660543 Sun Oct 18 15:11:45 -0700 2009 9 26 International 0 5112821 Looking for recommendations for Stockholm in December just before Christmas? In particular: Special smorgsbord lunch / buffets Traditional Swedish food Bars with a view or traditional (not so 'hip') Stuck for evening ideas? (Good but not Michelin star standard?)Any suggestions gratefully received Sun Oct 18 15:11:45 -0700 2009 84364 Snufflehound 1 5113107 Pretty much every hotel has a smorgasbord for breakfast. This hotel has a decent one included and is a 10min walk from central stockholm (http://www.rexhotel.se/). This website has listing of bars and restaurants (http://www.alltomstockholm.se/restaurangbar/). Where it says "Sök restaurang och bar" under "Alla typer av kök" choose "Svenskt": this process will list all the swedish restaurants and their locations in the city. Click on "karta" to see the menus. The most crowded places to eat and drink are probably in Gamla Stan. There are also a lot of restaurants surrounding Kungsträdgården and bars near Stureplan. The Grand Hotel has a nice bar. If you want to buy liquor/wine they have state run stores (Systembolaget) which close at 6 and are open for a short time on Sat. You have to take a number, decide what you want from the store's selection (menu), and then when your number is called, place your order. This nice lady is swedish, lives in stockholm, and has a food blog in english (http://annesfood.blogspot.com/). Have fun! Sun Oct 18 17:54:26 -0700 2009 5112821 1087551 hotmexi 2 5114012 You can find beer in regular market although at the more "American" 3.5% alcohol level (and below). Only beers above 3.5% are regulated. My Swedish friends scoff at the 3.5, saying "you can't get drunk on that." Mon Oct 19 07:41:07 -0700 2009 5113107 202198 ferret 3 5115490 its called lättöl (light beer) and sometimes the people who are designated drivers will drink one of those. Mon Oct 19 15:44:35 -0700 2009 5114012 1087551 hotmexi 1 5118299 There is some misunderstanding here. Smörgåsbord in Sweden has nothing to do with Smorgåsbord in the US. In the US its just another word for a buffet. Here is it a buffet but that buffet must consist of specific dishes which vary depending on the season. There is no way to eat a smörgåsbord for breakfast. But most hotels do serve a buffet for breakfast. Many lunch places have buffets, particular Chinese and Thai. But again this is nothing to do with Sweden or smörgåsbord unless you are just looking to eat a lot of mediocre food for a low price. That was the bad news. The good news is you are coming at the right time of year to find a true smörgåsbord. But since it is Christmas time they will all be called Julbord. Since this is probably a once in a lifetime deal for you I suggest you prepare to spend around 100 USD per person for a proper Julbord at a good restaurant (the 100 USD will cover a bit of drinking as well). The places below all offer very special atmosphere as well. Places to consider are Clas på Hörnet (in an old house in the city) Lunch and dinner http://www.claspahornet.se/ Operakällaren. http://www.operakallaren.se/ Lunch and dinner, a bit more than 100 US at lunch around 130 at dinner Grand Hotel http://www.grandhotel.se Lunch and dinner Långholmens Värdshus Lunch and dinner http://www.langholmen.com/En/RestaurantAndPub/Christmas.aspx You will have to book in advance. Make sure to ask a member of the staff for the proper way to eat a Julbord. You do not fill your plate to the brim with various things. Instead you go up several times taking different groups of foods one at a time. More trips with smaller portions is the way to go, but ask to make sure you go in the right order and to be sure you don't miss any specialties. If the person you ask doesn't seem helpful or knowledgable (there is a lot of extra staff during this season) ask someone else. You are paying a lot so you have a right to an evening to remember. Tue Oct 20 15:56:24 -0700 2009 5112821 10430 mdibiaso 2 5119379 I'd add Berns to that list. Not very traditional but an excellent Asian-influenced Julbord: http://www.berns.se/restauranger Wed Oct 21 06:48:19 -0700 2009 5118299 202198 ferret 3 5120471 Sorry to disagree, but I see no reason to come all the way to Sweden to eat an asian buffet meal instead of a true Swedish Smörgåsbord. The buffet at Berns may be nice for Swedes that have eaten dozens of smörgåsbords in their life, but not for a visitor. Sort of like eating pizza when you are in Kyoto. Wed Oct 21 12:50:35 -0700 2009 5119379 10430 mdibiaso 4 5120565 It was one of the better meals I've had in my visits, although I can honestly say I've - nearly (save for an awful Italian place in Gamla Stan) - never had a bad meal in Stockholm. And from what I understand they do have a special Christmas buffet. It's true that it's not traditional Swedish but it's still a modern Swedish approach. Wed Oct 21 13:21:06 -0700 2009 5120471 202198 ferret 5 5121952 The question is not whether or not Berns is good or if they have a Christmas buffet. The question is whether or not someone on their first and maybe only trip to Stockholm should spend what seems to be their celebration meal at a Pan Asian nightclub restaurant that could just as well be in Rome, LA, Rio or Sydney or eat a proper Swedish Julbord that can only be found in Sweden. Even if they are here a whole week there is more than enough good, authentic Swedish food available that they can avoid eating "international" on this trip. The situation is different for someone like you who seems to be a repeat visitor. 3 or 4 meals of husmanskost (home cooking) at places like Operakällarens Bakficka or Eriks Bakficka. Just make sure to ask what dishes are husmanskost since non-Swedish dishes will also be on the menu. Ask your hotel for other options for husmanskost near where you are staying. The big Julbord. And if they want to spend a little extra, close to 200 USD a head, they can have some modern Swedish based on Swedish ingredients and traditions at Leijontornet. I would recommend this over more international Swedish modern ala F12 or Esperanto. Those restaurant are very good but they will cost just as much and also could just as well be in LA, NY or Sydney. Thu Oct 22 00:29:04 -0700 2009 5120565 10430 mdibiaso 1 5134977 KB Restaurant's (http://www.konstnarsbaren.se/valkommen.htm) menu looked great - traditional Swedish - and in a convenient location downtown. Reasonable prices. I wish we would have went there instead of Backfickan, which we did not care for. Tue Oct 27 11:45:23 -0700 2009 5112821 282776 RachelEsq.