Restaurant Nook

Last week I had a Concierge colleague visiting from Denmark. She celebrated her birthday during her visit and she wanted to go out and eat somewhere special. I decided on the restaurant Nook! The restaurant hasn't been open very long, but has already garnered a lot of good press & rave reviews and I was eager to try it. One reason for the positive reviews is the fact that this charming, neighborhood restaurant manages to offer a great gastronomic experience at humane prices in a relaxed setting. Love that!

Appetizer

The kitchen's concept is also very interesting. While they do ride on the wave of the trendy New Nordic cuisine, they also add Asian influences to the dishes in an intelligent and interesting way. For example, in the dishes you will find ingredients like wasabi, nashi pear, rice noodles and hoisin sauce alongside seasonal, local produce.

Casual ambiance.

The menu is a bit limited. Besides "snacks" they have two set 3-course menus. You are, however, allowed to mix between the two or just order a part of the set menu. I opted for the menu that consisted of lightly seared scallop (with pickled daikon, hollandaise and Chinese spinach) as the appetizer, followed by lamb roast beef (with celeriac, crispy black kale and hazelnut butter) for the main course and licorice ice cream (with rasberries and roasted white chocolate) for dessert. Delicious!

Main course...

The restaurant is located on Södermalm, the same island as the Rival Hotel, near the SoFo district. Nook is not a large restaurant and is quite popular... so booking in advance is recommended. If you are staying at the hotel, contact me for help. Click here to see my other recent restaurant visits...

...and dessert.

Restaurant Nook

Posted by zlatin

Last week I had a Concierge colleague visiting from Denmark. She celebrated her birthday during her visit and she wanted to go out and eat somewhere special. I decided on the restaurant Nook! The restaurant hasn't been open very long, but has already garnered a lot of good press & rave reviews and I was eager to try it. One reason for the positive reviews is the fact that this charming, neighborhood restaurant manages to offer a great gastronomic experience at humane prices in a relaxed setting. Love that!

Appetizer

The kitchen's concept is also very interesting. While they do ride on the wave of the trendy New Nordic cuisine, they also add Asian influences to the dishes in an intelligent and interesting way. For example, in the dishes you will find ingredients like wasabi, nashi pear, rice noodles and hoisin sauce alongside seasonal, local produce.

Casual ambiance.

The menu is a bit limited. Besides "snacks" they have two set 3-course menus. You are, however, allowed to mix between the two or just order a part of the set menu. I opted for the menu that consisted of lightly seared scallop (with pickled daikon, hollandaise and Chinese spinach) as the appetizer, followed by lamb roast beef (with celeriac, crispy black kale and hazelnut butter) for the main course and licorice ice cream (with rasberries and roasted white chocolate) for dessert. Delicious!

Main course...

The restaurant is located on Södermalm, the same island as the Rival Hotel, near the SoFo district. Nook is not a large restaurant and is quite popular... so booking in advance is recommended. If you are staying at the hotel, contact me for help. Click here to see my other recent restaurant visits...

...and dessert.

Autumn Farmers' Market

Entrance to market on the street Katarina Bangata.

One good way to get a feel for a city and people is to visit a local market. Here you can experience the local sights, sounds, tastes and maybe even get a unique souvenir to take home with you. Today, during my lunch break, I took a walk with a friend and visited the popular Farmers' Market ("Bondens Egen Marknad"). You probably already know the concept of a farmers' market, but just in case... these are markets where local farmers bring their produce to town to sell directly to the public. The produce is often ecologically friendly and grown in the surrounding area.

Some of the produce sold... 

Besides things like fresh vegetables, fruits and berries (hard to take home with you as a tourist), you will also find jams, jellies, honey, sausages, flowers and fresh bread. There are several vendors also selling lunch... I saw one lady making salmon crepes. A couple of popular food trucks are parked nearby as well. But even if you are not hungry or looking to purchase items, it is nice to just stroll and soak up the atmosphere.

The mushroom table!

This particular farmers' market is located in the nearby Sofo neighborhood, just a 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel. The autumn market is open between 10am and 3pm, every Saturday in August, & September and the first three Saturdays in October. Looking for food markets on other days? Don't miss one of Stockholm's great indoor food markets!

A popular market.

Autumn Farmers' Market

Posted by zlatin

Entrance to market on the street Katarina Bangata.

One good way to get a feel for a city and people is to visit a local market. Here you can experience the local sights, sounds, tastes and maybe even get a unique souvenir to take home with you. Today, during my lunch break, I took a walk with a friend and visited the popular Farmers' Market ("Bondens Egen Marknad"). You probably already know the concept of a farmers' market, but just in case... these are markets where local farmers bring their produce to town to sell directly to the public. The produce is often ecologically friendly and grown in the surrounding area.

Some of the produce sold... 

Besides things like fresh vegetables, fruits and berries (hard to take home with you as a tourist), you will also find jams, jellies, honey, sausages, flowers and fresh bread. There are several vendors also selling lunch... I saw one lady making salmon crepes. A couple of popular food trucks are parked nearby as well. But even if you are not hungry or looking to purchase items, it is nice to just stroll and soak up the atmosphere.

The mushroom table!

This particular farmers' market is located in the nearby Sofo neighborhood, just a 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel. The autumn market is open between 10am and 3pm, every Saturday in August, & September and the first three Saturdays in October. Looking for food markets on other days? Don't miss one of Stockholm's great indoor food markets!

A popular market.

Thai Restaurant: Koh Phangan

Stockholm, Thailand?

Now for something a little different! When it comes to eating out in Stockholm, it isn't all about Michelin star, Nordic cuisine hotspots. Just about every world cuisine is represented in Stockholm's culinary scene: Italian, Japanese, Greek, American, French, Indian, South American, etc. One of the most popular is Thai cuisine. Thailand has long been the top tourist destination for sun crazed Swedes and, because of this, there has been a healthy exchange of culture and peoples between the two countires. There are Thai massage salons and Thai restaurants found throughout the city.

Nua Pat Kratiam

One restaurant which has long been Stockholm's most popular Thai restaurant is Koh Phangan with their catch phrase "same, same, but different". Stockholmers have flocked here for years, not only for good, inexpensive Thai food but also for the ambiance. The restaurant is decorated just like a beach-side restaurant on an island in Thailand with blinking lamps, bright colors and questionable (taste-wise) bamboo decor. This is probably as far from Nordic minimalism as you can get... which is probably why Swedes find it so exotic.

Thai wall decoration?

 The original restaurant is located in the SoFo neighborhood, a hop, skip and a jump from the Rival Hotel. However, they recently opened at a second location in the Östermalm neighborhood. It was this restaurant I recently visited with a friend. Good food & prices! They used to not take table reservations, just drop-in guests... but they recently changed ownership and now they seem to be more willing to take reservations. Another fun option for Thai cuisine in Stockholm is the Thai Boat. This is an actual boat, moored along the southern waterfront of Södermalm. Less "blinking lights" decor than Koh Phangan, it still has a taste of authenticity with its own man-made beach adjacent to the bar. During the summers Stockholmers come here to put their feet in the sand, drink cocktails and relive their recent vacation in Thailand. Click for other restaurant reviews.

Beach at the Thai Boat...

Thai Restaurant: Koh Phangan

Posted by zlatin

Stockholm, Thailand?

Now for something a little different! When it comes to eating out in Stockholm, it isn't all about Michelin star, Nordic cuisine hotspots. Just about every world cuisine is represented in Stockholm's culinary scene: Italian, Japanese, Greek, American, French, Indian, South American, etc. One of the most popular is Thai cuisine. Thailand has long been the top tourist destination for sun crazed Swedes and, because of this, there has been a healthy exchange of culture and peoples between the two countires. There are Thai massage salons and Thai restaurants found throughout the city.

Nua Pat Kratiam

One restaurant which has long been Stockholm's most popular Thai restaurant is Koh Phangan with their catch phrase "same, same, but different". Stockholmers have flocked here for years, not only for good, inexpensive Thai food but also for the ambiance. The restaurant is decorated just like a beach-side restaurant on an island in Thailand with blinking lamps, bright colors and questionable (taste-wise) bamboo decor. This is probably as far from Nordic minimalism as you can get... which is probably why Swedes find it so exotic.

Thai wall decoration?

 The original restaurant is located in the SoFo neighborhood, a hop, skip and a jump from the Rival Hotel. However, they recently opened at a second location in the Östermalm neighborhood. It was this restaurant I recently visited with a friend. Good food & prices! They used to not take table reservations, just drop-in guests... but they recently changed ownership and now they seem to be more willing to take reservations. Another fun option for Thai cuisine in Stockholm is the Thai Boat. This is an actual boat, moored along the southern waterfront of Södermalm. Less "blinking lights" decor than Koh Phangan, it still has a taste of authenticity with its own man-made beach adjacent to the bar. During the summers Stockholmers come here to put their feet in the sand, drink cocktails and relive their recent vacation in Thailand. Click for other restaurant reviews.

Beach at the Thai Boat...

Restaurant Oxelblom

Oxelblom has been a favorite place of mine for the past year or so to have a glass of wine with friends and enjoy the atmosphere. Last night a colleague and I had the opportunity to have dinner there for the first time and we weren't disappointed!

Oxelblom is a relatively small restaurant with a cosy atmosphere. The dining room resembles a living room (or salon) of yesteryear with mismatched, vintage furniture and quirky design details. Candlelight and classic jazz music (Swedish and international favorites) add to the at-home feeling. They have two small sofa groups as well, which are perfect if you just want to stop by for a drink. Maybe over a game of chess (set provided)?

3 types of "home made" herring with classic accoutrements.

I also really like their unique menu concept. It is all about tastes from around Sweden... from Skåne in the south to Norrbotten in the north! Two of Sweden's 25 counties or provinces are always represented on the menu with the dishes created using the county's local produce. The menu does change every few months as they switch counties. Sweden is a large country with varied landscapes and climates, so local produce can be quite different depending on the county. When we visited the restaurant last night, Bohuslän and Södermanland/Uppland were the counties on the menu.

"pork, appples, beans, red wine"

The dishes on the menu aren't named or described; instead each dish is represented by a list of ingredients. For example, "pork, apples, beans, red wine" or "shrimps, mussels, garlic, parsley". Anticipating what dish the chef will create with the ingredients adds to the dining experience. Each dish (whether cold, hot or sweet) is medium in size and you choose either a 3 or 5 course menu from among the different dishes. We both opted for the 3 course menu last night and I would say that it was comparable in size to having a main course and dessert at another restaurant. Click here for the current menu in English.

Romantic nook...

Another positive note is the service, which is warm and personable. They are great at taking the time to explain their concept and pair wine and beer with the dishes. Oxelblom is located in the popular SoFo district on the island of Södermalm and is only a 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel. Otherwise it is located in between the subway stations Medborgarplats and Skanstull (green line).

Assorted cheeses, all Swedish!

Restaurant Oxelblom

Posted by zlatin

Oxelblom has been a favorite place of mine for the past year or so to have a glass of wine with friends and enjoy the atmosphere. Last night a colleague and I had the opportunity to have dinner there for the first time and we weren't disappointed!

Oxelblom is a relatively small restaurant with a cosy atmosphere. The dining room resembles a living room (or salon) of yesteryear with mismatched, vintage furniture and quirky design details. Candlelight and classic jazz music (Swedish and international favorites) add to the at-home feeling. They have two small sofa groups as well, which are perfect if you just want to stop by for a drink. Maybe over a game of chess (set provided)?

3 types of "home made" herring with classic accoutrements.

I also really like their unique menu concept. It is all about tastes from around Sweden... from Skåne in the south to Norrbotten in the north! Two of Sweden's 25 counties or provinces are always represented on the menu with the dishes created using the county's local produce. The menu does change every few months as they switch counties. Sweden is a large country with varied landscapes and climates, so local produce can be quite different depending on the county. When we visited the restaurant last night, Bohuslän and Södermanland/Uppland were the counties on the menu.

"pork, appples, beans, red wine"

The dishes on the menu aren't named or described; instead each dish is represented by a list of ingredients. For example, "pork, apples, beans, red wine" or "shrimps, mussels, garlic, parsley". Anticipating what dish the chef will create with the ingredients adds to the dining experience. Each dish (whether cold, hot or sweet) is medium in size and you choose either a 3 or 5 course menu from among the different dishes. We both opted for the 3 course menu last night and I would say that it was comparable in size to having a main course and dessert at another restaurant. Click here for the current menu in English.

Romantic nook...

Another positive note is the service, which is warm and personable. They are great at taking the time to explain their concept and pair wine and beer with the dishes. Oxelblom is located in the popular SoFo district on the island of Södermalm and is only a 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel. Otherwise it is located in between the subway stations Medborgarplats and Skanstull (green line).

Assorted cheeses, all Swedish!

Urban Deli in SoFo

Nytorget square...

There have been many travel articles comparing Brooklyn with Stockholm, especially the Södermalm neighborhood. I'm not sure whether it is similar gentrification projects, hipster culture, fashion or some type of combination that is the main reason for this comparison. The BBC recently reported that Stockholm was in love with Brooklyn, which was met with consternation by some locals. In 2012, Out Traveler voted Stockholm as the Style Capital of the World, with Brooklyn coming in 2nd place. There is even a Brooklyn Bar in the Hornstull neighbourhood. You will have to decide yourself how the two cities compare. Why am I babbling about this? Well, last week I visited a restaurant that I feel epitomizes this Brooklyn in Stockholm vibe: Urban Deli.

The deli of Urban Deli.

Urban Deli is located on the quaint square Nytorget in the heart of the SoFo district of Södermalm. They have also opened at a second location in the suburbs (Sickla). Urban Deli is a restaurant, bar, bakery, grocery store and, of course, a deli... all under one roof. It is very popular, both with the locals and visitors to the SoFo neighborhood. The bakery is well known for its freshly baked sourdough bread, but they also have a wide assortment of pastries and other breads. In the deli you will find delicious cheeses, sausages, meats, shellfish and more. They also do special events... everything from poetry readings to beer tasting.

Looking down on the bar and restaurant.

 The menu in the restaurant is filled with produce from their deli and I would describe the cuisine as Swedish/International. They were having a special Italian week when I was there with a friend last week, so the menu was all Italian. Their website is in Swedish but, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, talk to me and I can let you know if they are having any special events or menus while you are visiting. As I mentioned, they are very popular and this, coupled with the fact that they don't accept reservations, means you might have to wait for a table. We had to wait 30 minutes or so for our table, which was fine as the bar is a great place to people watch and enjoy a pint of Brooklyn Lager (what else?). They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner... 7 days a week so you have plenty of options to visit them!

View of the deli and grocery store from restaurant.

They are also one of the stops on Food Tours Stockholm's tour of SoFo restaurants, which is a fun way to sample food from a variety of eateries in the neighborhood. Urban Deli is located on the same island (Södermalm) as the Rival Hotel... so it is just a 20 minute walk from the hotel. Otherwise the nearest subway station is Skanstull (green line).

Urban Deli in SoFo

Posted by zlatin

Nytorget square...

There have been many travel articles comparing Brooklyn with Stockholm, especially the Södermalm neighborhood. I'm not sure whether it is similar gentrification projects, hipster culture, fashion or some type of combination that is the main reason for this comparison. The BBC recently reported that Stockholm was in love with Brooklyn, which was met with consternation by some locals. In 2012, Out Traveler voted Stockholm as the Style Capital of the World, with Brooklyn coming in 2nd place. There is even a Brooklyn Bar in the Hornstull neighbourhood. You will have to decide yourself how the two cities compare. Why am I babbling about this? Well, last week I visited a restaurant that I feel epitomizes this Brooklyn in Stockholm vibe: Urban Deli.

The deli of Urban Deli.

Urban Deli is located on the quaint square Nytorget in the heart of the SoFo district of Södermalm. They have also opened at a second location in the suburbs (Sickla). Urban Deli is a restaurant, bar, bakery, grocery store and, of course, a deli... all under one roof. It is very popular, both with the locals and visitors to the SoFo neighborhood. The bakery is well known for its freshly baked sourdough bread, but they also have a wide assortment of pastries and other breads. In the deli you will find delicious cheeses, sausages, meats, shellfish and more. They also do special events... everything from poetry readings to beer tasting.

Looking down on the bar and restaurant.

 The menu in the restaurant is filled with produce from their deli and I would describe the cuisine as Swedish/International. They were having a special Italian week when I was there with a friend last week, so the menu was all Italian. Their website is in Swedish but, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, talk to me and I can let you know if they are having any special events or menus while you are visiting. As I mentioned, they are very popular and this, coupled with the fact that they don't accept reservations, means you might have to wait for a table. We had to wait 30 minutes or so for our table, which was fine as the bar is a great place to people watch and enjoy a pint of Brooklyn Lager (what else?). They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner... 7 days a week so you have plenty of options to visit them!

View of the deli and grocery store from restaurant.

They are also one of the stops on Food Tours Stockholm's tour of SoFo restaurants, which is a fun way to sample food from a variety of eateries in the neighborhood. Urban Deli is located on the same island (Södermalm) as the Rival Hotel... so it is just a 20 minute walk from the hotel. Otherwise the nearest subway station is Skanstull (green line).

Restaurant Tradition

(Edit- closed for business, but they have still have their sister restaurant open in gamla Stan)
Last week I was invited to the premiere of a new restaurant on Södermalm called Tradition. This is their second restaurant with the original Tradition located in the Norrmalm district. This "sister restaurant" is located right next to the SoFo district of Södermalm, an easy 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel.

Swedish design...

Their motto is "Svensk husmanskost. Punkt slut." which basically translates to "Swedish traditional cuisine. Period.". Well, sort of. I actually have a hard time translating husmanskost. It is one of those words that I think is only found in Swedish... like lagom and fika. There are several ways I use to describe this concept to visitors... rustic cuisine, meals your grandmother would make, workers' fare, traditional cuisine, historic cuisine, etc; Sometimes I compare it to types of dishes from the visitor's home country to give them a point of reference. For example Fish & Chips to someone from the UK, Coq au Vin to someone from France and Pot Roast to someone from the States. At any rate... it is good food! And a great way to "taste" Swedish history and tradition.

Cod with shrimp, horseradish and egg sauce.

Restaurant Tradition is a good place to try husmanskost and they try to make it a complete Swedish experience with the Swedish interior design as well as Swedish music playing in the restaurant. As it was the premiere when I was there, we were served small tastes of different courses on the menu... like cod with shrimp, horseradish & egg sauce and black pudding with glazed apples and lingon berries. Click here for menu. All very good! As I mentioned earlier, Tradition is located near the SoFo district which is a nice place to wander in the evening with bars, pubs and restaurants. Good thing to know: all of the dishes on the menu are lactose free and they can make both vegetarian and gluten free dishes as well. Click here for other restaurant recommendations/reviews and click here for other restaurants that serve Swedish cuisine.

Black pudding with glazed apples and lingon berries.

Restaurant Tradition

Posted by zlatin

(Edit- closed for business, but they have still have their sister restaurant open in gamla Stan)
Last week I was invited to the premiere of a new restaurant on Södermalm called Tradition. This is their second restaurant with the original Tradition located in the Norrmalm district. This "sister restaurant" is located right next to the SoFo district of Södermalm, an easy 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel.

Swedish design...

Their motto is "Svensk husmanskost. Punkt slut." which basically translates to "Swedish traditional cuisine. Period.". Well, sort of. I actually have a hard time translating husmanskost. It is one of those words that I think is only found in Swedish... like lagom and fika. There are several ways I use to describe this concept to visitors... rustic cuisine, meals your grandmother would make, workers' fare, traditional cuisine, historic cuisine, etc; Sometimes I compare it to types of dishes from the visitor's home country to give them a point of reference. For example Fish & Chips to someone from the UK, Coq au Vin to someone from France and Pot Roast to someone from the States. At any rate... it is good food! And a great way to "taste" Swedish history and tradition.

Cod with shrimp, horseradish and egg sauce.

Restaurant Tradition is a good place to try husmanskost and they try to make it a complete Swedish experience with the Swedish interior design as well as Swedish music playing in the restaurant. As it was the premiere when I was there, we were served small tastes of different courses on the menu... like cod with shrimp, horseradish & egg sauce and black pudding with glazed apples and lingon berries. Click here for menu. All very good! As I mentioned earlier, Tradition is located near the SoFo district which is a nice place to wander in the evening with bars, pubs and restaurants. Good thing to know: all of the dishes on the menu are lactose free and they can make both vegetarian and gluten free dishes as well. Click here for other restaurant recommendations/reviews and click here for other restaurants that serve Swedish cuisine.

Black pudding with glazed apples and lingon berries.

Guided Food Tours in Stockholm

Typical SoFo view.

Yesterday afternoon, I had the chance to partake in a food tour... a guided walking tour where food is the focus. The tours are arranged by Food Tours Stockholm and, so far, there are two different tours on offer. The first one is a tour through the SoFo neighbourhood on the island of Södermalm (home to the Rival Hotel) and the other is in the Vasastan neighbourhood. While the Vasastan tour concentrates on Nordic food culture, the Södermalm tour is more multicultural, reflecting the bohemian feel of the SoFo neighbourhood... and it was this Södermalm tour that a colleague and I went on yesterday.

Piccolo Metro deli selection

I really enjoyed the tour and think it is a great, unique activity for visitors to Stockholm! The tour is 3½ hours long with 8 stops at different restaurants and food specialty stores. As I mentioned earlier, the stops represent the multiculturalism of modern Sweden... with everything from Swedish to Chinese to Italian and in between. One thing I really like about the tour was that the guide Fredrik was very informative about both the food and the surroundings, so it is a great way to see a picturesque Stockholm neighbourhood, get the background story as well as try some delicious food. I also liked that the restaurants seemed generally interested in our visit and were happy to present their food.

Paneer Palak Korai at Shanti

The tour started at China, a traditional Chinese restaurant that has one of the only (if not the only) authentic Peking duck ovens in Europe. From there it was on to a newly opened Italian restaurant and deli called Piccolo Metro, where we got to sample some pasta and wine. They do specialize in Appertivo, the traditional pre dinner cocktails with small dishes. Next was Shanti, a great Indian restaurant (not your run-of-the-mill curry house) where they served us Paneer Palak Korai. Very good! The tour then continued on to Fang Yuan Shi Wu... a quaint hole in the wall where they serve Stockholm's best dumplings. Just meeting proprietress Wencui Cui made it well worth the stop. Cute as a button!

Urban Deli!

The tour then moved on to more local tastes with a stop at Urban Deli, which is one of the most popular restaurants in the Sofo district. Urban Deli combines a restaurant with a deli, bakery and grocery store. Here we tried different tastes from their deli selection (sausages, meats and cheeses). Just across the street was the next stop on the food tour... newly opened Nytorget 6. A great restaurant where the focal point is the beautiful rotisserie and bar. We were treated to some delicious chicken from the rotisserie as well as some local beer.

Rotisserie at Nytorget 6

Time for dessert! First we stopped at the famous Pärlans Konfektyr where they hand make caramels. You can actually watch them cook and roll the caramels every weekday in the shop. After trying an array of different tastes, we moved on to the final stop... local ice cream parlor: StikkiNikki. Here they serve ecological, home made ice creams and sorbets with tastes like peanut butter crumble, strawberry/rhubarb and salted liquorice. The perfect end to the tour!

Pärlans Konfektyr

The price for this tour is 695 SEK per person, which includes all of the food & drink, bottled water to have with you as well as the guided tour. I found the tour to be well worth the price as you do get quite a lot of food and information. The tours are guided in English & Swedish. Be aware that they run on different days, so check their website to find the right date and tour. You can book either of their tours on their website or, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, by contacting me directly. Bon Appétit or smaklig måltid!

StikkiNikki

Guided Food Tours in Stockholm

Posted by zlatin

Typical SoFo view.

Yesterday afternoon, I had the chance to partake in a food tour... a guided walking tour where food is the focus. The tours are arranged by Food Tours Stockholm and, so far, there are two different tours on offer. The first one is a tour through the SoFo neighbourhood on the island of Södermalm (home to the Rival Hotel) and the other is in the Vasastan neighbourhood. While the Vasastan tour concentrates on Nordic food culture, the Södermalm tour is more multicultural, reflecting the bohemian feel of the SoFo neighbourhood... and it was this Södermalm tour that a colleague and I went on yesterday.

Piccolo Metro deli selection

I really enjoyed the tour and think it is a great, unique activity for visitors to Stockholm! The tour is 3½ hours long with 8 stops at different restaurants and food specialty stores. As I mentioned earlier, the stops represent the multiculturalism of modern Sweden... with everything from Swedish to Chinese to Italian and in between. One thing I really like about the tour was that the guide Fredrik was very informative about both the food and the surroundings, so it is a great way to see a picturesque Stockholm neighbourhood, get the background story as well as try some delicious food. I also liked that the restaurants seemed generally interested in our visit and were happy to present their food.

Paneer Palak Korai at Shanti

The tour started at China, a traditional Chinese restaurant that has one of the only (if not the only) authentic Peking duck ovens in Europe. From there it was on to a newly opened Italian restaurant and deli called Piccolo Metro, where we got to sample some pasta and wine. They do specialize in Appertivo, the traditional pre dinner cocktails with small dishes. Next was Shanti, a great Indian restaurant (not your run-of-the-mill curry house) where they served us Paneer Palak Korai. Very good! The tour then continued on to Fang Yuan Shi Wu... a quaint hole in the wall where they serve Stockholm's best dumplings. Just meeting proprietress Wencui Cui made it well worth the stop. Cute as a button!

Urban Deli!

The tour then moved on to more local tastes with a stop at Urban Deli, which is one of the most popular restaurants in the Sofo district. Urban Deli combines a restaurant with a deli, bakery and grocery store. Here we tried different tastes from their deli selection (sausages, meats and cheeses). Just across the street was the next stop on the food tour... newly opened Nytorget 6. A great restaurant where the focal point is the beautiful rotisserie and bar. We were treated to some delicious chicken from the rotisserie as well as some local beer.

Rotisserie at Nytorget 6

Time for dessert! First we stopped at the famous Pärlans Konfektyr where they hand make caramels. You can actually watch them cook and roll the caramels every weekday in the shop. After trying an array of different tastes, we moved on to the final stop... local ice cream parlor: StikkiNikki. Here they serve ecological, home made ice creams and sorbets with tastes like peanut butter crumble, strawberry/rhubarb and salted liquorice. The perfect end to the tour!

Pärlans Konfektyr

The price for this tour is 695 SEK per person, which includes all of the food & drink, bottled water to have with you as well as the guided tour. I found the tour to be well worth the price as you do get quite a lot of food and information. The tours are guided in English & Swedish. Be aware that they run on different days, so check their website to find the right date and tour. You can book either of their tours on their website or, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, by contacting me directly. Bon Appétit or smaklig måltid!

StikkiNikki

Hornstull Neighbourhood

For years, most of the neighbourhood of Hornstull has been one big construction site. The majority of the construction is over and the area is emerging as one of Stockholm's new "in" areas. Located on the westerly tip of the island of Södermalm, the area has long been a transportation hub for western Stockholm with bridges connecting the island to Kungsholmen and the southern suburbs as well as tram, bus and subway stops.

The island of Södermalm (also the location of the Rival Hotel) has for the past couple of centuries been the home of Stockholm's working class. Gentrification of the island over the recent 40-50 years has changed it into a chic area with boutiques, galleries, restaurants and cafés and the home of artists, bohemian culture and young up-and-comers. One of the most famous gentrified areas is SoFo (South of Folkungagatan)... and as SoFo has become slightly over-exploited (it is found in just about every tourist guide), Hornstull has developed into the place where young Stockholmers want to live, work & play. In fact, some people have taken to calling the neighbourhood NoHo (North of Hornstull).

Hornstull shopping center

So, what is new? The underground passageways connecting the subway station to street level have been refreshed, adding many new boutiques. In fact, the passageways also connect to a small shopping center with stores selling fashion (H&M among others), technical gadgets, books, flowers as well as a larger liquor store (Systembolaget) and grocery store. Probably the most obvious change is a new, three story, leaning glass building adjacent to the shopping center's street entrance. Housed within this building are two restaurants... Hornhuset and Trattoria Enzo's. There is even a rooftop terrace which should prove to be very popular during the summer.

Hornhuset with rooftop terrace

As the area has increased in popularity, more and more restaurants have moved in over the past few years. Some well-known ones, representing a wide range of cuisines and price ranges, are Ho's, Ramblas, Linje 10, Judit & Bertil, Calexico's and Lasse i Parken. Cafés, always popular with Stockholmers, are in abundance! Another reason, as a tourist, you might visit Hornstull is its proximity to green areas. The small, leafy island of Långholmen is nearby... a great place to take a swim or to rent a kayak during the summer months. On the other side you have the park Tantolunden and the waterfront promenade Hornstulls Strand. Another fun thing to do is walk across the bridge Västerbron, which connects the area to Kungsholmen. Great views of the city!

View from Västerbron

There is still some minor construction going on (beautification of the sidewalks), but this is already a great place to visit. It is easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... just a 20 minute walk down the street Hornsgatan, or else two subway stops on the red line.

Hornstull Neighbourhood

Posted by zlatin

For years, most of the neighbourhood of Hornstull has been one big construction site. The majority of the construction is over and the area is emerging as one of Stockholm's new "in" areas. Located on the westerly tip of the island of Södermalm, the area has long been a transportation hub for western Stockholm with bridges connecting the island to Kungsholmen and the southern suburbs as well as tram, bus and subway stops.

The island of Södermalm (also the location of the Rival Hotel) has for the past couple of centuries been the home of Stockholm's working class. Gentrification of the island over the recent 40-50 years has changed it into a chic area with boutiques, galleries, restaurants and cafés and the home of artists, bohemian culture and young up-and-comers. One of the most famous gentrified areas is SoFo (South of Folkungagatan)... and as SoFo has become slightly over-exploited (it is found in just about every tourist guide), Hornstull has developed into the place where young Stockholmers want to live, work & play. In fact, some people have taken to calling the neighbourhood NoHo (North of Hornstull).

Hornstull shopping center

So, what is new? The underground passageways connecting the subway station to street level have been refreshed, adding many new boutiques. In fact, the passageways also connect to a small shopping center with stores selling fashion (H&M among others), technical gadgets, books, flowers as well as a larger liquor store (Systembolaget) and grocery store. Probably the most obvious change is a new, three story, leaning glass building adjacent to the shopping center's street entrance. Housed within this building are two restaurants... Hornhuset and Trattoria Enzo's. There is even a rooftop terrace which should prove to be very popular during the summer.

Hornhuset with rooftop terrace

As the area has increased in popularity, more and more restaurants have moved in over the past few years. Some well-known ones, representing a wide range of cuisines and price ranges, are Ho's, Ramblas, Linje 10, Judit & Bertil, Calexico's and Lasse i Parken. Cafés, always popular with Stockholmers, are in abundance! Another reason, as a tourist, you might visit Hornstull is its proximity to green areas. The small, leafy island of Långholmen is nearby... a great place to take a swim or to rent a kayak during the summer months. On the other side you have the park Tantolunden and the waterfront promenade Hornstulls Strand. Another fun thing to do is walk across the bridge Västerbron, which connects the area to Kungsholmen. Great views of the city!

View from Västerbron

There is still some minor construction going on (beautification of the sidewalks), but this is already a great place to visit. It is easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... just a 20 minute walk down the street Hornsgatan, or else two subway stops on the red line.