Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [65]
Soldaten Svejk (Map; 641 33 66; Östgötagatan 35) In this crowded, wooden-floored, amber-windowed pub, decorated with heraldic shields, punters pine for Prague with great Czech beer on tap, including the massively popular Staropramen. Line your stomach with simple, solid Czech meals (Skr97 to Skr125); the smoked cheese is sublime. Head in early or prepare to queue for a table.
Berns Salonger (Map; 56 63 22 22; www.berns.se; Berzelii Park; bistro 11.30am-midnight Mon-Fri, noon-midnight Sat, 1-11pm Sun, nightclub 11pm-4am Thu-Sat, also Wed & Sun occasionally, midnight-5am Thu-Sat) A Stockholm institution since 1862, this glitzy entertainment palace remains one of Stockholm’s hottest party spots. While the gorgeous ballroom hosts some brilliant live music gigs, the best of Berns’ bars is the intimate basement bar-club 2.35:1, packed with cool creative types, top-notch DJs and projected art-house images.
Allmänna Galleriet 925 (Map; 41 06 81 00; www.ag925.se; Kronobergsgatan 37; from 5pm Tue-Sat, closed mid-Jun–Jul) AG925 has all the ‘It kid’ prerequisites – an obscure urban location (ex-silver factory and anonymous facade), postindustrial fit-out (steel-plate floors, white-tiled walls, Tom Dixon lights) and edgy art slung on the walls. While the bistro is mostly a hit-and-miss affair, the grit-chic bar never fails to impress with its well-priced, well-mixed liquids.
Le Rouge (Map; 50 52 44 30; Österlånggatan 17; 11.30am-2pm & 5pm-1am Mon-Thu, 11.30am-2pm & 4pm-1am Fri, 5pm-1am Sat) Fin-de-siècle Paris is the inspiration for Gamla Stan’s latest sip’n’sup darling, a decadent melange of rich red velvet, tasselled lampshades, inspired cocktails and French bistro grub. Run by two of Stockholm’s hottest chefs (Danyel Couet and Melker Andersson), the adjoining fine-dining restaurant serves up luxe French and Italian dishes in period-glam surrounds. DJs hit the decks Thursday to Saturday.
Olssons Video (Map; 673 38 00; Odengatan 41; 9pm-3am Wed, Thu & Sat, 5pm-3am Fri, earlier openings in summer) While the retro neon signage, tinted mirrors, dancing pole and cucumber cocktail might allude to a kinky disposition, this Vasastan staple was actually once a shoe shop. The ‘video’ refers to the projected Studio 54–style films, easily upstaged by the hip young crowd, super-cool tunes (from retro to electro) and mighty red mojitos. Head in before 10pm or prepare to queue.
Mälarpaviljongen (Map; 650 87 01; www.malarpaviljongen.se, in Swedish; Norr Mälarstrand 63; from 11am summer only) When the sun’s out, few places beat this alfresco waterside resto-bar for some Nordic dolce vita. A hit with both gay and straight punters, its cosy, glassed-in gazebo is only upstaged by the ubercool floating pontoon, where sexy crowds and lakeside views make for a fabulous evening guzzle. Call ahead for opening times, which are at the weather’s mercy.
El Mundo (Map; 743 03 53; www.matkultur.nu, in Swedish; Erstagatan 21; 5pm-midnight Mon-Sat, from 4pm Fri) Backgammon boards, Mexi-cana film posters and a bar made from pressed olive-oil tins give this intimate hang-out a sultry Latin vibe. Out the back there’s a closet-sized art gallery and out the front a convivial 30-something crowd.
Lilla Baren at Riche (Map; 54 50 35 60; Birger Jarlsgatan 4; 5pm-2am Tue-Sat) A current darling of Östermalm’s hip parade, this skinny hang-out is a metro-sexy mix of smooth bar staff, skilled DJs and a packed crowd of fashion-literate media types; head in by 9pm to score a seat. The adjoining restaurant is one of Stockholm’s best for Scandi-meets-French-Med cuisine.
Akkurat (Map; 644 00 15; www.akkurat.se, in Swedish; Hornsgatan 18; to midnight Mon, to 1am Tue-Sun) Valhalla for beer fiends, heaving Akkurat boasts a huge selection of Belgian ales as well as a good range of Swedish-made microbrews, notably the semidivine Jämtlands Bryggeri trio: Heaven, Hell and Fallen Angel. Extras include a vast wall of whiskey, and mussels on the menu.