斯堪迪克艾维克酒店

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.

After travelling the world, two friends opened this restaurant to showcase their experiences through food, yet with a decidedly imaginative streak. The cooking is characterised by bold, surprising flavours and creativity – what appears to be savoury may in fact be sweet, and vice versa. The chefs delight in subverting expectations with their playfully named dishes that reference global food traditions, like 'Surf and Turf' and 'Afternoon Tea Party'.

Your experience at Celeste starts the moment enter the back garden, ring the bell and are whisked up in the lift to the 8th floor – where you’ll be served a welcome drink on the terrace to a bird’s eye view of the city. Next you head inside for snacks in the bar, before being shown through to your table by the open kitchen. Both the cooking and the décor change with the seasons and there’s precision and balance in every dish, such as the grilled lobster with tomato, grapes and charcoal cream. To accompany, you can choose a wine, cocktail or soft drink at each course.

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

Two chefs, one Swedish and one Australian, are behind this homage to Japanese cuisine which sports the uncluttered, pared-back décor common to both Nordic and Japanese restaurants. Prime Swedish produce powers dishes that come from an ‘osusume’ menu and have a meticulous, delicate construction. Expect the eponymous broth to make several appearances – like as a marinade for amberjack – while desserts such as their take on a classic Mont Blanc are a highlight. Completing the Japanese culinary experience is a varied sake list that includes some rare selections.

After more than a decade at their former address, chef-owners Adam and Albin moved to a handsome 19th-century building beside the opera and opposite the Swedish parliament. The interior features a seductive dark-wood panelled lounge with a curated art collection and a light, spacious dining room boasting an impressive wine cellar. Both the ‘Seasonal’ and shorter ‘Selection’ menus feature highly accomplished dishes cooked over open flames, such as squid with Noir de Bigorre lardo, white icicle radish, coriander blossom and green cardamom jus or blue-shelled lobster with fig, turnip and saffron.

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.