5 cheap eats in Stockholm and the best brunch ever

Here’s my top 5 cheap eats in Stockholm, Sweden – because everyone knows you can do some serious damage to your bank balance if you intend to consume enough to stay alive while exploring Scandinavia.

We actually returned to Sweden’s beautiful capital, one of my favourite cities, as the second destination on our honeymoon (after Gothenburg). We knew we’d be spending a lot in our next destination (Reykjavik) so we tried to rein in the old eating budget, which is how I came to end up doing lots of research looking for cheap eats in the city.

So I’ve noted down for you some of the amazing things we ate and drank – all without breaking the bank. Yes, that rhymes. You’re welcome.

Read on for our top picks of some cheap eats in Stockholm – and of course, the best brunch I’ve ever eaten that I think I’ve bored everyone I know talking about ever since…

1. Alskade Traditioner: for the best brunch in Stockholm

Alskade Traditioner, 42, Södermannagatan, 116 40, Stockholm: location on Google maps here.

I’d already clocked this amazing-looking little café in the trendy and ever-so-slightly hipster district of Södermalm, which is also my favourite area of Stockholm. It’s called Alskade Traditioner and had a bicycle in the window. What more could you ask for? A retro interior, milkshakes and bacon waffles. That’s what. And it had all of these things and more.

It was actually quite overwhelming. There was mini bunting on cake displays. Lacto-free milkshake and kladkakka (Swedish chocolate cake). Bacon waffles. Plates in the shape of fish. Swedish people being lovely and stylish and impeccably behaved (as ever). Everything the perfect brunch consists of and more.

I later decided that it was the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Obviously, it’s hard to compare all different types of food like brunch, bistros, simple cafés, afternoon teas, tasting menus… but in the grand scheme of things, it wins hands down.

Side note: Based on our recommendation, one of my friends went to Alskade Traditioner for brunch on her birthday trip to Stockholm. And she loved it. Yeah! So you know, I must be doing something right dishing out (no pun intended) all these travel tips to all and sundry.

2. Nystekt Strömming (Strömmingsvagnen): for a taste of Stockholm’s famous herring van

Nystekt Strömming/ Strömmingsvagnen, 111 27 Stockholm: location on Google maps here.

For lunch, we HAD to head to Nystekt Strömming. We’d been on our last trip to Stockholm. It is a legendary food stall just outside Slussen metro station.

They serve a very simple menu, with the herring wrap being the most popular: mashed potato and dill sauce.

It has to be eaten to be believed. All for about 75SEK.

I wish someone would open a branch of it in Manchester because it’s just the thing you want on a cold, wet day.

3. Bistro Bestick: for fulfilling the obligatory Swedish meatballs tick-box

Bistro Bestick, Bryggargatan 8, 111 21 Stockholm: location on Google maps here.

For our evening meal, we headed to Bistro Bestick for some meatballs.

Very cliché, but you can’t be in Sweden and not do meatballs. At 205SEK each, they were worth it.

The fact that ONE of us was hammered from drinking too many Swedish craft beers at the time did not hamper the experience…

4. Urban Deli: for a sharing platter from the hippest deli you’ll ever see

Urban Deli, Sveavägen 44, 111 34 Stockholm: location on Google maps here.

We spent the afternoon after the best brunch in Stockholm at Alskade Traditioner just mooching round in a food coma, packing up and being tired. So for our evening meal, we thought we weren’t that hungry so headed to Urban Deli at Sveavägen to get something light. Yes. Light.

We ended up with this giant charcuterie board (255SEK) and plenty of red wine. Not so light. We ate the lot while discussing how it was the best day of eating we’ve ever had.

Urban Deli is a restaurant, bar, bakery and deli (obvs). the shop part is open late, so you can do your food shopping in one half then walk through to the bar/restaurant at the back where you’ll find a DJ playing and people drinking and eating. It’s impossibly cool in that laid-back way Sweden does best.

5. Ice cream stands (yes really): for that rare beast – lactose-free ice cream

One of the best things about Sweden is the abundance of lactose-free products. You just don’t get them anywhere else in this quantity. Chris is lactose intolerant so he bloody loves it.

So ice cream just from a normal ice cream stall is always a winner and is of course a really cheap mid-afternoon snack. Just keep an eye out for the ‘laktosefrei’ flavours alongside the usual milk-based ones.

6. Bonus tip: drink some Stockholm Brewing Company beer

• Stockholm Brewing Company, Södermannagatan 49, 116 40 Stockholm: location on Google maps here.
• BrewDog SÖDERMALM, Ringvägen 149B, 116 31 Stockholm: location on Google maps here.

Oh look at me breaking the ‘top 5’ thing by cracking a cheeky sixth one in. Small rebellions eh.

We were keen to try some beers from Stockholm’s craft beer brewery, Stockholm Brewing Company. They serve them at BrewDog, which is just around the corner from the brewery in the v hip Södermalm. We had a superb cherry sour. It wasn’t cheap, but this is alcohol in Sweden and it’s also craft beer (anywhere). Even at home in Manchester, we pay about the same for crafty stuff. So it didn’t feel like an issue.

Also, this was the best sour I have ever had and every sour since has been a disappointment in comparison. Life.

Save and share: a weekend of cheap eats in Stockholm, Sweden – and the best brunch EVER

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