the sun is out you can sit out in the garden surrounded by beautiful flowers and the birds singing.  When it's cold out you can cozy up to one of the many tables inside complete with candle light (day and night).  The food changes seasonally so you are always guaranteed to have food that is both fresh and in season.  At Blå Porten you can always find the Swedish classics, such as meatballs with boiled potatoes and lingonberries, sill, salmon as well as soups, salads and a few vegetarian options.   Besides serving up wonderful home cooking, they also have a large selection of home baked goodies perfect for dessert or for your afternoon fika (coffee break).  You can choose from kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), apple pie, cookies and much more!  If your dessert is still not sweet enough, there is always vanilla sauce and whipped cream standing by to ensure every bite you take is decadent.  My friends were very keen on trying Swedish meatballs so they both ordered the same thing while I went for the cheese and spinach quiche. I am happy to say that my friends loved every bite including the Swedish knäckebröd (hard bread) and they said that the meatballs surpassed their expectations.  My quiche was perfectly cheesy and filled with spinach in every bite and served alongside a fresh garden salad.  I have come here many times for the quiche but have enjoyed soups and salads over the years as well.  I highly recommend coming here with or without out of town guests and enjoying the atmosphere and food that Blå Porten has to offer!

Blå Dörren

Looking for yet another great Swedish restaurant to take an out of town guest to (or in my case two), well look no further because Blå Dörren Ölhall oct Matsal, more commonly known as Blå Dörren, is where you need to take them.   Blå Dörren (Sodermalmstorg, 6) is located in Slussen, right next to the Hilton Hotel in a building that dates back to the 16th century.  I am a little bit embarrassed to write that after more than three years living in Stockholm I had never been to Blå Dörren.  It is apparently a very popular restaurant serving traditional Swedish food and it is always booked in the evenings.  We decided to make a reservation for Friday night and take our Italian house guests there for dinner hoping it would provide them with an authentic Swedish experience.  Thank goodness that we did make reservations because the restaurant was packed solid when we arrived at 19.00.

Blå Dörren's menu consists of traditional Swedish food and drinks.  The rustic decor inside gives you the feeling that you have stepped back in time and are eating alongside vikings.  The tables are made out of wood and covered with checkered tablecloths.  In the evening, the lights are dimmed and candles are lit on both the tables and the walls.  As soon as you order you are served a delicious bread basket full of homemade bread and knäckebröd (hard bread) served alongside a very unique red beet whipped butter.  One of the best things about this restaurant is their extensive Swedish beer collection.  Besides the usual standard light beers you find at most restaurants and bars, you will also find lesser known Swedish beers including dark and wheat beers.  The menu caters to meat and fish lovers but it is unfortunately not the best place to dine if you are a vegetarian like myself.  There was only one vegetarian starter and the daily vegetarian plate, which I wasn't crazy for. 

I went ahead and ordered the chèvre served on a bed of greens with a balsamic reduction and pine nuts appetizer.  Thankfully, the bread basket was large enough for me to have several pieces of bread and make it a full meal including the glass of bubbly I ordered.  My friends split the sill plate, in which the sill was prepared in four different ways as well as Pytt i Panna (fried potatoes, meat, onions and sausage finely chopped) and the Elk meatballs with potatoes and lingonberries for their main courses.  My boyfriend went for his favorite, the flask file served with bacon and mushrooms and he ordered a large dark wheat beer from Gotland (an island south of Stockholm).  For his appetizer he ordered the caviar on toast served next to a tasty salad.  Of course we had to have dessert and wanted our friends to try something Swedish so we ordered the vanilla ice cream with cloudberry sauce and it was amazing!  I would definitely order this dessert again!   My friends loved their meal and said it was one of the best places they had eaten it at in Stockholm!  I too enjoyed my salad and the atmosphere that Blå Dörren provided us for dinner including the wide selection of speciality Swedish beers!  I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun evening out in the heart of the city.  You are sure to find good food and drinks in this fine establishment built five centuries ago.

Tysta Mari

One of my favorite places to grab lunch when I am in town is Hötorgshallen, which is one of the three food halls located in Stockholm.  I love going there for the sheer fact that there is something for everyone and you can choose from many different cuisines ranging from Tunisian to Japanese and many more.  You can either grab something to go or sit down, depending on if you have the time for a leisurely lunch.  Being a creature of habit, I tend to eat at the same place (La Gazelle) each time, which perhaps makes me a bit boring but sometimes it is good to stick with what you know you like, as it never disappoints! 

Still having my friends  here from Italy, we started our day early walking around the city sightseeing so by the early afternoon we started to get very hungry and decided a lunch stop was in order.    One of my friends was looking for a place to eat salmon while the other wanted something meaty.  I naturally thought of Hötorgshallen but not knowing where to go to please both of them, I thought it was best to call my boyfriend and get his recommendation on where to take them.  He tipped us to Tysta Mari, which is located in Östermalms Saluhall (Östermalmstorg), and said that was the place I should take them to.   We ventured over there for lunch, making it a nice change from my usual food hall!  I had not been there in a while and I forgot how beautiful it is inside.  Tysta Mari is best known for their specialties in fish and seafood, but they also have meat dishes on their menu.    If you are busy and on the run you can take your food to go or if you were like us and had the time, sit down and eat at their restaurant.  We chose to sit down so we could relax our tired bodies and enjoy a long lunch.

I was a bit nervous about eating here as I had a feeling that the vegetarian options would be quite limited but it proved to be fine.  Included during lunch time is a small salad, and a selection of homemade breads, my favorite being the apricot walnut.  My friends went for a salmon plate and the meat loaf while I had the vegetarian stuffed gorgonzola pasta (the only vegetarian item on the menu).  Both of my friends loved their dishes and enjoyed the atmosphere  of Östermalms Saluhall's old world feel as we sat their chatting the afternoon away.  I too enjoyed my dish but felt very limited having only one item to choose from, the highlight for me was the large amount of bread I ate in addition to my pasta.  Being a vegetarian, I would probably not go back but I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are into fish and/or seafood.  If you enjoy their food as much as my friends did, then you might also consider using them the next time you need catering for a large event or party!

Talia Klundt is the Europe Editor for Wandering Educators

All photos courtesy and copyright Talia Klundt