OK I’m Swedish! There, I’ve said it. Well, now you know my secret, I might as well let you in on some more; our capital city Stockholm boasts some totally outrageous places to eat, ranging from those with the Michelin ‘nod’, to cozy cafés and hipster juice bars. Swedes fiercely pride themselves on a little tradition called ‘fika’ which conventionally involves comfy sofas, a chinwag, and indulgent cakes & coffee. But there’s a tension in the air; ours is a nation of militant cake snobs, but we have also jumped firmly on the ‘health bandwagon’; a combo that doesn’t naturally coexist! Luckily dear reader, FitnessOnToast.com is here to help curate your next break in this most exceptional of cities! Click MORE to see my top 8 favorite healthy restaurants & cafes in Stockholm right now…
Before all else, if you’re looking for somewhere to stay for a trip, I wrote all about the Grand Hotel Stockholm HERE. It remains my venue of choice, superbly positioned with some utterly magical touches. http://fitnessontoast.com/2014/10/30/stockholms-grand-escape/
Once you’ve gotten that sorted, time to focus on to the culinary hotspots! I love the odd indulgence and when in Stockholm I always have my cardamom buns, but I also enjoy eating some of the delicious local healthy foods too. So here you have my six healthy eatery finds… everything from ‘on the go’, to a relaxing 2-hour chat or for a ‘shop and refuel’!
Cumulatively, I’ve spent months of my life here! This is by far my favorite place to eat in Stockholm and I’ve written about it previously here (http://fitnessontoast.com/2013/09/30/pear-walnut-goats-cheese-salad/). Situated on Djurgården – a small island in the Stockholm Archipelago – it’s a stunning place of natural beauty around which to wander gently, and there’s so much to explore once you’re there. Be prepared, it’s easy to spend hours under the apple and pear trees!
The Rosendal Garden Foundation was created over 30 years ago with the purpose of running a biodynamic trading garden on Djurgården and spreading knowledge and interest in gardening to the public. Today, we interpret the assignment in a broader sense: To be a model and inspire an enjoyable, yet sustainable life-style. We want to be a scene of sustainability issues at large and spread knowledge and interest about relationships between soil and table, body and soul, nature and humanity.
Their ethos; ‘We dream of a world where our consumption is in harmony with nature; A world where we can live the good life without treading the earth’s resources.’
What to expect?
The highest quality produce, home-grown, organic to the farthest extent possible – and with the shortest route from farm to table. It’s good for both human, environment, and flavor. Every day, the bakers at Rosendal’s conjure multiple types of bread and pastries (watch out for these!) in their wood-burning bakery behind the farm shop. The bread is baked with sourdough and often on cultured cereals. All that is done is a craft, no shortcuts are taken, and their produce is constructed from the very best component ingredients.
Most of their bread is baked in the stone furnace and fired with birch wood. It gives a nice crisp crust, more of an earthen aroma and a richer taste to the bread.
You can also take a stroll through the fruit gardens, the greenhouse, and other meadows. It’s totally inspiring to be so enrobed by this teeming natural wilderness in the middle of Stockholm. If you pop over in the summer (from the end of July until the frost begins) you can even pick your own summer flowers
Where?
Rosendalsterrassen 12
115 21 Stockholm
GOOGLE MAPS LINK: HERE
- Pom och Flora
Situated in Södermalm, this area is a little more ‘hipster’, edgy, cool – as though it’s Stockholm’s answer to Shoreditch, blended with a little Soho. It’s a quiet, leafy and mostly residential area which has been reborn as the hub for new fashion labels as well as independent coffee shops, and there’s a pretty large dining scene, but it’s all far less formal than other parts of Stockholm. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it takes itself quite seriously indeed!
What?
In 2013, Anna Axelsson, who’d previously lived in Australia, opened the cafe Pom & Flora serving Aussie-inspired breakfasts which proved Swedes needn’t sacrifice healthy for delicious!
What to expect:
Aussie inspired breakfasts which are super rich on flavor, with great service and reasonable prices. Think Lingonberry-lassi smoothies, beetroot-hummus toasts, chia puddings with rhubarb compote. Sprinklings of chia. Smashed avocado, radish, rocket, nuts, and seeds.
Where:
64 Bondegatan,
Stockholm 116 33
GOOGLE MAPS LINK: HERE
Photo credit: Angelica Barwich – http://www.devote.se/byangelica/pom-flora-30562707
This is Stockholm’s first Poke restaurant; it’s affordable, quick and easy and perfect for takeaway! Don’t expect lavish trappings of a sit-down restaurant, but you can eat-in if you wish. It’s a narrow unit, functional and stylised, but it serves up just what you’d want!
What to expect?
An eminently Instagrammable seasoned raw fish dish with its origins from Hawaii. It also draws influence from Japan and is best described as a form of deconstructed sashimi salad, but often mixed with tropical fruit cubes like mango and pineapple – and by coincidence, is currently the fastest growing fast-food concept in California and New York! Stockholm tends to be a little slower to react to these US megatrends, but the wheels are in motion with Poké – this small takeout joint, located right in the middle of Östermalm, describes its produce as the ‘naturally healthy superfood bowl’ which is high in lean protein and fiber too from the vegetables and beans. The format is as easy as 1-2-3;
1) Pick a base, (carb),
2) Add some Protein!
3) They also serve gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and vegans alternatives.
Where?
Mäster Samuelsgatan 9
Stockholm, Sweden
GOOGLE MAPS LINK: HERE
This place was recommended to me by a friend who lives full time in Stockholm, it’s her favorite healthy restaurant in town and I enjoyed it too!
What?
The Doktor Mat ethos is based on knowledge and the assertion that food is happiness. ‘What we eat affects how we feel’. The dishes are carefully composed based on taste, texture, and feel. The chef Jessica Leroux is extremely experienced from professional time in Sweden and abroad, having come most recently from the excellent one-starred Matbaren – Mathias Dahlgren.
What to expect?:
Turmeric blends, their self-fermented vegetables, decorative herbs, plenty of spices and ‘anti-inflammatory shots’. Of particular note is the Marinated Salmon with black rice and beans which was exceptional. The atmosphere is relaxed, and it both feels and tastes healthy, with a fresh look and feel to the décor.
Where: Central Stockholm, in Norrmalm, walking distance from Östermalm.
Address: Tegnérgatan 5
111 35 Stockholm
GOOGLE MAPS LINK: HERE
- Sally Voltaire och Systrar – ‘Shop & refuel/nourish’
What?
Situated in one of the major malls, Åhléns in central Stockholm – it’s the perfect place to stop for a healthy refuel session eat after some Scandi shopping or after arriving at the Central Station.
What to expect?
Generous salad bowls. Mine was quinoa, chickpeas, salted almonds, sprouts salad with a herb dressing on the side.
Where:
Sally Voltaire & Systrar
Åhléns City Stockholm
Plan 2
GOOGLE MAPS LINK: HERE
- Ecobaren, Central Badet (Central Bath) ‘an oasis of calm in central Stockholm’
photo credit: Cassandra Lundgren – http://cassandrabakar.fineday.se/2016/01/31/spa-mat-och-drinkar-tack/
This is a place of serenity, an oasis of composure at the heart of Stockholm’s pulsing Drottninggatan. Without having to deviate far, it’s the perfect place to escape, located high up on top of Östermalms Saluhall. Here you’ll find a superb viewing gallery overlooking a bathing pool, where you can order smoothies and salads from their “eco-bars”. Grab a fresh salad and then return to the comparative madness outside – although it’s never that mad!
This is a real institution and has been around for as long as I can remember, untouched by the passage of time. Swedes take their spa-going very seriously, as temperatures drop to minus 20 degrees in winter so they need a place to defrost. Aside from the baths, saunas and steam rooms, there are treatment rooms and of course a lovely restaurant overlooking the baths serving indoors and outdoors, which is open to all (whether or not you are using the baths).
What? It’s a unique and relaxing space in the heart of Stockholm – a place to relax, rejuvenate and re-energize. The Ecobaren menu includes organic as well as raw food. Aside from food and drink the restaurant offer their guests light therapy in the orangery. It’s a wonderful place to visit even if you’re just stopping off for a cup of tea or juice.
Where?:
Centralbadet, Stockholms Brunnsbad AB
Drottninggatan 88
111 36 Stockholm
GOOGLE MAPS LINK: HERE
This is the perfect restaurant for a special occasion and for a chance to sample some of the best Sweden has to offer.
Michelin decorated chef Mathias Dahlgren recently opened Rutabaga a ‘vision of future cuisine featuring world class vegetarian dishes’. The word itself denotes a root vegetable that’s somewhat of a hybrid between turnip and cabbage; the swede! This restaurant recently replaced the highly celebrated Matsalen.
The restaurant is understated, the interior is simple and minimalist (which massively appeals to me), oozing the very essence of Scandinavian style and has a super relaxed feel. Mathias Dahlgen is not a “vegetarian cook turned haute cuisine chef” – but rather the other way around, a renowned gourmet creationist turned vegetarian imaginer. This house uses fresh ingredients which vary with the season, and the dishes are meant to be shared, which is all the better because you will want to sample as much variety as possible.
What to expect? Ceviche of avocado & jalapeno; fried greens with lemon, garlic, and capers; and deep-fried chickpeas with green pea guacamole, to name but a few.
Where?
Grand Hôtel
Södra Blasieholmshamnen 8
GOOGLE MAPS LINK: HERE
- Östermalms Saluhallar
This is Stockholm’s equivalent of Harrods’ Food Halls. They’ve been in operation for over 125 years and Jamie Oliver recently noted it to be one of his favorite places in Stockholm; with good reason.
There are countless cute little restaurants, bars, and cafes as well as spices, fresh ingredients and homemade dishes to buy.
It’s a wonderful place to wander and take in the delicious seasonal fresh foods. Stop and grab a coffee, lunch or even a nice dinner à la carte. There’s something here for everyone, and every trip back to Stockholm will always see me visit!
Where?
Östermalmstorg 114 39
GOOGLE MAPS LINK: HERE
Happy travels!
