Stockholm's 25 best restaurants – top spots for 2026

What is it? Bar Agrikultur has it all. This Södermalm spot may be the size of a shoebox, but it rarely feels cramped – it’s so cosy it practically bubbles over. Add to that well-priced mid-sized dishes cooked by chefs trained to Guide Michelin level.

Why we love it? It’s affordable without ever cutting corners on the produce. That’s likely down to owners Joel Åhlin and Filip Fastén’s extensive experience at some of Sweden’s most respected restaurants. The menu features classics that can’t be removed, including the dangerously good petit choux cheese balls, matchstick fries and perhaps the most famous dish: pickled gherkin with smetana and honey – a simple creation that’s been copied far and wide. There are also seasonal dishes that change frequently, like crab claws with garlic butter or steak tartare from dairy cow with peppery guindilla peppers.

And the service? It feels like being at a dinner party with close friends. When closing time comes around, many guests linger as if they’ve forgotten they’re actually out at a restaurant.

This is the place we recommend to everyone – friends, family, strangers and acquaintances alike.

Skånegatan 79, Nytorget. Open every day in the evenings. Expect to pay around 650–850 kronor per person for a handful of dishes to share and two glasses of wine.

What is it? Ett Hem is one of the city’s best restaurants, housed inside one of its most understated luxury hotels. Step into what feels like the real-life version of The Secret Garden. Actually, stepping straight in isn’t quite right – you’ll need to ring the doorbell to be let in.

Why we love it? You’re literally sitting in the kitchen, eating at what restaurant folk call ‘the pass’. It’s a kitchen island where you get a front-row view of the chefs’ razor-sharp work. It may look effortless, but that’s an illusion – head chef Leo Frodell and his team are operating in a league of their own.

The ingredients featured on the lunch or dinner menu are lined up around the kitchen and, if you’re lucky, there might be hand-dived Norwegian scallops or Swedish oysters from Bohuslän on the menu. The wine cellar is no slouch either, with a strong focus on artisanal wines from France.

Few restaurants in the country deliver a dining experience in such a relaxed and quietly confident way.

Time Out tip: Have coffee in the cosy garden after your meal if the weather allows.

Sköldungagatan 2, Östermalm. Open for lunch and dinner daily with varying tasting menu sizes. Expect to pay around 4,000 kronor for the evening tasting menu.

What is it? A celebrated izakaya – Japanese gastropub – on Upplandsgatan in Vasastan, run by three experienced chefs with backgrounds at restaurants like Frantzén, Adam/Albin and Portal. The name comes from a district in Tokyo, and the ambitions are just as high.

Why we love it? Miyakodori revolves around relaxed small plates and drinks rather than stiff three-course dinners. The yakitori skewers from the charcoal grill are an experience in themselves: smoky, caramelised with tare glaze and executed with the precision only true experts can deliver. Oysters with dashi and yuzu kosho, crispy tofu, sashimi – everything hits the mark. The sake selection is thoughtful, and staff are happy to guide you. The space is beautiful without feeling formal, and the atmosphere is exactly what a great izakaya should be: high energy, good company and more food ordered than planned.

Time Out tip: Let the kitchen decide and order omakase for the whole table. Book well in advance, especially at weekends – seats are rarely available.

Upplandsgatan 7, Vasastan. Expect to pay around 500–700 kronor per person including drinks and sake. Open Wed–Thu 17.00–00.00, Fri–Sat 17.00–01.00 and Sun 17.00–23.00.

What is it? A Chinese restaurant right in the heart of Östermalm, originally from Visby and celebrating 20 years this year. The menu has everything, with plenty of options for plant-based diners too.

Why we love it? Before my first visit, I didn’t think Chinese cuisine was really for me – at least not the version I grew up with. How wrong I was. At Surfers, which specialises in food from Sichuan, I want to order almost everything on the menu and, impressively, it tastes just as good every single time. We fill the table with prawn balls, noodles and small sharing plates, and each dish somehow feels better than the last. To go with it: thimble-sized glasses of baijiu – the Chinese spirit that the knowledgeable waitress seems able to talk about for hours.

Two dishes stand out a little extra. One is the Buddhist intestine, made with tofu puffs, the other is the thin matchstick potatoes so loaded with Sichuan pepper that half your face goes numb while eating them. And yet it’s impossible to stop. The prawn balls are another real highlight. Then again, the dish has been a staple on the menu ever since Surfers first opened.

‘Otherwise there’d be an uproar,’ as one staff member puts it.

Time Out tip: Want to continue the night? The lively club Nosh and Chow is in the same building. Or head to the bar at Sperling & Co – one of Stockholm’s hottest spots right now.

Norrlandsgatan 24, Norrmalm. A meal for two lands at around 1,500 kronor.

What is it? A favourite hangout for restaurant industry insiders. Babette has a dynamic wine list of carefully selected natural wines that win over serious wine lovers. In the kitchen, pizzas are baked with such crisp bases that slices hold straight out when lifted, alongside small plates. The boquerones toast with garlic butter has been copied across the country.

Why we love it? The atmosphere is continental – it genuinely feels like being in a great Parisian wine bistro. It’s not uncommon for neighbouring tables to send over a slice of pizza they loved or a splash of wine from a bottle they didn’t finish. The crowd is a mix of locals, chefs grabbing a post-shift beer, ultra-foodies visiting the city’s top fine dining spots and unwinding here, plus plenty of four-legged friends between tables. Guests tend to stay a long time, so it’s almost always full. The veal tartare with Italian fish garum colatura is a bestseller, as is the pizza with stracciatella. Other toppings change with the seasons, like an unforgettable baked Cacio e Pepe version. Babette also regularly hosts guest appearances from exciting restaurants around the world, adding an extra sparkle to those evenings.

Time Out tip: Let the staff match you with a wine – like a kind of Tinder for drinks. They’re uncannily accurate.

Roslagsgatan 6, Vasastan. Open evenings daily. Expect to pay around 600 kronor per person if sharing a pizza, snacks and two glasses of house wine.

What is it? A restaurant that, once you find it, feels like an unexpected gift. Petri flies completely under the radar but always overdelivers. A shorter tasting menu is served here, entirely driven by the availability of ingredients. The cooking is rustic yet elegant, often with nods to owner Petter Nilsson’s past life in various kitchens in France.

Why we love it? It may sound like a cliché, but eating at Petri is like going on a journey of discovery. Petter Nilsson and his team cook entirely on their own terms without making things unnecessarily complicated. Ingredients are few and flavours direct – like pike-perch with nettle butter or lamb from Onsberga farm with greens foraged nearby. Sourdough lovers should also take note of the restaurant’s textbook-perfect bread, served with house-churned butter and sometimes even a broth on the side. Don’t miss the mini version of the crisp French pastry kouign-amann, always on the menu. Restaurant manager Nina Lindberg is an expert at pairing wines from small European producers, and she also creates non-alcoholic drinks on a level far above anything else in the city.

Time Out tip: Petri is also open for lunch with a shorter à la carte menu that always includes a small soup and starter. You can add dessert or cheese. It’s a real bargain given the level of cooking.

Kommendörsgatan 16, Östermalm. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Saturday. Expect to pay around 2,200 kronor for the menu with drinks pairing. Lunch costs 275 kronor.

What is it? A small bistro on Roslagsgatan 43 in Vasastan, with space for 24 guests, an open kitchen and a wood-fired oven. Behind the concept is chef Joel Aronsson, previously of Ett Hem and Fäviken.

Why we love it? Bord is exactly what a great restaurant should be: ambitious without being stiff, warm without being careless. Joel Aronsson’s kitchen works with clear seasonal ingredients and Mediterranean influences that give each dish a distinct character. House-made ricotta, bread from the wood-fired oven in the morning, langoustines gratinated in the evening. It’s a kitchen that listens to its ingredients and lets them lead the way. The wine list focuses on France but includes exciting finds, and if you ask for something at a lower price point, you’re in safe hands.

Time Out tip: Book a seat at the counter overlooking the open kitchen if possible. And reserve the Saturday lunch if you can: four courses, great value and wonderfully convivial.

Address: Roslagsgatan 43, Vasastan. An evening usually lands at 500–700 kronor per person with drinks. Opening hours: Tue–Sat evenings, plus Saturday lunch.

What is it? Tucked away on a side street off Gamla Stan’s bustling tourist routes, Leijontornet reopened in its current form in autumn 2023. Here you’re met with an ambitious menu inspired by Italy and southern Europe. The wine list is said to be among the best in the country, and the grill is always fired up. The respect for ingredients runs so deep that even the olive oil’s appellation is listed on the menu.

Why we love it? Because it feels like stepping into a living gastronomic labyrinth. Leijontornet is an entire house filled with different rooms, hidden corners and winding passageways. After passing the lively bar at the entrance, you’re led up a narrow staircase and through a corridor before the space suddenly opens into a magnificent courtyard under the open sky.

The food is excellent. But what truly elevates the experience is the warm service. Expect jokes, winks and personal anecdotes as dishes arrive at the table.

Time Out tip: Portions are generous, but save room. The menu features oversized dessert bowls filled to the brim with soft cake, sauces, toppings and other treats. Order one – you won’t regret it.

What is it? One of the best steakhouses in the world, literally. Housed in a former silversmith’s workshop on Kungsholmen and run by restaurateur and celebrity chef Johan Jureskog. AG stands for silver on the periodic table, and that’s exactly the standard it lives up to.

Why do we love it? AG is the kind of place you take someone when you really want to impress — and it delivers every single time. The restaurant was recently named the world’s eighth best steakhouse by The World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants, and it’s easy to see why.

At the entrance, cuts of meat hang in a glass-fronted cold room, dry-aged in-house, while the staff can tell you about the cut, breed, age and farm with a level of passion and expertise that makes the experience feel as much like a masterclass as a dinner. The wagyu is unreal, the ribeye among the best in the country, and the burger is legendary. The interior — Jonas Bohlin’s craftsmanship with tiles, Tärnsjö leather and handmade lighting — creates a rustic-industrial setting that’s impossible not to love. AG is a restaurant without compromises.

Time Out tip: Order the burger as a starter even if you’re having steak — it’s one of Stockholm’s most impressive burgers.

What is it? One of the hottest tables in town right now. But Tosto, the newcomer tucked behind another newcomer – Sperling & Co – in the same Stureplan premises, is much more than just a place to see and be seen.

Why we love it? Because the food lives up to the hype. In the kitchen is Max Duhs – one of the city’s most creative, flavour-driven chefs – alongside head chef Max Kallsjö. Together they offer a modern, free interpretation of Italian cuisine. Take the crab pasta served with a house-made XO sauce made from more than thirteen ingredients (including scallop and mangalica pork), or the pizzas topped with everything from grilled pineapple salsa to luxury kebab with lamb and habanero.

It’s best enjoyed with at least two people: start with a few snacks or smaller dishes (the steak tartare is a crowd favourite), then share mains so you can try as much as possible. And whatever you do, don’t miss the Swiss roll in tiramisu style.

Time Out tip: Just to the right as you enter is a hidden little pub where things tend to get lively into the early hours.

Sturegatan 6, Östermalm. Open evenings daily except Sunday. Expect to pay around 900–1100 kronor per person if sharing dishes and having two glasses of wine.

What is it? A cosy family-run restaurant in Gamla Stan that feels like stepping straight into a warm hug. Restaurateur Emma Skerfe runs it with her husband and chef Kalle Lindborg. Bistro Zissou's food leans French and the menu is easy to navigate: three choices each for starter, main and dessert, plus snacks and cheese.

Why we love it? You can tell this is a kitchen driven by pure passion. And they never hold back on the sauce. Sitting at the bar is ideal, where you can watch the action in the open kitchen. The menu changes roughly every week, so it’s a place you can return to often. We were especially blown away by a chicken dish with truffle duxelles, morels and pilaf rice – so unmistakably French it almost transported us from Gamla Stan to Périgord. And if gratinated pike quenelles with lobster sauce are on the menu, book immediately.

Time Out tip: Bar Zissou is opening next door soon – keep an eye out.

Lilla Nygatan 21, Gamla Stan. Open evenings Wednesday to Saturday. Expect to pay around 800–1000 kronor for three courses and two glasses of wine.

What is it? Star chefs Tommy Myllymäki and Pi Le are behind several acclaimed restaurants, including Bobergs Matsal and Michelin-starred Aira. Liv is their newly opened venture at Slussenterrassen, aiming to create a more relaxed — yet still high-end — dining experience.

Why do we love it? The chefs’ credentials and the striking setting make you want to book a table immediately. Once the food arrives, it’s clear the expectations are met. And the name? ”We wanted a lively restaurant — sometimes it’s not so complicated,” our waitress explains.

Both the food and the interiors are sleek, elegant and graphic. The turbot is served on the bone, the trio of potatoes arrives in a beurre blanc foam dusted with chive powder, and the tortellini is shaped like porcini mushrooms. Meanwhile, the vegetarian starter with asparagus is carefully arranged in a floral wreath of leaves and seasonal vegetables. The contrast to all this precision comes in the form of the much messier — and ridiculously delicious — potato churros, piled high on the plate.

Out on the large terrace overlooking Slussen, sandwiches are served to the sound of understated lounge techno. One topped with tuna, another with charcuterie. Simple, stripped-back and graphic. Because why overcomplicate things unnecessarily?

Time Out tip: The same menu is served at both lunch and dinner, making it an easy choice no matter the time of day.

Södermalmstorg 1, Södermalm. Four-course menu around SEK 700. Open daily. Wed–Fri 11.30am–1am. Sat 1pm–1am.

What is it? Nettle pie, yes please. Deep-fried chicken mousseline in brioche, oh my god. Pancake cake, don’t even start. Nektar's menu is so dynamic that dishes can change within the same day. It could easily be labelled a wine bar, but the food demands just as much attention.

Why we love it? A place where everyone feels welcome is perhaps the best recipe for success – and that’s exactly what Nektar is. Cultural aunties, young KTH students on tentative first dates, long-married couples and aspiring sommeliers all fit in here. The menu has no clear thread other than excellent ingredients. The chefs constantly push each other to new heights, and crowd-pleasers often appear, like a Philly cheesesteak sandwich or a whole grilled chicken with just fries. The menu may vary, but one thing is certain: you always leave satisfied.

Time Out tip: If you have room for dessert, the hyped bakery Lillebror is next door.

Rörstrandsgatan 12, Vasastan. Open Tuesday to Saturday evenings, plus daytime on Saturdays. Expect to pay around 600–800 kronor for two to three dishes and two glasses of wine.

What is it? Tom Sjöstedt in the kitchen, good stuff in the glasses and wafers, tuiles, foams and symphonies of flavour on the plates. Oh, and don’t forget that Swedish band Kent is the only thing playing on the speakers.

Lilla Ego in Vasastan is a bona fide classic on Stockholm’s restaurant scene and a constant favourite for many. It’s relaxed, it’s cramped, it’s wooden chairs, it’s comforting – but never boring. Sjöstedt and his team cook modern, inventive food rooted in Nordic cuisine, often with Asian influences like soy, ponzu and ginger.

The menu, written up on the blackboard above the bar, is playful and slightly carefree – without taking itself too seriously. I still remember my first visit here, when we washed down potato rösti made in a pancake pan with Christmas soda cocktails and Tom wandered around chatting to everyone in the dining room.

Time Out-tips: Tables are released one month in advance and get fully booked quickly. There are always walk-in spots at the bar, though.

Västmannagatan 69, Vasastan. Open Tuesday-Saturday evenings. Expect to pay around SEK 600-700 per person.

What is it? A multi-award-winning Italian restaurant in the city centre with a well-composed menu full of genuine classics. Timeless quality reigns here over fleeting trends.

Why we love it? It’s no coincidence that Mancini has been named Sweden’s best Italian restaurant by the esteemed Italian food guide Gambero Rosso seven times. And we happily join the chorus of praise. Alongside owner Giancarlo’s warm welcome, the food is so perfectly executed that your shoulders drop and you feel warm all over.

Mancini isn’t a place that needs reinvention to stay relevant. It’s small, and neither the interior nor the food feels particularly trendy. Red brick walls, leather booths. The focus is firmly on tradition. When I celebrated turning 30, I had beautiful ravioloni with sage butter, radicchio and asiago cheese. When I turned 35, I ordered the same dish again. Something tells me I’ll do the same at 40 – and be just as happy.

Time Out tip: Ask if you can take a look at the wine cellar. There are some real treasures. For a truly special experience, you can also book your entire dinner there.

Tunnelgatan 1A, Östermalm. Open for lunch and dinner Monday–Saturday. An evening typically comes to around 3,000 kronor for two people with wine.

What is it? One of Stockholm’s most iconic restaurants, opened in 1945 by legendary chef Tore Wretman, often called the father of Swedish cuisine. Located next to the national theatre Dramaten on Nybrogatan (hence the name). The interior, designed in 1968 by Yngve Gamlin and largely untouched since, is one of the country’s best preserved, with red velvet, theatrical décor and a mural running around the dining room.

Why we love it? Teatergrillen is one of those places that doesn’t need to prove anything. It has attracted actors, directors, journalists and artists since the end of the Second World War, and the atmosphere still carries that perfect mix of discreet elegance and lively conversation. The menu stays true to Swedish and French cuisine with genuine craftsmanship: vendace roe, excellent meat and fish, and dishes from the classic silver trolley. This is restaurant dining at its best, prepared with respect for ingredients and tradition.

Time Out tip: The only table for two in the dining room was Ingmar Bergman’s favourite and is now known as the Bergman table.

Address Nybrogatan 3, Östermalm. Expect to pay around 700–1000 kronor per person. Opening hours: Mon–Fri 11.30–14.00 & 17.00–23.00, Sat 17.00–23.00

What is it? A modern seafood restaurant on Tegnérgatan in Vasastan, focused on ingredients, simplicity and craftsmanship. The restaurant takes seafood seriously and serves it in a relaxed, welcoming setting.

Why we love it? There’s an art to doing simple things well, and Lennart & Bror Fisk has mastered it. The menu follows the seasons and benefits from close relationships with fishermen and suppliers. The seafood platter is a highlight, the oysters are impossible to stop eating, and the lobster roll with fries is a game changer. The atmosphere is warm and personal without trying too hard – a restaurant for those who know what they want.

Time Out tip: Ask what’s best from the sea today – the staff know exactly what’s freshest. If you’re a group, go for the seafood platter. Drink Guinness with the oysters.

Address: Tegnérgatan 9, Vasastan. Expect to pay around 600–900 kronor per person with drinks. Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11.00–22.00, Fri–Sat 11.00–23.00, Sat 12.00–23.00

What is it? A small, family-run Thai restaurant near Zinkensdamm in Södermalm, opened in 2015 by the food-loving couple Lee and Janne. Walk-ins only, simple interior, but food that impresses from the first bite.

Why we love it? This is where many of Stockholm’s Thai residents go when they want really good food – and that’s probably the best endorsement there is. Thongwiset's dishes are truly authentic: pad thai wrapped in an omelette, kraphao with crispy pork, laab with minced pork, herbs and lime juice. These flavours aren’t adapted for Swedish tastes – and that’s exactly why they’re so good. Prices are reasonable and portions generous. The space may be modest, but the food is outstanding.

Time Out tip: You can’t book, so arrive early, especially at weekends. The omelette-wrapped pad thai is fantastic.

Address Hornsgatan 85, Södermalm. Expect to pay under 200 kronor per person, or around 130 kronor at lunch. Open daily with varying hours – check Instagram for updates.

What is it? A group of chef friends (and a sommelier) run this restaurant in Midsommarkransen, just south of Stockholm. Gaia has a loyal local following, and more central-city diners have recently realised the meal is well worth the journey.

Why we love it? The menu at Gaia is deeply personal. Dishes are rooted in seasonal ingredients, mostly organic. There’s a thread of Mexican influence, thanks to one chef’s heritage. The signature dish is churros – but savoury, flavoured with wild garlic and served with fresh goat’s cheese from Löts gård. Occasionally a Swedish-style taco appears as a special, and when it does, order immediately.

There’s often pasta on the menu, some kind of crudo (think raw fish or seafood in a marinade) and a salad that usually turns out to be an unexpected highlight. The wine programme is overseen by Mathias Bauer, a real ace in the dining room with impeccable taste.

Time Out tip: The team recently took over the neighbouring space and opened a backroom bar, Luna.

Vattenledningsvägen 44, Midsommarkransen. Open evenings Wednesday to Saturday. Expect to pay around 650 kronor per person if sharing dishes and having two glasses of wine.

What is it? A top-class restaurant on the border between Vasastan and Östermalm. It’s the kind of place you happily slip into when you’re after an ambitious dinner without making a huge fuss about it. You don’t need to book a table six months in advance, iron your smartest shirt or empty your savings account to eat really well.

Why we love it? Besides the cosy, laidback atmosphere, the food is obviously first-rate. You’d expect nothing less when the restaurant is run by Anders Karlsson and Daniel Haynes, both of whom have backgrounds in the Swedish National Culinary Team.

Animo, which means soul in Esperanto, is an intimate restaurant with just a handful of seats, where the chefs themselves often serve the food directly at the table. In summer, the restaurant also spills out onto a charming little outdoor terrace.

Time Out-tips: If the menu includes lobster corndogs, go ahead and order double portions straight away. Fantastic doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Kungstensgatan 12, Östermalm. Expect to pay SEK 115 for a starter and around SEK 250 for a main course. Open Tuesday to Saturday 17.00-late.

What is it? The popular slice shop 800 grader in Södermalm now has a backroom bar. There is pizza (only full-size), but the real draw is more refined dishes and a few glasses of Italian natural wine or a spritz.

Why we love it? Casual bar dining done right. It’s similar to simple wine bistros in Rome, where owner Oskar Montano has lived. You can’t book. Ottocento's idea is drink-friendly food – suppli – that can turn into a full meal if you order enough. Think fried artichoke with anchovy-rich bagna cauda, elongated arancini filled with rice and tomato, or larger dishes like oxtail ragù or ravioli with morels and ricotta. Everything tastes authentically Italian.

Time Out tip: Neighbouring restaurant Bistro Monello has quickly become a crowd favourite and also boasts an excellent cocktail list.

Kocksgatan 3, Södermalm. Open Tuesday to Saturday evenings. Expect to pay around 250 kronor for a snack and a glass of wine.

What is it? A Southeast Asian fine dining restaurant with strong Thai influences, located between Östermalm and Vasastan.

Both the interior and the flavours are luxuriously rich, and the Thai cuisine is served with a level of ambition far beyond the classic neighbourhood takeaway.

Why we love it? Thai food is famously a balance of salt, sweet, sour and heat, and usually doesn’t need white tablecloths or formal service. At Farang, those street food flavours have been elevated into a fine dining setting – with spectacular results. The extensive tasting menu delivers contrast after contrast: soft-shell crab, crisp green mango salad, cha plu leaves with tempeh, crispy pork cooked in a thousand-year broth. In the glass, however, the focus shifts to Europe, particularly Germany, with fruit-driven rieslings and spicy reds.

Time Out tip: If you don’t want the full tasting menu, the bar is perfect for a glass of bubbles and a few spicy snacks.

Tulegatan 7, Vasastan. Open Tuesday–Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturdays slightly later.

What is it? A legendary neighbourhood restaurant on Riddargatan in Östermalm, opened in 1986. PA&Co is a go-to spot for Stockholm’s creative and cultural crowd – and anyone seeking a genuine atmosphere.

Why we love it? Some restaurants you visit, others you belong to. PA&Co is the latter, which is why it’s been full every night for forty years. It does its own thing without chasing trends: the menu includes classics like the burger (named one of the world’s five best by Financial Times) and the signature dessert Gino – a legend among regulars, with fruit, white chocolate and ice cream. The interior is warmly worn in just the right way, filled with regulars who’ve known each other for decades.

Time Out tip: Table bookings used to be by phone only on the same day from 15.00 – a statement in itself – but now you can book in advance as usual. Order the Gino whatever else you choose: it was invented here and remains one of Stockholm’s best desserts.

Riddargatan 8, Östermalm. Opening hours: Tue–Sat 17.00–00.00. Expect to pay around 400–600 kronor per person with drinks.