Finding Poké in Stockholm
Neelam Varia gives us a guide to finding Poké in Stockholm.
Updated and originally published in 2017.
Poké in Stockholm is becoming more and more popular. You may have heard of Poké, you may not have.
Either way, it’s incredibly trendy right now. It hails from Hawaii, and though it’s gained global popularity only in recent years, in Hawaii, the ubiquitous dish has been eaten for centuries.
The word ‘poké’ itself roughly translates to ‘chop’, ’cut’, or ‘slice’. You might hear it being described as ‘decontructed sushi’; indeed, the star ingredient is raw fish, or tofu for the vegetarians, and both dishes are built on a base of sticky rice – you can see the similarities.
Poké bowls also come with a range of accompaniments, like pickled vegetables, avocado, mango, and sauces like Sriracha mayo. The bowls are healthy, flavourful and assembled within minutes. You can see why poké’s becoming the go-to lunch for Stockholmers.
Here are some of the best places for poké in Stockholm:
Hawaii Poké
The poké restaurant with by far the most extensive menu, Hawaii Poké strays a little from tradition, offering bases such as nachos and courgetti, but a little experimentation with food never did anyone any harm. They’re one of Stockholm’s first poké restaurants, and they focus on using only the freshest, local organic ingredients.
At the moment, they have five restaurants in Stockholm, offer catering, and a special app where you can skip the line and get your poké bowl before everyone else.
A BOWL
While the bowls at A BOWL keep fish as the star ingredient, their toppings are a little less Hawaiian. You’ll find toppings such as basil cheese, goats cheese, black tahini, tabbouleh and sweet potato. While these ingredients aren’t native to Hawaii and certainly won’t be found in a traditional poké bowl, we won’t berate them because the bowls A BOWL serve up are truly delicious. Find them in Mariatorget, and while you’re there, check out Monteliusvägen for a stunning view of Stockholm city.
Shaka Shaka
With names such as ‘Reggae on the River’ and ‘Carribean Sunset’, Shaka Shaka’s poké bowls truly transport you to a warmer climate. Alongside fish, you’ll find tropical ingredients such as papaya, plantain, and coconut. At the moment, you can only find them in Hornstull, but they’re set to open a new branch in Skanstull in the coming months, so keep your eyes peeled!
OC Foods
With three locations within two branches of Paradiset in Stockholm, OC Foods are really emphasising the health as well as trendy elements of poké because you see, Paradiset is Sweden’s Whole Foods. If you’ve not already guessed by the name, OC Foods take inspiration from the healthy eating trends in Orange County (OC), California. They keep their bowls simple with just a few ingredients in each but they still hit the spot. Find them in Östermalm or Mariatorget.
Re:bel Kitchen
This one’s a little further out of the city, being situated in Vällingby. They’re more of a restaurant rather than a fast food place, so alongside poké they serve sushi and hot dishes like red curry. The restaurant was opened by Swedish chef Erik Videgård who transformed his Thai restaurant after picking up on the poké trend. Choose from four signature bowls or indeed build your own and be sure to finish with their Swiss Meringue bowl, which is loaded up with ice cream.
Bra Mat
Meaning ‘good food’, Bra Mat is a salad, sayur (an Indonesian dish), and poké bowl place. You can choose from a range of proteins, such as tuna, salmon, shrimp, and Oumph, to then be topped off with fresh fruit and veg. Download their app for the most up to date menu; you can also order from the app.
Mogge Sushi
Mogge sushi is, as you might have guessed, primarily a sushi restaurant so the choice of poké is limited to only two options – a salmon bowl or a vegetarian tofu bowl. Having opened only in March this year, it’s a fairly young restaurant. Their menu is otherwise rather extensive; feast on a range of seafood, like octopus, alongside your poké bowl for a satisfying meal. Find them in Gamla Stan.
Namami
A true takeaway spot, Namami has no seating, but is the perfect place for a ‘grab and go’ lunch. Their options salmon, tuna and chicken with toppings such as blackcurrents, ginger and endamame beans. They’ve also got a range of healthy juices packed with vegetables and superfoods for the ultimate healthy lunch.
Maka Maka
With fresh ingredients, beautiful colors, and hearty presentation, Maka Maka is worth checking out if you’re in a Poké bowl mood and are in the Stadshuset area of Stockholm. They also offer vegan bowls, so everyone can enjoy a nice lunch at Maka Maka.
https://www.facebook.com/makamakasthlm/
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