Food To Try In Sweden

1. Knäckebröd: crisp bread

Knäckebröd is a dry and flat crisp bread usually made out of rye flour. The Knäckebröd can be stored and used for a long period of time and is best served with savory spreads like cheese and butter. They are consumed around the year but are more popular during the warmer months due to their light texture. The design is often circular with a hole in the middle similar to a donut but flat. Sample some of the best ones in Leksands Knäckebröd AB.

Leksands Knäckebröd AB

Address: Gärde stationsvägen 11, 793 50 Leksand, Sweden

Business hours: 9.30am to 6pm on weekdays, 11am to 3pm on weekends

Website: Leksands Knäckebröd AB

2. Baked goods: Prinsesstårta & Kanelbulle

Prinsesstårta is a popular green princess cake found at the windows of all bakeries in Sweden. Stuffed with custard, jam and sealed with a layer of bright marzipan, the Princess Cake is an important part of most celebrations in Sweden. Jenny Åkerström first made it for the princesses and named it the Princess Cake after them, and it gained soaring popularity after that. Apparently, the average Swedish person eats cakes and pastry equivalent to 316 cinnamon buns per year. The Kanelbulle, which is just the Swedish name for a cinnamon bun is relished by the Swedes so much that they have dedicated an entire day to them. Vete-Katten in Stockholm is an institution and one of the best bakeries around if you want to try anything baked.

Vete-Katten

Address: Kungsgatan 55, 111 22 Stockholm, Sweden

Business hours: 7.30am to 8pm on weekdays, 9.30am to 7pm on weekends

Website: Vete-Katten

3. Smörgåsbord

Smörgåsbord is a Scandinavian meal which finds its origins in Sweden. The buffet style meals contain a variety of hot and cold dishes served on a table. Whatever it may contain, the pickled herring is a must in this array, since Sweden has an abundance of the delicious fish. The four-course meal can be best sampled at Verandan in Stockholm in a cozy and classy setting.

Verandan

Address: Södra Blasieholmshamnen 8, 111 48 Stockholm, Sweden

Website: Verandan

4. Sausage and macaroni

Everyone who has ever grown up in the country has tried this unique dish of Sausage and macaroni for sure. Falukorv, the cooked Swedish sausage is made with pork and beef meat and served with the macaroni. The macaroni is panfried with the Falukorv in fragrant butter and spices cooked with aromatic Bechemel sauce. This is Sweden’s favorite comfort food.

5. Raggmunk

Raggmunks are traditional Swedish potato pancakes. They are fried with butter and served with a side of pork and the all-time Swedish favorite - Lingonberries! The potatoes are either grated or ground and mixed with flour and eggs, pan fried till golden brown in butter and spiced with onions and garlic. The pork and Lingonberries actually help balance the savory flavor of the pancake really well and is an explosion of flavors in your mouth. Do visit Grodan if you want to eat your pancakes in a 19th-century setting in Stockholm.

Grodan

Address: Grev Turegatan 16, 114 46 Stockholm, Sweden

Business hours: 7.30am to 12am on weekdays, 12pm to 10 pm on weekends

Website: Grodan

6. Beef Ryberg

Would you believe me if I told you that Beef Rydberg is considered to be a classic hangover cure in Sweden? If not, take a closer look at the ingredients which are crispy potatoes, tenderloin beef and spongy eggs in opinion marmalade - the perfect carb-loaded meal you need after a night of binge drinking. It was probably first served in Hotel Rydberg in Stockholm, and that is where it gets its name from. Prinsen serves some authentic Swedish delights in a European setting since 1897 - a great place to try Beef Rydberg in Stockholm.

Prinsen

Address: Mäster Samuelsgatan 4, 111 44 Stockholm, Sweden

Business hours: 11.30am to 11.30pm everyday, 1pm to 10pm on Sundays

Website: Prinsen

7. Gubbröra

Gubbröra in Swedish means “old man’s mix” or “Gentleman’s delight”. The classic Swedish starter dish is essentially a cold egg and anchovy salad. This spread is usually served on a piece of toasted bread or crispbread. Restaurant Pelikan serves an amazing Gubbröra along with other famous Swedish specialties in the city of Stockholm since 1733.

Restaurant Pelikan

Address: Blekingegatan 40, 116 62 Stockholm, Sweden

Business hours: 4pm to 12am Monday to Thursday, 12pm to 1am Friday to Sunday

Website: Restaurant Pelikan

8. Toast Skagen

The symbol of elegance on Sweden’s dining tables, Toast Skagen is a piece of toast topped with prawns. This absolute classic was probably named after a fishing port in Denmark, named so by Swede Tore Wretman in 1958 when he invented this starter. Gästabud whips up some amazing seafood and Toast Skagen is no different.

Gästabud

Address: Österlånggatan 7, 111 31 Stockholm, Sweden

Business hours: 12pm to 10.30pm everyday

Website: Gästabud

9. Reindeer stew with juniper berries

This classic stew from the Northern part of Sweden is made from Reindeer meat and the juniper berries provide it a fruitily sweet aroma. This is ideally a winter delight and the juniper berries just reinforce the love of Swedes towards consuming sweet berries with everything! Also, reindeer meat is widely consumed in the Nordic countries but are a rare sight in other places so you should definitely give it a go if you are visiting Sweden. Kvarnen is a contemporary beer hall which serves traditional Swedish delights and Reindeer stew is one of them.

Kvarnen

Address: Tjärhovsgatan 4, 116 21 Stockholm, Sweden

Business hours: 11am to 1am everyday

Website: Kvarnen

10. Jansson’s Temptation

Janssons frestelse translates to Jansson’s temptation - a Swedish traditional casserole made with potatoes, sprats, cream, and breadcrumbs. It is an essential part of a Swedish Christmas dinner but is consumed on other celebratory occasions such as Easter. The dish is apparently named after Erik Janson, a Swedish religious figure who was said to consume this sinful dish in secret. Pickwick Restaurang & Pub is known to serve a mighty good variation of the same.

Pickwick Restaurang & Pub

Address: Drottninggatan 6, 111 51 Stockholm, Sweden

Business hours: 11am to 12am everyday

Website: Pickwick Restaurang & Pub

Say "hej" to Swedish food delights

The long winters and the general climate have contributed a lot to the evolution of Swedish food in the way it is served today. The cuisine is heavy on various kinds of seafood and other heavier meats like the reindeer meat. The meatballs, unlike the perception in other countries, are usually made and consumed in households rather than a dish popular in restaurants. So, do try this curation of the most popular dishes when you visit the beautiful, diverse country of Sweden.