Top 10 Favorite Restaurants in Stockholm 2012

Nr 1. Frantzén/Lindeberg ***

Frantzén/Lindeberg sports two Michelin stars and this year it was rumoured that they would receive their third. In 2011 and 2012 Frantzén/Lindeberg was named “restaurant of the year” by the prestigious White Guide and is this year awarded with Western Taste 3 star "Grand Beverage Selection Award".
Last year Frantzén/Lindberg only came on 3rd place however after this years visit we can only determen that they have delivered with a much higher performance and with great passion to become Stockholms Favorite Restaurant of 2012 by Western Taste.
Eating here is a sensory experience with a touch of humour. Chefs Björn Frantzén and Daniel Lindeberg serves up fresh ingredients from the restaurant's own garden to create culinary artistry with intriguing surprises. The surprises continue with the sommelier-selected drink package that pairs pre-selected wines with specific food courses. The restaurant is located in historic Old Town and gastronomy buffs from Stockholm and beyond are fighting over the tables.
For an unforgettable evening event, Frantzén/Lindeberg can accommodate groups of up to 12 people in its "chambre separé". It features its own entrance, bar and sommelier.
This truly is the most exciting eating experience in Stockholm!
frantzen-lindeberg.com/

Nr 2. Esperanto *

Esperanto’s website suggests that they wanted to “create a restaurant with no compromises - where gastronomy, service and environment acted as the foundation'. After a visit you will all agree!
Esperanto is housed in the old Jarlateatern theatre and the dining room interior is in large part the same as when plays were put on here. With one Michelin star under its belt, Esperanto offers stunning sculptural dishes. The excellent dishes all have funny names such as 'Lobster in the English Garden Mist'. We recommend the truffled pike with a viande emulsion and crushed potatoes or the rascasse braised in roasted tomato and bone marrow.
There is a timeless quality to this restaurant and gourmet travellers and local gastronauts alike fight for tables here. They have all got the right idea!
esperantorestaurant.se/


Nr 3. F12 Restaurant **

Last year F12 Restaurant became the second most recommended restaurant to dine in Stockholm by Western Taste. F12 Restaurant is still one of Swedens absolut best places to find passionate food and service. Danyel Couet brings amazing quality of its qulinary experience to Stockholm and uplifts F12 as one of my favorite places to dine in. The wine concept is brought by the famous sommelier Sören Polonius and brings an absolut amazing wine list to this restaurant. Sören and his team is also awarded with 2 stars by Western Taste with "Cru Beverage Selection Award".
I absolutly adore and love the Scallops & Wagyu 10+ with Banyuls vinegar, rapeseed oil and herbs. Please try the Entrecote of Milk Feb Veal "Raz el Hanout" with spring turnips and dried lime.
Every time going to F12 Restaurant your palate goes to a journey of gastronomic passion and experience.
f12.se/

Nr 4. Mathias Dahlgren Matsalen ***

Matsalen by Mathias Dahlgren lost its first place position from last year and went down to the 4th position. Please do not misread our recommendations. We still belive Mathias Dahlgren Matsalen to be one of the best restaurants Scandinavia has to offer however this year other passionate gastronomers performed better and Matsalen was recieved with a number 4 on the list of 2012.
This restaurant gives you 2 Micheline stars and is granted with Western Taste 2 star “Cru Beverage Award” for an excellent wine list with good variety and selections that can be paired for multiple occasions and multiple gastronomic food experiences.Matsalen is still one of the best and strongest candidates for the best restaurant in Stockholm 2012.

mathiasdahlgren.com/

Nr 5. Mistral

Mistral is a little out of the way, in Enskede south of Stockholm City Centre. This is more than compensated for by international class ambition, mentions in several publications including the White Guide and pure, organic and locally sourced gourmet luxury.
In Mistral it is all about the natural tastes and using great local and biodynamic produce combined with excellent cooking skills to maximize the flavour. Mistral's 20-something owner, Björn Vasseur and Chef Fredrik Andersson, had little restaurant experience when they opened this place. But they managed to attract crowds almost immediately, and earned a Michelin star within just one year.
The restaurant is sparsely decorated, small and cosy with a seating maximum of 18 guests. It is plain with white walls and wooden furniture and comparatively well-priced, about $100 for an eight-course tasting menu.
From the current menu we recommend you try the different sides of cabbage with raw meet (lamb, venison, deer etc), lightly whipped cream and dries fish roe. You should also try the baked beets with today’s meat, milk skin and red fat.

mistral.nu/

Nr 6. Råkultur *

Råkultur is located on Kungstensgatan and is run by talented chef Sayan Isaksson who also runs Esperanto in the same property. Råkultur has a distinctly Asian influence in their Scandinavian cooking.
Råkultur is an award-winning mainly sushi restaurant that locals love. Råkultur translates to 'raw culture' and the menu follows that credo; sushi rolls and sashimi bites with salmon, flounder, silver eel and more exotic things like smoked duck breast. It is all expertly crafted by the chefs. The menu is simply quite unique and inventive! On top of that they only use fish from the North Atlantic.
It doesn’t stop at the great food; it is all also really price worthy. You could almost call it cheap considered to what they serve compared to many others.
If you are there in the evening they also have a nice dish called "Tribute to Momofuku", that is a big chunk of pork knuckle with everything you need, do we need to say more?

rakultur.se/


Nr. 7 GQ *

This restaurant is named for the venue's 'gastronomic IQ' and nothing else. GQ only uses seasonal produce and plans their menus accordingly. Restaurateur Jürgen Grossmann has been providing his culinary services to nearly all of Stockholm's districts for more than 30 years. Restaurant Reisen in the Old Town, L'Escargot at Kungsholmen and Gässlingen in Söder, are some of the restaurants that have flourished in his care. Now the turn has come to GQ!
This restaurant has a French bias and is inspired by the Montignac method – a healthy way of eating that promotes good fats and carbohydrates. They clearly aren’t afraid of a slightly different approach and the kitchen seems to outperform itself regularly, always renewing the menu. Almost every visit offers new surprises!
We recommend you try the duck liver terrine with chanterelles, apple puré and pork or the wild duck with blood sauce spiced with chocolate, endive and duck sausage with pistachio.

gqrestaurang.se/


Nr 8. Långbro Värdshus

Långbro Värdshus takes pride in offering guests carefully prepared dishes made with the best seasonal, raw ingredients. Celebrity chef Fredrik Eriksson runs an old fashioned Swedish tavern called Långbro Värdshus in a big villa on the outskirts of Stockholm, in Fruängen.

Långbro Värdshus offers diners dishes such as Artichoke Soup with a shallot mousseline, parsley and crispy forest mushrooms and Veal Steaks with a creamy white pepper sauce, pickled winter vegetables and puréed potatoes.

Here you find a friendly atmosphere, excellent service and the best traditionally Swedish food in Stockholm.
langbrovardshus.se/

Nr 9. Caina, Nobis Hotel

If you are looking for true Italiany cusine with excellent raw materials then you should look no further. Caina gives you an authentic Italian experience with great service, beautiful setting and amazing food. Caina has always been one of our favorites and we hope to continue experiencing the Italian flavors of Caina and outmost passionate service from its staff.
nobishotel.se/

Nr. 10 Restaurang Hjerta

Hjerta is an alternative spelling of ”hjärta” which means heart in Swedish. In their own words this restaurant strives to cook food and serve wine with a lot of heart, and do it with a twist! In our minds they definitely accomplish this and more!

Hjerta is located on Skeppsholmen in a unique former shipyard that has been carefully refurbished and modernized to keep the maritime touch. During the summer they have an extensive outdoor seating just by the water.
The cooking is of a rustic Swedish kind with some French influence. Many of the dishes are prepared in a stone oven and they even have their own small smokehouse.

We recommend you try the starter Foie gras and oxtail ravioli with spring onions, chili and oxtail broth. As a main course you should definitely try the salted cod with butter cooked beets, confit pork and dill.
restauranghjerta.se/

Written and recommended by Alexander Yü & Kristian Kull