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What was once a dour landscape of overpriced, uninspiring eateries is now a creative hotbed of culinary achievement to rival any major European capital. Industry investment in training, receptivity to international influence, and a flair for creativity all mean that Stockholm's best chefs have stayed way ahead of the game. Increasingly, this achievement is rubbing off on their mid-price colleagues and in terms of culinary experience per krona, mid-range restaurants represent the best value for money in town. Two recent trends have seen many of the city's better restaurants pick up on this and offer more set-price tasting menus and increasing numbers of wines by the glass—making even the most expensive restaurants relatively affordable. In terms of food, New Swedish remains the buzzword, with chefs looking no further than their backyards for fine, seasonal, traditional ingredients, served with a modern twist. Of course, there are also many less expensive restaurants with traditional Swedish cooking. Among Swedish dishes, the best bets are wild game and fish, particularly salmon, and the smorgasbord buffet, which usually offers a good variety at an inexpensive price. Reservations are often necessary. Some restaurants close for a month or more for summer vacation, so be sure to confirm opening hours if visiting between June and August.
AIRA's dark and moody exterior, tucked away on the island of Djurgården, belies its light, airy interior, scattered with white-clothed tables and seats and banquettes of chocolate-brown velvet. The cuisine from one of Sweden's best known chefs, Tommy Myllymäki, skews toward local ingredients infused with international flavors, offering the best of land and sea, all prepared in an open kitchen alongside the high-ceilinged dining space.
Chef Björn Frantzén creates exquisite dishes using imagination, passion, and a little science—a combination that has earned his restaurant Sweden’s first (and so far only) Michelin three-star rating. The extensive tasting menu, which changes daily, is the only option, so eating here is extremely expensive but also unforgettable. Every meal begins in the lounge bar with appetizers, then moves to the downstairs dining room, where chefs present every dish personally. The experience concludes with dessert back in the lounge bar. Wine and non-alcoholic pairing menus are available, though you can also order separately off the huge wine list. Note that reservations for the following month are released at 10 am local time on the first day of each month, and you need to be quick to snatch one up.
