All in all, a good experience with great food at prices that are reasonable for Stockholm. I'm taking off a star for service, which wasn't as friendly or attentive as it could have been. The hostess was a little snobby, but fit us in for an early dinner with no reservation (as long as we finished by 19:30, she warned although we were in a nearly-empty restaurant at the time.) We got the herring starter, which I loved except for the addition of melted butter, which made it heavy and muted the lovely tang of the pickled fish too much. An "A" for the rye bread (always swoon-worthy!) and entree of meatballs, though--the latter was the best I've had! read more

The Swedes definitely enjoy food. If I could eat like this all the time I would! I suppose the heavier food balances out the colder atmosphere. I decided not to order Swedish meatballs (they're literally on the menu everywhere) and opted instead for potato dumplings filled with pork and topped with lingonberries. I also got a gin and lingonberry martini. Y'all, the lingonberry obsession is real. And let's not forget the reindeer skagen starter. Sorry, Rudolph. read more

Tradition - Swedish Near Me - Stockholm, Alberta

The first time we went there we faced a long line, so we ate elsewhere. The nexy day we had our lunch there. My spouse ate a very good white fish and I had a great swedish stew. Recommended. read more

The receptionist at our hotel recommended Tradition as a place to try traditional Swedish food. We assumed the restaurant would be a hole in the wall serving cheap and comforting Swedish home cooking. It was actually the complete opposite. The food was more traditional Swedish flavors with a modern presentation. Like most of Stockholm, the food is somewhat expensive, averaging 175-255 KR a plate (~$21-$31) a plate. You are not required to dress up, but the ambiance of the restaurant seemed less casual and more elegant than the other nearby restaurants. We started the meal with a complimentary bread basket of crispbread and Swedish dark rye bread served with whipped salted butter. The rye bread was delicious. I thought it would be overly dense, but it was not. It's definitely not a fluffy bread, but it was softer than I thought it would be. We didn't want to eat too much so refused a second basket when our waitress asked, but the portions are actually kind of small so I'd get a second basket next time. Norröna Matjesill (Pickled Herring with egg, red onion, and brown butter) - This was the first time I had pickled herring and I loved it. The pickling enhanced the taste of the herring without making it too fishy. It's really delicious paired with the diced hard boiled egg. I recommend ordering this as a starter. Beetroots with browned butter lemon butter, roasted walnuts, and cheese from Jämtland - This is listed as a started, but I ordered this as an entree. There's nothing remotely different about it than any beet dish you can find in the US, but it was still a tasty and healthy beet salad. The cheese they used looked like Parmesan. Fried anchovies and herb breaded Baltic herring with browned butter, lemon, & potato puree - This was my favorite entree we ordered. The breading on the fish was so flavorful and the fish itself was moist and flaky. The fish also comes with lingonberries and potato puree that's shared with the Swedish meatball dish. Eat the fish with the lingonberries and potato puree together in one bite. So tasty. Swedish Meatballs with cream sauce, lingonberries, pickled cucumber, & potato puree - To me the meatballs taste like the ones you can get at Ikea, except much more expensive. I wish they gave us spoons, so we could scoop the gravy onto the potato puree. The meatball tastes much better eaten together with the lingonberries, potato puree, and pickled cucumbers. I probably wouldn't order this again. Roasted cauliflower gratinated with Swedish svecia cheese, seasonal mushrooms, tattagon creme - This dish was pretty much just half a roasted cauliflower. It was really well plated with the slices of snow peas and radishes on top. I think they could have roasted the cauliflower longer, as it was too hard for my taste. This was probably my least favorite dish we ordered. I did love the chantarelle mushrooms scatted on the cauliflower. Our waitress was very nice and also explained that tipping was optional as it is already included in their pay. The food is pricey, but I think it's equivalent to what you might pay in NYC after tip and tax. Overall, I think we could have ordered some other dishes to get a better sense of traditional Swedish food, but I think this was a good intro. read more

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This is a restaurant in the Old Town area that serves modern takes on classical, Swedish food: husmanskost. We decided to take an international friend there for dinner to give him a chance to experience some local food. Traditionally we have used the beer hall Pelikan for that, but decided to try something new. We got there at 7pm and were the first to arrive. The restaurant has a very nice interior design in bright, birch tree interiors. We tried there reindeer starter (bye Rudolf!), a modern version of veal with dill (dillkött), and desserts (rose hip soup, apple crumble, and chocolate cake with cloudberries). The food was excellent and greatly prepared. Some in new styles but with classical flavors A big plus was that menus were in both English and Swedish so it was easy for our guest to follow along and select the food he'd want to try. Our waiter did a good job in helping us select or explain. I think though that a tad stronger ability in helping us pair drinks with the food had been needed (and hence a 4 star, not 5). Now it really became up to us to pick a beer among a dozen we didn't recognize and that were especially sold at this restaurant. Yes, on a similar occasion, I will definitely consider bringing a guest there again to have them try Swedish flavors. And it is good to know that there are some good restaurants in the area that aren't poor quality and a rip off. read more

Tradition - Veal with dill (dillkött) - Swedish Near Me - Stockholm, Alberta

Headed off to Stockholm for a last minute trip with a friend and did ZERO planning in terms of what to see and do. Luckily, the night before I flew out, someone told me that I absolutely had to try Tradition in Gamla Stan so I made sure to bookmark it. The extent of our Swedish food knowledge was meatballs and herring so we happily did the tasting menu to get a little taste of it all - this is the perfect option for those in the same boat, the portions were just right for us to try everything without being tied to entree sized portions. I attempted to document the deliciousness of our meal in my pics, but just some of the standouts (in my opinion): The shrimp toast (1st course) was a perfect answer to the massive shrimp toasts we saw that day at the Östermalms Saluhall - I don't think I can stomach one of those myself but this little bite was just right! The västerbottens cheese (2nd course) with caviar was like the BEST nacho cheese sauce you've ever had (truly, this is a compliment). The breaded/fried herring and meatballs (3rd course) were amazingly flavorful. We thoroughly enjoyed almost every bite of our meal - the only thing I couldn't finish was the black pudding, it was so dense and I've had better bacon before (in Swedish cuisine, it's called salted pork). By the way, I would highly recommend making reservations - we just winged our whole day and didn't want to be tied to a schedule so we showed up at Tradition around 6:30 and got a table immediately but everyone else after us were turned away. Don't leave Stockholm disappointed, call ahead! I've heard that Stockholm is a pricey town to eat in, but this was about $60 USD per person for the tasting menu and so worth it. The restaurant itself was trendy but not stuffy, and the staff were all so helpful. The only weird thing was that our waiter seemed to be ignoring us towards the end of the meal and we could not flag him down for the bill but it was not an issue enough to take off a star from this review. read more

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Lovely setting in the Old Town. Tradition is what it purports to be... traditional Swedish fare. I had a smoked reindeer appetizer.. delicious. Wife had a yummy beet salad. She also had a Gravlox appetizer for her main which she thought was the best salmon she ever had. I went with the Swedish Meatballs... excellent. We both had superb craft cocktails... wife doesn't remember what she had but she loved it... it tasted like a Pisco Sour and I had a lineberry martini. The service was friendly and as good as the food. Thanks! read more

Tradition - Smoked Reindeer Appetizer, beet salad and drinks. - Swedish Near Me - Stockholm, Alberta

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Came here last night for my last meal in Stockholm. Had a great time here grubbing on some Swedish fare with a modern twist. It's not just meat and potatoes here-- although many of the dishes are server with carbs of some type. I had read great things about Restaurang Tradition from previous reviews, so I knew I had to come try this place out while I was strolling the streets of Gamla Stan. Restaurang Tradition is situated in a cozy corner of Österlånggatan, right at the footsteps of the Stockholm Palace. Restaurang Tradition provides a cozy and friendly dining experience despite what you might expect being kitty corner to a royal palace (just kidding, there are no more nobility venturing these streets!). When you first enter the restaurant, you feel warmth--both from the heat inside (heater and all the candles that are lot) and from the welcoming waitstaff. I didn't opt for the tasting menu (which normally requires a minimum of two people, but the chef was willing for me to do the tasting menu even as a table of one). I ordered the smoked reindeer appetizer and the elk patty in mushroom sauce entree -- both of which were very delectable. This was my first time having reindeer, and it was surprisingly good as it offered various textures and tastes including a slightly creamy base with a mix of soft pillowy texture (from the accompanied bread) and crunch from the fish roe that was atop the smoked reindeer. I've had elk meat before, and didn't really think much of it. Here, the elk patty was really good here and tasted great with the mushroom sauce (which was akin to a stroganoff sauce). The elk patty was cooked medium well, so if you're afraid of red meat, ask them to cook it longer. But with most meat patties, the longer you cook them the tougher they get. And I'm sure an elk patty is no exception. Of note, the meal was reasonably priced (around 340 SEK -- note, I also ordered a 40 ct beer!), comparable to what you'd pay in the US after tax and tip. Overall, I had a great time dining experience here. The waitstaff were friendly and warm, just like the restaurant decor. I liked all the candles at each table and at the windows-- definitely gave the restaurant a "hygge" (Danish for warm coziness) feel. Next time I'm in town, I'll try to come back here and try the other dishes. :) read more

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On our first day in Stockholm we really lucked out to find Tradition, in Gamla Stan. What caught our eye was a vegetarian vegetarian dining option, rare in Scandinavia, so we went in at about 6pm without a reservation. This was lucky since they mentioned that all later seatings were taken but we were just under the wire (we noticed that other groups were turned away after us). The waitstaff was very friendly and helpful. She steered us to wine selections that went with our meal choices. We started with the cheese and meat plate. They were nice enough to add additional veggie choices like pickled chantrelle mushrooms and radish slices. Additionally there were tasty cured meats including reindeer (my first time!). For dinner my wife had the potato dumplings (I tasted - very good) and I had the meatballs (with mash potatoes, lingonberries and pickled cucumber). The combination was delicious. We capped it by two shots of aquavit, the traditional Scandinavia liquor. Awesome. A full recommend. read more

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Very quaint and gourmet but not in a tryna be a "wannabe" kinda way. The food is genuinely tasty, flavorful and very carefully prepared. Every city should have a place like this. Where those of us who explore places through food can try and be surprised by authentic local cuisine. Someone please comment on whether the food here is truly traditional and/or authentic. Their name and description online says everything I needed to know to head straight here. Someone took a lot of care to put this place together ... the lighting, the decor, the music all come together beautifully! The service was delightful. When I called, they were so unassuming and when I showed up they were very warm and welcoming. They encouraged me to ask questions and more importantly were knowledgeable and willing to answer - always a good sign. I tried the salted brisket. Medium rare, good consistency, neatly cut, served warm and fork tender ... not easy to pull off! I'll be back for more. The suggested pairing was great but admittedly I'm easy to please with beer so I'll refrain from singing its praises. That bread! Supposedly made with everything but the kitchen sink but extremely well balanced and zero after taste. Overall a great experience. 5 stars all the way. read more

Had the best Swedish meatballs ever! And this is from someone with a Swedish mother-in-law who served them regularly! I was by myself with no reservation but was seated quickly! Had a blueberry gin fizz starter that was out of this world. My Swedish friend recommended this restaurant and now so do I! read more

Tradition - Swedish Near Me - Stockholm, Alberta

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We went for lunch on a day trip from the Dave Koz jazz cruise in May 2018 after someone in our party got a recommendation from one of the ship employees. The place was very clean and the wait person was very friendly to us foreigners. Half of the party got the Swedish meatballs because we were in Sweden of course! The others tried the dumplings or the beef stroganoff. The entrees came with a salad and lactose free mash potatoes. Everything was tasty but since we didn't try anything that was really adventurous, I can't really say how the rest of the menu rates. read more

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Our second night out for some Swedish meatballs and they were fantastic. The sauce was a delightful flavor with fresh lingonberries on the side. The potatoes were whipped to perfection and the molasses bread with fresh butter was a lovely accent. The atmosphere in the restaurant is warm and inviting. We had a nice visit with the owner who runs this lovely restaurant, with excellent staff. Old town. read more

Tradition - Swedish Near Me - Stockholm, Alberta

Perfect in every way. Food, Beverages: cocktails, Service and Atmosphere. I'm guessing it's probably Gamla Stan's best traditional Swedish restaurant. Got the referral from a local shop owner down the street. Couldn't stop thinking about those Swedish meatballs. And if it had been convenient from our hotel, we would have returned. read more

Very delicious traditional swedish food. I had a Skagen toast and a main course pepparrotskött. Very tasty! Very good service! Good location in old town. I would recommend to check their website before visiting - there you can book a table. I will definitely come here again when I have friends visiting from abroad who really would like to eat traditional swedish food. read more

Delicious dinner spot with good choices. I had a Pinot with my dinner which wasn't good - tasted like it had turned but second fresh glass wasn't much better. For dinner we all had the meatballs with mash potato, berries and cucumber. It's very rich and flavorful, warm and yummy- perfect for winter in Stockholm. It's a tad on the expensive side. read more

It was a bit rainy and windy out but Tradition provided comfort in ambiance and food. The cafe is very cute and cozy with great service. We tried the Swedish meatballs and a salted beef brisket. For dessert, we tried a vanilla cream roll cake with strawberries that was the perfect finish. read more

Excellent Swedish cuisine. Salmon on toast was delightful. The roast beef was heavenly and the Swedish Meatballs were delicious. Service was print and friendly. Prices were very reasonable. Would come again! read more

Tradition - Great meal at Tradition a Swedish restaurant. - Swedish Near Me - Stockholm, Alberta

Totally enjoyed our lunch of gravlax with pickled fennel, smoked reindeer mouse with roe and a lovely green salad with smoked salmon and peppers. I am sorry to see American food reviewers focus on tasting Swedish meatballs when there is so much more delightful food to try. Nice atmosphere, interesting menu and comfortable seating. read more

I was only in Stockholm for one day and boy is this city beautiful. I was with a private tour group (just my family) and unfortunately, the tour was basically going to take up the majority of our time at the city before we had to head back to the ship. Our tour guide briefly mentioned that this restaurant Tradition was bringing back traditional Swedish food; The city appears to be opening more and more "ethnic" cuisines such as Italian and Japanese etc... I guess there is a renaissance of Swedish food now. For me however, local eats are such a big part of my travels so my parents and I decided to stay behind while the rest of the group moved on. It was the BEST decision ever. There is a lovely patio to the side of the restaurant which is private and quiet. Because this restaurant is located near the Royal Palace, it was nice to get away from the throng of tourists. We were quickly seated outside and we ordered a local beer which was SOOO refreshing. I finished 3 glasses before the waitress took our order!! Before our lunch, we were able to sample home-baked Swedish Bread (which is a hard Rye-like bread) but with a little salted butter, yum! Then, there were the Swedish Crackers which, let's just say, is really like cardboard. I started off with the Grad Lax (Salmon with a mustard sauce and some crispy bread). The first bite is something I will never forget: the Salmon was so soft and buttery, and with the sauce and bread combo - this honestly was the most heavenly dish. All the ingredients worked PERFECTLY. For mains, I had another Salmon dish (because I have this image of Wild Salmon in Scandinavia swimming through fresh Fjords where the Vikings were and I can't get enough). THIS IS HOW SALMON SHOULD BE COOKED! The flesh was still a gorgeous, organ, pink and as soon as I put my fork through the buttery flesh, I could see droplets of juice running down. O.M.G. My parents had the Beet salad with Goat cheese and both had Swedish Meatballs which were small, bouncy, balls with BIG flavour. We didn't have time for dessert, but I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Stockholm and wants to try local food. This location is hidden and is definitely a local gem. Service was amazing and our waitress took the time to explain everything. If I ever go back to Stockholm, I am determined to come back here for a full and complete meal. read more

Tradition is a delicious example of traditional Swedish food. The staff was wonderful and the atmosphere was warm. The entire menu is lactose free, which made my dining experience even more phenomenal. The potato dumplings are on my list of amazing foods I just can't forget. Having loads of options with no restrictions due to lactose intolerance was an absolute pleasure. Thank you Tradition! read more

Tradition really execute the Swedish elegant simplicity well. The ambiance is warm and simple. The menu is easy to choose from and the service is attentive to your questions and happy to make recommendations. Your meal will start with a bread basket. I am still kicking myself for not asking a loaf of their black rye bread. It is that good. Finish that bread basket without thinking about carbs and don't look back. The starters mainly include reindeer/fish options so we ordered both: smoked reindeer (sort of pate) and salmon. Both were very good but I think reindeer won the starter competition because it was just perfect. For the main, we shared the salted brisket. This dish is definitely good to share as it includes 2 thick slices of brisket meat swimming in the most delicious/light gravy. It is rich and very tasty. One of the best meals I've ever had and definitely recommend to have a reservation! read more

Can you say REINDEER? ... We stopped in because of the amazing reviews on Yelp. The restaurant was empty as we were eating at 4:30, but others started pouring in throughout the meal. No reservation was necessary, but several people walked in trying to make a reservation for later and they were sent away as the restaurant is completely booked after 7pm. I think my favorite thing about the restaurants was the waitstaff. She was absolutely delightful and lovely to chat with. Great demeanor, which was very useful because the menu had so many delicious items on it that I had a lot of trouble deciding what get. Of course we got the raindeer. And my partner was singing christmas carols all through ordering. It was a little scary looking for me when it came out (a dollop that looked like a spicy tuna-ish dolluo - not solid meat) but delightful to eat, sort of tasting like bacon and mayonaise. They put roe on everything here, so it also came with a dollop of bleak row on top (the yellow kind). We also got the pork and vegetarian version of the same meal, for which I felt slightly ridiculous. After ordering, we realized we should have split one, we didn't come close to finishing either. I prefered the pork one to the veggie one, but that is because the veggie one ended up being mushroom, which I very much dislike. However, the beets were absolutely amazing. If there is anything that is a must have in this restaurant, I would say it is the beets. A few items come with them, but if I came back I would beg for a side of their beets. The meal comes with bread and the wonderful butter spatula that I love that everyone serves, but the butter is not as spreadsble as other places I have been to. The free bread was ginger bread (maybe?) which was a unique treat, but a bit too sweet for our tastes. I did help myself to the classic unleavened bread (found everywhere), and enjoyed "painting" my bread with the spatula. read more

Excellent meal in a beautiful area in Stockholm, right by the royal palace. We ate here on our first night in Stockholm as we knew we wanted a dinner that would be an introduction into Scandinivian cuisine. 5 of us were in our party - one ordered the meatballs, two ordered the fish, and two ordered the brisket. Each of the meals were delicious. While prices are generally high in Stockholm, we felt that for what we got it was decently priced as the food was terrific. Everything was fresh and cooked well. The service was attentive, as we had one member in our party with severe allergies. Our server worked closely with her to ensure that there was something she could eat that she was interested in ordering. The atmosphere was calm and modern, the food was tasty, the prices were decent, and the location was great. Awesome experience! read more

The entrees we had were outstanding but both appetizers were less so. Would give it 4.5 if I could, but the smoked reindeer mostly just tastes smoked, and the artichoke soup kind of just tastes like cream. Came here on the recommendation of our tour guide, in particular looking for Swedish meatballs. Those were absolutely wonderful, as were the potato and pork dumplings. The servings were substantial, and we really could have skipped the appetizers. The tasting menu looked wonderful, but we couldn't quite bring ourselves to drop 550 SEK per person. As it was, the entrees were around 200, so this was a nice meal without being exorbitant. Had the lingonberry parfait with hazelnuts for dessert. Definitely unique, and quite refreshing. Not overpoweringly sweet and came beautifully presented. Service left something to be desired, though. But I take that with a grain of salt as an American tourist. They were pleasant without being friendly or particularly attentive. Cool, contemporary atmosphere. Small space that filled up on a Saturday night without feeling crowded or too noisy. read more

Super cute place serving yummy Swedish cuisine in the heart of Old Town Stockholm. This is the restaurant you bring a first date to impress--romantic, intimate, all the feels! Even though we did not have a reservation and got there a bit closer to closing time, they still were kind enough to seat us for dinner. Tried the Sikaforsfora (smoked reindeer on black rye bread with white fish roe), the Gubbrora (anchovies and egg on black rye bread), and the Skomakarlada (sirloin steak with leek, bacon, red wine sauce, and potato puree). Everything was cooked perfectly and delicious (and I'm not even an anchovies fan!). Definitely a great place to stop by and eat at if you're wishing to try Swedish fare. read more

Tradition - Skomakarlada (sirloin steak with leek, bacon, red wine sauce, and potato puree) - Swedish Near Me - Stockholm, Alberta

Very homely traditional restaurant with lively swedish folk songs in the background. Was lucky to got a seat when I walked in at 6.20pm. It got really crowded with a queue by 6.50pm. Wanted to try the swedish sampler apettizer but it was only for 2 pax. The meatballs were good with accompanying pickles, lingonberries & mash potato by the side. Gravy was just nice - not too creamy. The smoked creamy reindeer with roe was awesome! read more

Tradition - Smoked creamy Reindeer meat with roe - Swedish Near Me - Stockholm, Alberta

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Wonderful place. Very good service, free wifi. Very tasty traditional meals. Good local beer. read more

Went there for dinner. I am vegetarian and they had one veggie item on the main course. Which was the cauliflower. I was apprehensive ordering it but boy o boy they did things with that cauliflower that was yummy. The truffle pea purée was on point. Lovely meal after a stroll thru old town. read more

This place was beyond fantastic. Every single dish was incredible. The bread that the restaurant provided was incredibly soft and rich, with a subtly sweet taste that went perfectly with the butter. As for the food we ordered, the meatballs were fantastic. I'm no meatball connoisseur but these were amazing, as was the mash potatoes that came with it. We also had the cauliflower dish, a great option for vegetarians. This place was overall incredible, from the food to the very friendly servers. I would totally recommend everyone reading this to go there. read more

I had to try the Swedish meatballs.....they were delicious! Excellent service wonderful atmosphere too.

I would recommend this restaurant to tourists but not to swedes. I think they represent Swedish tastes and ingredients quite well (though a bit bland and boring at times) but for me (a swede) it's just not quite right. But since I can't treat you all to the perfect Swedish meatballs (found only in my mother's kitchen at christmas) I suppose this could do. I would however recommend walking on to Bakfickan (by the opera) for a better experience. read more

Great and simple Swedish cuisine that was extremely well done! The wine selection was very good as well. We spent a nice and quiet evening there. :) read more

Walked by his restaurant on the way to the palace and what a pleasant surprise. Everything that we ordered was excellent. The fish was so fresh. We also tried 2 appetizers the salmon and reindeer meat and both were delicious. The haddock was very fresh. Very modern setting inside and wifi was fast. read more

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The food here was excellent. I had the smoked reindeer and pickled anchovies for apps then Swedish meatballs for main. The meatballs were the best I've had and came with lingonberries on the side. Atmosphere was cozy and intimate. Highly recommend for a date place. read more

My friend and I are here visiting from LA and we were thrilled to make reservations here as we read raving reviews on Yelp. Our reservation was set for 6:45 pm today. We got dropped off by our uber driver some distance away as we were told its walking distance and it would be inconvenient for the driver to take us into the winding roads. So we got off and we were asking around and was searching for Tradition for 40 minutes. Then finally- one person we stumbled upon knew where it was. At last, we made it to the restaurant and we told the waitress our situation to explain our tardiness to our dinner reservations. She didn't empathize but made us aware our reservation was missed and it can no longer be honored. I couldn't believe after being lost for so long in the cold nothing was attempted to save our reservations. I am disappointed with the customer service. read more

We stumbled across this place and it is such a great find! Delicious fresh traditional Swedish food. Highly recommend.

The food was wonderful. I had the vegetarian dish, roasted cauliflower which came with a lovely presentation and cooked to perfection, the black bread served before the meal was amazing. The waiter was knowledgeable about the food and able to help all members of our party find something that they truly enjoyed. read more

Good choice for a lunch break during a visit to Gamla Stan. Decent menu, typical Swedish dishes, friendly service, nicely cooked dishes but nothing special. Desserts are not the restaurant's strong point. read more

Scandinavian Fare! Old Town Stockholm is a maze of shops and restaurants. We were recommended this by concierge at Stockholm Sheraton. Good choice. The food is freshly prepared the four of us all had something different. Meatballs, Cod, Mackerel, and Salmon. We ate outside which was away from the hustle and bustle of Gamla Stan. This restaurant has a casual atmosphere but is a great date night place. We loved it and the desserts were awesome. read more