Food & Drink Guide

Swedish cuisine (svensk husmanskost) blends fresh, seasonal ingredients with cherished traditions. Beyond meatballs, discover a world of flavors from comforting pastries to unique seasonal drinks. Here’s what you need to know to eat and drink well in Sweden.

Don't leave Sweden without tasting these iconic dishes:

• Köttbullar (Meatballs): Served with cream sauce, mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, and pickled cucumber. A national comfort food.
• Gravad Lax (Cured Salmon): Thinly sliced salmon cured in dill, sugar, and salt, often with a sweet mustard sauce (hovmästarsås) on crispbread.
• Inlagd Sill (Pickled Herring): A buffet staple, pickled in various marinades (mustard, onion, dill). Enjoy with new potatoes and sour cream.
• Räkmacka (Shrimp Sandwich): Open-faced sandwich piled high with sweet North Atlantic shrimp, egg, and dill mayonnaise.
• Kanelbullar (Cinnamon Buns): The quintessential Swedish pastry, perfect for fika. Soft, sweet, and spiced with cinnamon and cardamom.

Fika is more than a coffee break; it's a cherished social ritual. It means pausing to enjoy coffee (or tea) and a pastry (fikabröd) with friends or colleagues.

• When: Typically once or twice daily. Workplaces often have scheduled fika.
• What: Strong filter coffee (bryggkaffe) and pastries like kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), kardemummabullar (cardamom buns), or chokladbollar (chocolate balls).

• Coffee (Kaffe): Swedes are avid coffee drinkers. Filter coffee is king.
• Lingon/Blueberry Cordial (Saft): Sweet fruit drinks, often mixed with water.
• Julmust/Påskmust: Unique spiced soft drinks essential for Christmas and Easter.
• Beer (Öl) & Cider: Look for local craft beers. Note alcohol sales restrictions (see below).
• Tap Water (Kranvatten): Excellent quality and free everywhere. Ask for it!

• Lunch Deals (Dagens Rätt): Look for set lunch menus (approx. 11:00-14:00) for the best value – usually includes a main, salad, bread, drink, and coffee.
• Reservations (Boka bord): Recommended for dinner at popular spots, especially on weekends.
• Cashless Payments: Cards are preferred and universally accepted. Cash is rarely needed.
• Tipping: Service is usually included. Rounding up the bill or a small tip (5-10%) for good service in restaurants is appreciated but optional. Not generally expected in bars or for hotel staff.
• Food Halls (Saluhallar): Great for sampling local specialties and casual eats (e.g., Östermalms Saluhall in Stockholm).

Eating out can be pricey. Consider these for budget meals:

• Supermarkets: ICA, Coop, Hemköp are common. Willys and Lidl are more budget-focused.
• Self-Catering: If your accommodation has a kitchen, preparing some meals saves money.
• Bring Reusable Bags: Plastic bags usually cost extra.
• Pant System: Recycle cans/PET bottles at supermarket machines (pantmaskiner) for a small refund.