Stockholm’s Chocolatiers
Lola A. Åkerström spotlights where to go for the best chocolates in Stockholm.
All photos by author.
You might be surprised that Stockholmers have a serious sweet tooth. While our daily observance of fika might have eluded to this fact, beyond indulging in sugary buns downed with coffee, consuming candy is integral to the culture.
So much so that the term lördagsgodis (“Saturday Candy”) was coined in the fifties. Saturday remains “candy” day in Sweden and many children indulge in sweets only on this day. While done mostly to prevent dental cavities and protect teeth, the tradition is historically tied to disputed medical practices. In the 1940s, Vipeholm Mental Hospital in Lund used patients in human experiments by giving them large amounts of candies and sweets to intentionally cause tooth decay for research purposes.
Based on its findings in 1957 of direct relationships between sweets and tooth decay, the Medical Board suggested Swedes eat candy only once a week – a tradition which is still upheld in many households today
Fast forward to today and sweets still reign supreme in Stockholm.
Now, for candy of the more refined kind – think chocolates, truffles, pralines, and other cocoa-based goodness – Stockholm has no shortage of exquisite gourmet chocolatiers where you can pick up custom handmade chocolate pieces, whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not.
And every autumn, a chocolate festival is held in Stockholm. Lovers of chocolate come out in droves (possibly thousands) to sample handmade truffles, pralines, all sorts of chocolate-y goodness, as well as to dip treats into fountains of gooey white and milk chocolate.
So if you’re looking for some homemade chocolate while in Stockholm, here are some of the city’s best chocolatiers worth checking out.
Chokladfabriken – The grande dame of chocolatiers with three branches around Stockholm, Chokladfabriken (The Chocolate Factory) remains the most popular in the city and they sell all types of chocolate products including chocolate covered almonds and hazelnuts – www.chokladfabriken.com.
Ejes Choklad – Since 1923, Ejes is the oldest family-fun chocolatier in the city and they’re the appointed purveyors of chocolate for the Royal Family – www.ejeschoklad.se.
Betsy Sandberg Choklad – An upscale family owned chocolatier that has been manufacturing and selling top quality chocolate since 1926 – www.betsysandberg.se.
Les Chocolats – Les Chocolates provides fine chocolates from France, Italy and the United States by famous boutique brands like Michel Cluizel, Valrhona, Askinosie, Willie’s Cacao, Madre Chocolate, Venchi and Amedei – www.leschocolats.se
Robert E’s – For melt-in-your-mouth high quality pralines, head over to Robert E’s which is located in Åhlens City – www.robertes-choklad.com.
P&B Quality Delikatess – Dark, light, pure, flavored, pralines and truffles, P&B carries both large and small brands such as French Valrhona and Michel Cluizel as well as less known Swedish manufacturers like Malmo Chocolate Factory and Öland Chocolate – www.pobdelikatess.se.
Kungsholmens Choklad – They carry luxury chocolates from Betsy Sandberg, Michel Cluizel, Valrhona and Marquise de Sevigné as well as gourmet pieces from Ekstroms Chocolaterie – www.kungsholmenschoklad.se
Mariatorgets Pralinbutik – This praline boutique sells handmade chocolates alongside vintage tins and retro tableware, fine go-away-gifts and fun party accessories. Its praline are filled with special ingredients such as blueberry, passion fruit, blue cheese and single malt whiskey – www.facebook.com/mariapralin.
Handgjort Stockholm – Once the location of a dairy store in the 1950s, Handgjort makes exquisite handmade chocolates with delicious flavor combination, winning multiple medals in Sweden’s prestigious Pastry Chef of the Year competition since its opening in 2004 – www.handgjortstockholm.se.
NK Konfektyr – For over 50 years, NK has produced its signature mint chocolates and it sells over 70 different varieties of chocolate from handmade-made candied marzipan figures to truffles filled with flavors like vanilla, lime, champagne, and caramel – www.nk.se
Pralinhuset – Run by Mieneke and Günter Bea, Pralinhuset creates and sculpts its own ecological chocolates as well as imports pralines and truffles. You’ll also find interesting flavors like chili, liquorice, cardemum, exotic fruits, saffron, and wasabi as well as options for people with allergies – www.chokladhotell.se
Do you know of any other chocolate shops worth mentioning? Please share below and we’ll add it to our list above.
