Food Trucks and Street Food in Stockholm

Jeffrey's Food Truck, parked on Mariatorget, serving...

Sweden... the land of rules, regulations and red tape. While this does create a peaceful, organized and smooth-running society, it can sometimes cripple creativity and spontaneity. Case in point is the oh-so-trendy street food culture that has been sweeping the globe the past few years. The Swedish government has been slow to grant permission for food trucks in Stockholm ("food served from a vehicle on the street? That is... madness!"). Well, last year the government finally eased restrictions and food trucks have started rolling on the streets of Stockholm to the joy of locals and visitors alike.

...Italian food!

The trucks represent a wide variety of food cultures, even some with fusion cuisine... South American, Middle Eastern, Turklish, Indian, Swedish, French/Vietmanese, American, Mexican and more. For a visitor, this is a great chance to dip your toes into street culture and try some great food you might not otherwise try. Especially if you have a busy sightseeing day and spot a truck... a perfect impromtu picnic!

SOOK Street Food... Middle-Eastern cuisine.

There are several websites (in Swedish) that help you track your favorite food truck, like stockholmfoodtrucks, hittatrucken and foodtrucks. Otherwise they can often be found in certain squares, parks and intersections at lunch and dinner times. Several times a week, one is usually parked by the Rival Hotel in the square Mariatorget. If you can't read Swedish and are staying at the hotel... come talk to us and we can help track down your favorite truck!

Great pulled pork from Curbside.

If you want to be guaranteed to find some food trucks, then I would recommend a visit to the Hornstull Market on Sundays this summer (between 11am and 5pm). This popular May-September flea market is located on the waterfront in the trendy Hornstull district... just a 20 minute walk, or 2 subway stations, from the Rival Hotel. Several food trucks will be parked there for the market. So, head on down to rummage through the stands, buy some street food and have a picnic in Tantolunden park. A great way to spend a sunny summer Sunday!

Poster advertising the Hornstull Market with Food Trucks.

Food Trucks and Street Food in Stockholm

Posted by zlatin

Jeffrey's Food Truck, parked on Mariatorget, serving...

Sweden... the land of rules, regulations and red tape. While this does create a peaceful, organized and smooth-running society, it can sometimes cripple creativity and spontaneity. Case in point is the oh-so-trendy street food culture that has been sweeping the globe the past few years. The Swedish government has been slow to grant permission for food trucks in Stockholm ("food served from a vehicle on the street? That is... madness!"). Well, last year the government finally eased restrictions and food trucks have started rolling on the streets of Stockholm to the joy of locals and visitors alike.

...Italian food!

The trucks represent a wide variety of food cultures, even some with fusion cuisine... South American, Middle Eastern, Turklish, Indian, Swedish, French/Vietmanese, American, Mexican and more. For a visitor, this is a great chance to dip your toes into street culture and try some great food you might not otherwise try. Especially if you have a busy sightseeing day and spot a truck... a perfect impromtu picnic!

SOOK Street Food... Middle-Eastern cuisine.

There are several websites (in Swedish) that help you track your favorite food truck, like stockholmfoodtrucks, hittatrucken and foodtrucks. Otherwise they can often be found in certain squares, parks and intersections at lunch and dinner times. Several times a week, one is usually parked by the Rival Hotel in the square Mariatorget. If you can't read Swedish and are staying at the hotel... come talk to us and we can help track down your favorite truck!

Great pulled pork from Curbside.

If you want to be guaranteed to find some food trucks, then I would recommend a visit to the Hornstull Market on Sundays this summer (between 11am and 5pm). This popular May-September flea market is located on the waterfront in the trendy Hornstull district... just a 20 minute walk, or 2 subway stations, from the Rival Hotel. Several food trucks will be parked there for the market. So, head on down to rummage through the stands, buy some street food and have a picnic in Tantolunden park. A great way to spend a sunny summer Sunday!

Poster advertising the Hornstull Market with Food Trucks.

J.Lindeberg Boutique on Södermalm

Swedish fashion labels have become very popular internationally... and I often get asked by visitors where certain boutiques are located in the city. Stockholm has become synonymous with effortless chic (recently voted by travelers as "Style Capital of the World") thanks in large part to these well known Swedish fashion labels. So we were very happy at the Rival Hotel when we heard that J.Lindeberg (one of the most popular brands) had opened a menswear boutique right around the corner from the hotel!

J. Lindeberg was founded in Stockholm in 1996 and has grown into a global brand with almost 90 stores around the world in cities like New York, Munich, Miami, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Los Angeles as well as being found in over 900 boutiques and high-end department stores. Their collections include menswear and womenswear and feature fashion, tailoring, denim, golf & skiwear. I have always really liked J.Lindeberg... especially for the way they combine fashion with sportswear. I am also a big fan of their jeans!

The boutique near the hotel is located on St Paulsgatan 3, just a 5-10 minute walk away. It is also conveniently located just 10 meters away from the semi-pedestrian street Götgatsbacken, where you will find a plethora of other shops... including many other Swedish designers (everything from H&M to Filippa K).

This particular J.Lindeberg boutique only carries menswear. If you are interested in womenswear, then I would recommend a visit to their flagship store on Biblioteksgatan 6 in the downtown area. If you are looking for a deal, then I can recommend a visit to their outlet store at Stockholm Quality Outlets in Barkarby where you can find last season's fashion for up to 70% off the regular price. (all pictures in this article are by me!)

J.Lindeberg Boutique on Södermalm

Posted by zlatin

Swedish fashion labels have become very popular internationally... and I often get asked by visitors where certain boutiques are located in the city. Stockholm has become synonymous with effortless chic (recently voted by travelers as "Style Capital of the World") thanks in large part to these well known Swedish fashion labels. So we were very happy at the Rival Hotel when we heard that J.Lindeberg (one of the most popular brands) had opened a menswear boutique right around the corner from the hotel!

J. Lindeberg was founded in Stockholm in 1996 and has grown into a global brand with almost 90 stores around the world in cities like New York, Munich, Miami, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Los Angeles as well as being found in over 900 boutiques and high-end department stores. Their collections include menswear and womenswear and feature fashion, tailoring, denim, golf & skiwear. I have always really liked J.Lindeberg... especially for the way they combine fashion with sportswear. I am also a big fan of their jeans!

The boutique near the hotel is located on St Paulsgatan 3, just a 5-10 minute walk away. It is also conveniently located just 10 meters away from the semi-pedestrian street Götgatsbacken, where you will find a plethora of other shops... including many other Swedish designers (everything from H&M to Filippa K).

This particular J.Lindeberg boutique only carries menswear. If you are interested in womenswear, then I would recommend a visit to their flagship store on Biblioteksgatan 6 in the downtown area. If you are looking for a deal, then I can recommend a visit to their outlet store at Stockholm Quality Outlets in Barkarby where you can find last season's fashion for up to 70% off the regular price. (all pictures in this article are by me!)

Stockholm Airport Busses- Flygbussarna

Bus departing from terminal 4 at Arlanda.

I have already blogged about several ways to get from Arlanda airport to Stockholm and the Rival Hotel... taxi, commuter train and express train. There is another way to travel between Arlanda and the city and that is by bus! There are quite a few things to consider when choosing which mode of transport you want to use, like budget, time constraints, size of your party, convenience, amount of luggage, etc; Busses are a bit slower, though cheaper, than most of the other options... great for travelers with a budget and not in a rush.

Stops for the new line going to Liljeholmen. Photo from flygbussarna.se

The bus company is called Flygbussarna. Not only do they service Arlanda (the main international airport), but they also service the smaller airports in Stockholm... Bromma, Skavsta and Västerås. For Arlanda, they have busses going to City Terminal in downtown Stockholm (the main bus station, adjacent to the Central Train Station), to Stockholmsmässan (international congress center) as well as a new line that goes to Fridhemsplan on Kungsholmen and Hornstull on Södermalm, with the final destination in Liljeholmen (southern suburb). The trip between Arlanda and the City Terminal takes approximately 45 minutes and a ticket costs 119 SEK for adults, 99 SEK for youths and senior citizens. Tickets do cost less if you purchase them online ahead of time (105 SEK for adults and 89 SEK for youths and senior citizens). Tickets can be pre-purchased on their website! Otherwise you can buy the tickets at the airport, City Terminal or on board the bus (credit card only). You will find bus stops at Arlanda in front of terminals 2, 4 and 5 and the busses depart quite often... every 10-15 minutes (every 20 minutes to Liljeholmen).

Bus departing from the City Terminal. 

While they are inexpensive, comfortable, environmentally friendly and convenient when it comes to departure frequency, keep in mind that you will have to then make your way to the Rival Hotel from the City Terminal or Hornstull (by taxi or subway). This raises the price and lessens the convenience factor... which is why I often recommend the commuter trains and taxis for our guests as both get you directly to the hotel (or at least within 4 blocks).

Stockholm Airport Busses- Flygbussarna

Posted by zlatin

Bus departing from terminal 4 at Arlanda.

I have already blogged about several ways to get from Arlanda airport to Stockholm and the Rival Hotel... taxi, commuter train and express train. There is another way to travel between Arlanda and the city and that is by bus! There are quite a few things to consider when choosing which mode of transport you want to use, like budget, time constraints, size of your party, convenience, amount of luggage, etc; Busses are a bit slower, though cheaper, than most of the other options... great for travelers with a budget and not in a rush.

Stops for the new line going to Liljeholmen. Photo from flygbussarna.se

The bus company is called Flygbussarna. Not only do they service Arlanda (the main international airport), but they also service the smaller airports in Stockholm... Bromma, Skavsta and Västerås. For Arlanda, they have busses going to City Terminal in downtown Stockholm (the main bus station, adjacent to the Central Train Station), to Stockholmsmässan (international congress center) as well as a new line that goes to Fridhemsplan on Kungsholmen and Hornstull on Södermalm, with the final destination in Liljeholmen (southern suburb). The trip between Arlanda and the City Terminal takes approximately 45 minutes and a ticket costs 119 SEK for adults, 99 SEK for youths and senior citizens. Tickets do cost less if you purchase them online ahead of time (105 SEK for adults and 89 SEK for youths and senior citizens). Tickets can be pre-purchased on their website! Otherwise you can buy the tickets at the airport, City Terminal or on board the bus (credit card only). You will find bus stops at Arlanda in front of terminals 2, 4 and 5 and the busses depart quite often... every 10-15 minutes (every 20 minutes to Liljeholmen).

Bus departing from the City Terminal. 

While they are inexpensive, comfortable, environmentally friendly and convenient when it comes to departure frequency, keep in mind that you will have to then make your way to the Rival Hotel from the City Terminal or Hornstull (by taxi or subway). This raises the price and lessens the convenience factor... which is why I often recommend the commuter trains and taxis for our guests as both get you directly to the hotel (or at least within 4 blocks).

Liquor Stores in Sweden- Systembolaget

This is a repeat of one of my earliest (and most popular!) blog articles...

Source: systembolaget.se

Purchasing alcoholic beverages at a store in Sweden isn't a simple matter as in many other countries. Here in Sweden we have a state-run chain of liquor stores called Systembolaget. These are the only retail stores allowed to sell alcohol (more than 3.5% volume)! There are no privately owned liquor stores... nor do grocery stores sell wine or hard alcohol. This does not include Duty Free shops at airports and such. There are quite a few Systembolagets spread throughout the country (25 in downtown Stockholm alone- not including suburbs) so chances are you will not have to go far to find the nearest location... especially when visiting a larger town or city. One great aspect of Systembolaget is that they have a wide selection of products as well as very knowledgable staff who are only too happy to help you choose the perfect wine or beer for the occasion.

Interior of the Drottninggatan store. Photo by Magnus Skoglöf.

Problems, however, arise often due to their opening hours... especially for unaware visitors. The stores generally close somewhere around 6 or 7pm on weekdays, depending on store and day. On Saturdays they close even earlier... around 2 or 3pm depending on the store. All Systembolaget are closed, without exceptions, on Sundays and holidays! So you need to keep this in mind if you plan on purchasing wine or hard alcohol while visiting Stockholm. For example, don't wait until the last minute to pick up a bottle of wine if you are invited to a friend's house for dinner. Keep also in mind that while the drinking age in bars & restaurants in Sweden is 18, you have to be 20 years old to purchase alcohol at Systembolaget. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, then the closest Systembolaget is on Rosendalsgatan 7... just a 5-7 minute walk from the hotel. If you find Sweden's relationship to alcohol fascinating than I can heartily recommend a visit to the interesting Museum of Spirits!

Liquor Stores in Sweden- Systembolaget

Posted by zlatin

This is a repeat of one of my earliest (and most popular!) blog articles...

Source: systembolaget.se

Purchasing alcoholic beverages at a store in Sweden isn't a simple matter as in many other countries. Here in Sweden we have a state-run chain of liquor stores called Systembolaget. These are the only retail stores allowed to sell alcohol (more than 3.5% volume)! There are no privately owned liquor stores... nor do grocery stores sell wine or hard alcohol. This does not include Duty Free shops at airports and such. There are quite a few Systembolagets spread throughout the country (25 in downtown Stockholm alone- not including suburbs) so chances are you will not have to go far to find the nearest location... especially when visiting a larger town or city. One great aspect of Systembolaget is that they have a wide selection of products as well as very knowledgable staff who are only too happy to help you choose the perfect wine or beer for the occasion.

Interior of the Drottninggatan store. Photo by Magnus Skoglöf.

Problems, however, arise often due to their opening hours... especially for unaware visitors. The stores generally close somewhere around 6 or 7pm on weekdays, depending on store and day. On Saturdays they close even earlier... around 2 or 3pm depending on the store. All Systembolaget are closed, without exceptions, on Sundays and holidays! So you need to keep this in mind if you plan on purchasing wine or hard alcohol while visiting Stockholm. For example, don't wait until the last minute to pick up a bottle of wine if you are invited to a friend's house for dinner. Keep also in mind that while the drinking age in bars & restaurants in Sweden is 18, you have to be 20 years old to purchase alcohol at Systembolaget. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, then the closest Systembolaget is on Rosendalsgatan 7... just a 5-7 minute walk from the hotel. If you find Sweden's relationship to alcohol fascinating than I can heartily recommend a visit to the interesting Museum of Spirits!

GastroNord, Vinordic and Bocuse d'Or!

Today (Tuesday, May 6th) is the first day of the large, annual food & beverage trade fair here in Stockholm called GastroNord & Vinordic, concentrating mainly on the hotel, restaurant and catering industries in Scandinavia. A fun place to visit if you are in Stockholm and interested in food & wine. Of special note this year is that the trade fair will be the location of the Bocuse d'Or Europe competition.

Photo by  Gustav Kaiser, Stockholmsmässan

Often referred to as the culinary Olympics, the Bocuse d'Or is a prestigious competition that pits the top chefs from individual countries against each other. The competition this week is the European semi-finals to see who will go on to the world finals next year in Lyon, France.

Entrance to Stockholmsmässan.

While GastroNord & Vinordic are open between the 6th and 9th of May, the Bocuse d'Or competition takes place on May 7th & 8th. Chefs from 20 countries will be competing and they have split the competitors up between the two days. You have the option of buying tickets for just one day (120 SEK) or for both days (180 SEK). After the viewing grandstand fills up, visitors will be directed into the adjoining Victoria Hall where the competition will be shown on giant screen so that everyone can follow the competition. In other words, come early to get a good seat! Click here for more info, tickets and schedule. Sweden will be represented by Chef Tommy Myllymäki (with Albin Edberg), who will be competing on Thursday... it should be a lot of visitors cheering that day!

Chef Tommy Myllymäki. Photo by Charlie Drevstam

Everything will be taking place at the International Fairgrounds at Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö. Read my blog article about the fairgrounds, including the easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel, by clicking here. Good luck Tommy & Albin! (EDIT: Tommy Myllymäki and his team WON! Congratulations!)

Team Sweden! Tommy Myllymäki and Albin Edberg. Photo from Gastronomi Sverige.

GastroNord, Vinordic and Bocuse d'Or!

Posted by zlatin

Today (Tuesday, May 6th) is the first day of the large, annual food & beverage trade fair here in Stockholm called GastroNord & Vinordic, concentrating mainly on the hotel, restaurant and catering industries in Scandinavia. A fun place to visit if you are in Stockholm and interested in food & wine. Of special note this year is that the trade fair will be the location of the Bocuse d'Or Europe competition.

Photo by  Gustav Kaiser, Stockholmsmässan

Often referred to as the culinary Olympics, the Bocuse d'Or is a prestigious competition that pits the top chefs from individual countries against each other. The competition this week is the European semi-finals to see who will go on to the world finals next year in Lyon, France.

Entrance to Stockholmsmässan.

While GastroNord & Vinordic are open between the 6th and 9th of May, the Bocuse d'Or competition takes place on May 7th & 8th. Chefs from 20 countries will be competing and they have split the competitors up between the two days. You have the option of buying tickets for just one day (120 SEK) or for both days (180 SEK). After the viewing grandstand fills up, visitors will be directed into the adjoining Victoria Hall where the competition will be shown on giant screen so that everyone can follow the competition. In other words, come early to get a good seat! Click here for more info, tickets and schedule. Sweden will be represented by Chef Tommy Myllymäki (with Albin Edberg), who will be competing on Thursday... it should be a lot of visitors cheering that day!

Chef Tommy Myllymäki. Photo by Charlie Drevstam

Everything will be taking place at the International Fairgrounds at Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö. Read my blog article about the fairgrounds, including the easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel, by clicking here. Good luck Tommy & Albin! (EDIT: Tommy Myllymäki and his team WON! Congratulations!)

Team Sweden! Tommy Myllymäki and Albin Edberg. Photo from Gastronomi Sverige.