King Hotel

Charming in its lack of pretension, this bohemian neighbourhood restaurant has a homely feel. It’s simply furnished and the pared-back cooking has an unfussiness to match. Dishes show technical skill and provide some well-judged flavours using great Swedish ingredients. In an expensive city, the set menu presents good value for cooking of this quality.

This lively wine bar is a perfect fit for the neighbourhood. Sit at closely set tables or on high stools either up at the bar counter or next to the window, surrounded by paintings and hunting trophies, including some impressive antlers and a huge wild boar’s head. Order your way through the menu of small plates, which highlight Swedish ingredients and flavours, and feature the likes of cheese balls with garlic honey or pork neck skewer with oyster sauce and chives. Three stainless steel tanks contain home-distilled gin – flavours change regularly, courtesy of various herbs, oils and fruits.

If there's such a thing as ‘industrial elegance’, then they’ve found it at this bang on-trend spot in the city’s meat-packing district. Exposed wires and concrete pillars combine with white tablecloths in a chic space that’s proving hugely popular with Stockholm’s diners. It’s owned by the experienced operators behind Adam / Albin and is an impressively well-run place; the cooking borrows from around the world, including small selections of tacos and wood-fired pizzas. On a cold day, sit round the impressive fire-lit chimney.

Chic and sultry, this Södermalm spot delivers the look and vibe of a bar, with the added bonus of flavoursome small plates. The cooking is bang on-trend, blending Nordic and French influences with pan-Asian elements including Korean kimchi, Chinese wontons and a daily selection of Japanese mochi for dessert. If you’re an indecisive diner, go for the keenly priced tasting menu to appreciate the full breadth of the kitchen's talents. Well-versed, professional service is the icing on the cake.

A stylish, red-brick former factory dating back to 1916, set beside the water, is home to this brasserie-style restaurant that has a welcome brightness to both its décor and its atmosphere. Local produce is key to their ethos, including the likes of Östergötland lamb and Ängsö pike-perch, along with plenty of seasonal ingredients such as asparagus and rhubarb. Unfussy, classically based dishes allow this fresh produce to shine, with the flexible courses ranging in size from 'mini' to 'large'. There's also a set Kitchen Menu available for those that can't quite decide.

On the western side of the borough of Södermalm, chef-owner Tomoko Hayashi brings a little piece of Japan to Stockholm’s dining scene by offering an omakase experience that doesn’t break the bank. Seafood plays a central role in the dishes, however the menu isn’t entirely focussed on sushi. Produce comes from all over the world, be it Spanish sea bass, Argentinian prawns or Canadian black cod, with some of the seafood also originating from Japan of course, as well as the fresh wasabi. Tomoko leads the smooth service herself with personality and professionalism.

A compact bistro owned by a group of friends, who set up a furniture making business and now use the bistro to showcase their products. Cooking follows a theme which changes every two months – perhaps a country, a style of food or a famous chef – and the rustic small plates are simple yet full of flavour.