Aiden by Best Western Stockholm Solna

With its white tiled walls and compact counter seating, this restaurant couldn't look simpler, but it is not a place to be underestimated. Classic Japanese sushi preparations soar to a high level thanks to the exceptional quality of the local seafood ingredients. Diners are all served at the same time, omakase style, with the signature soy-cured egg and the sake tasting menu proving the highlights.

With its pared-back feel, rustic exposed brickwork and buzzy vibe, this is just the place for a lively night out. It remains one of the hottest tickets in town, so try for a counter seat overlooking the kitchen if you haven’t booked. The concise menu includes modernised Swedish classics that are robust, well-composed and certainly deliver on flavour. Service is accommodating, warm and efficient.

The very definition of a neighbourhood restaurant, Babette is a lively, bustling spot with a buzzing atmosphere; arrive expecting to squeeze past chairs without stepping on dogs and to sit elbow-to-elbow with your fellow guests. The vibe is chilled, the music is good and the two chefs work away in the tiny kitchen completely unphased. Whether you’re popping in for a glass of wine and the pizza of the day or spending the evening over some ever-evolving small plates – such as ricotta Babette with mushrooms and potatoes or veal tartare with colatura and parmesan – you’ll have a great time.

Overseen by passionate chef-owner Johan Jureskog, this buzzy neighbourhood spot has been a staple of the Stockholm dining scene for nearly 40 years. The industrial-style décor comes courtesy of architect Thomas Sandell and designer Jonas Bohlin, and isn’t the only thing to take a bold approach; generously proportioned dishes have a classic heart and big flavours, and are a perfect match for their surroundings. Enjoy dishes like fish stew with shrimps, mussels, cream and aioli or red-wine braised ox cheek with truffle and potato purée – then walk it off with a stroll around Tegnérlunden Park.

With its lively atmosphere, classic Gallic menus and a long bar counter where 18 stools look into the open kitchen, Allegrine has something of a French brasserie style. Lunch is a simple affair offering one or two choices plus a dish of the day – perhaps ‘blanquette de veau’ (veal stew), bouillabaisse or onglet with béarnaise sauce. Dinner is more substantial, with the likes of frogs legs, steak tartare or halibut marinière with blue mussels, cucumber and snow peas. Some dishes have wider Mediterranean influences, and there’s a surprise menu for two if you can’t quite decide.

Essence is the perfect spot for social types who like to mingle. Everyone is seated around a big counter and served at the same time, with Chef Stefan Taylor centre stage preparing the dishes and explaining their make-up. He works alone, so there’s a slight pause between courses, and it’s here when the atmosphere becomes animated. Stefan has an intuitive way of combining flavours and spends hours each week drying, pickling and preparing various elements in advance, including the likes of fiskpinnar trout, where he cooks and dries the bones, creates a biscuit and later fills it with a pâté of t

There is a wonderfully personal touch to this well-run Vietnamese restaurant, with posters and old photos adorning the walls, and an array of objects decorating the room. It’s an enjoyably relaxed setting for the cooking, which uses impressive ingredients – some of them from local producers – and mines plenty of flavour from simple-looking compositions. A light, smooth cream of corn sauce, for example, is a skilful and delicious accompaniment to quality grilled prawns.