IKEA made them famous worldwide in the 1980´s and since then, meatballs have become one of the most representative and popular dishes from Swedish cuisine. Meatballs are now a must when travelling to Stockholm and their affordable price make them even more attractive. The traditional recipe is called Köttbullar, the classic meat version, which is served with lingonberry jam, and is made of beef, pork, onion, bread crumbs, egg, water, salt, and pepper. They are quite smaller than Italian meatballs and don´t work as an extra for pasta.

There are plenty of wonderful places to taste this cultural icon of Swedish cuisine. In order to make your choice easier we have prepared a list with some of the restaurants you should visit if you are planning to go to Stockholm and enjoy it´s popular meatballs. Find below 5 places to eat meatballs in Stockholm.

Meatballs for The People

The always crowded restaurant contains the most innovative varieties of the classic dish. Avoid weekends or peak hours because you will need to wait to get in and they don´t take reservations. Taste any of its variations (including ox, wild boar, salmon, moose, and reindeer meatballs). You will love them!

Where to find it: Nytorgsgatan 30, 116 40

Resturang Tradition

Tradition lives up to his name. Their motto: “We serve traditional homecooked Swedish dishes the way they’re supposed to taste.” Combine their traditional delicious meatballs with some other popular classics like blood pudding or stekt strömming (fried herring).

Where to find it: Österlånggatan 1, 111 31

Mom’s Kitchen Nybrogatan

It is not as popular or well-known as the other restaurants mentioned on this list. The idea is to enjoy typical Swedish dishes made with the love of your grandma. Many locals choose this option as it is not so crowded and surprisingly affordable compared to prices of other meatballs in Stockholm.

Where to find it: Nybrogatan 40

Restaurant Pelikan

Pelikan is synonym of tradition. It has been offering dinners since 1633 and only open from 17:00h to 23:00h. Pelikan’s meatballs boast about having the best cream sauce in the city, and are served with gherkins, lingonberries and mashed potato. They are quite bigger than the usual and you can combine them with any of their other plain food.

Where to find it: Blekingegatan 40, 116 62

Bakfickan

Known as one of Stcokholm´s top restaurants, Bakfickan offers a traditional menu with classic Swedish dishes. Adjacent to The Opera Bar, you may see opera singers hanging out there. It is a counter restaurant, perfect to go alone, but it usually gets busy and they don´t take bookings so it is advisable to arrive either early or late.

Where to find it: Karl XII:s torg, 111 86

Have you been in any of these places while your stay in Stockholm during your participation in our course Structured Educational Visit to Schools/Institutes & Training Seminars in Sweden? Comment below. We are looking forward to discover new places to eat the best meatballs in Stockholm!