Meticulous traveller that I am, I had painstakingly trawled through every Stockholm city guide, restaurant review site and design blog for inspiration on what to eat in the city and where to eat it. Sometimes eating is the highlight for me on these trips. I know it sounds awful (and extremely little Britain of me), but I could happily go abroad and just hole myself up in nice hotel, emerging only to eat.
Fortunately for me (and you), I have a little more oompf than that, which led me to my ultimate favourite travel activity: supermarket browsing! Shut up, it's not sad! What better way to experience local life and sample local delicacies than to visit the very place that LOCALS go to for their groceries. Okay, so I'm not sure if most Stockholmers shop for chicken at Nordiska Kompaniet (Sweden's answer to Selfridge's), but I like to think they do....
As good as Norwegian Air was to us, I was pretty convinced that they would not stretch their one piece of hand luggage rule to accommodate my suitcase, bag'o'Byredo and a wheel of crisp bread. But look at how pretty the packaging is!
Don't even get me started on the fruit cordial...I had to be dragged away. When is this 100ml rule going to put to bed? I don't even drink cordial, but that is very much besides the point...
Lunch was at Östermalms saluhall, a food hall, make that EMPORIUM, dating to 1888. Visitors beware: get there early. We arrived at about 3:15pm, thinking we had the rest of the day to wile away, but the hall actually closes at 4pm on a Saturday. These Swedes don't mess about. "Me Time" is certified here; good
luck hanging a fang on a open sandwich past 5pm.
So we did an 'express tour'...
snap, snap, snap...
We just about had time to get an open sandwich each- I opted for the beef- and finished with a decadent
slice of chocolate cake. I'm sorry, but we'd walked so much that day, that I felt I earned the calories.
I couldn't resist this cute Florentine-style cupcake. I can't remember exactly how much it was, but I do remember balking at the price. Stockholm is so damn expensive! Ah well...it was delicious and beat a Belgian bun at Greggs hands down..
I'd love to tell you what it was called, but unfortunately every time I Google 'Swedish cake', I'm presented with this. I can say that nobody attempted to take a slice out of me when I was in town.
I had to mentally prepare for dinner at Restaurang AG...
Located in a reasonably 'gritty' area of Stockholm (and by gritty, I mean Swedish gritty. As in "Oh no, there's an empty wrapper on the ground that someone has carelessly discarded" gritty. As opposed to London gritty. As in "Crap, I think that guy has a shank, WALK UP"gritty). We were told that the door was unmarked, but we spotted the restaurant straight away through the taxi window- a little disappointing; I was up for a hunt. Once inside, we were confronted with a dubious looking lift:
This is how Law & Order starts...CHUNG CHUNG.
The dining room was more welcoming...
The food was even better. Now, AG is not for vegetarians or pescetarians. Stay at home guys. This place is heavy on the cow. I.e, absolute heaven for me. The menus were a little dodge...
I ordered a FEAST.
The steak was AMAZEBALLS!
Totally didn't need it, but I went for the blood orange sorbet to finish.
Followed by cocktails at the bar at Nobis Hotel. Bliss! Goodbye Stockholm, my wallet won't miss you x
Fortunately for me (and you), I have a little more oompf than that, which led me to my ultimate favourite travel activity: supermarket browsing! Shut up, it's not sad! What better way to experience local life and sample local delicacies than to visit the very place that LOCALS go to for their groceries. Okay, so I'm not sure if most Stockholmers shop for chicken at Nordiska Kompaniet (Sweden's answer to Selfridge's), but I like to think they do....
As good as Norwegian Air was to us, I was pretty convinced that they would not stretch their one piece of hand luggage rule to accommodate my suitcase, bag'o'Byredo and a wheel of crisp bread. But look at how pretty the packaging is!
Don't even get me started on the fruit cordial...I had to be dragged away. When is this 100ml rule going to put to bed? I don't even drink cordial, but that is very much besides the point...
Lunch was at Östermalms saluhall, a food hall, make that EMPORIUM, dating to 1888. Visitors beware: get there early. We arrived at about 3:15pm, thinking we had the rest of the day to wile away, but the hall actually closes at 4pm on a Saturday. These Swedes don't mess about. "Me Time" is certified here; good
luck hanging a fang on a open sandwich past 5pm.
So we did an 'express tour'...
snap, snap, snap...
We just about had time to get an open sandwich each- I opted for the beef- and finished with a decadent
slice of chocolate cake. I'm sorry, but we'd walked so much that day, that I felt I earned the calories.
I couldn't resist this cute Florentine-style cupcake. I can't remember exactly how much it was, but I do remember balking at the price. Stockholm is so damn expensive! Ah well...it was delicious and beat a Belgian bun at Greggs hands down..
I'd love to tell you what it was called, but unfortunately every time I Google 'Swedish cake', I'm presented with this. I can say that nobody attempted to take a slice out of me when I was in town.
I had to mentally prepare for dinner at Restaurang AG...
Located in a reasonably 'gritty' area of Stockholm (and by gritty, I mean Swedish gritty. As in "Oh no, there's an empty wrapper on the ground that someone has carelessly discarded" gritty. As opposed to London gritty. As in "Crap, I think that guy has a shank, WALK UP"gritty). We were told that the door was unmarked, but we spotted the restaurant straight away through the taxi window- a little disappointing; I was up for a hunt. Once inside, we were confronted with a dubious looking lift:
This is how Law & Order starts...CHUNG CHUNG.
The dining room was more welcoming...
The food was even better. Now, AG is not for vegetarians or pescetarians. Stay at home guys. This place is heavy on the cow. I.e, absolute heaven for me. The menus were a little dodge...
But they were a treat inside...
I ordered a FEAST.
The steak was AMAZEBALLS!
Totally didn't need it, but I went for the blood orange sorbet to finish.
Followed by cocktails at the bar at Nobis Hotel. Bliss! Goodbye Stockholm, my wallet won't miss you x
