Finding Pho and Ramen Noodles in Stockholm
Alaine Handa shares her favourite places to sample Pho and oodles of ramen noodles in Stockholm.
Photos courtesy of author unless otherwise noted.
Nothing is better than a bowl of steaming hot noodle soup on a rainy day. Not to mention during months of winter darkness or hangover days. A bone broth soup with meat, vegetables, protein, and noodles are my go-to meal for a perk me up.
Where does one go in Stockholm to get a heaping bowl of noodles?
The global rise of the ramen trend has certainly arrived in Stockholm! I am not talking about the instant ramen kind you can get at your neighborhood ICA either. These ramen spots start with meat, vegetables, and most importantly, bones.
Vegetarian and vegan options are also available in some of these spots and utilize the umami flavorings of mushrooms and root vegetables to make their broths.
In Japanese culture, it is polite to slurp your noodles and drink up the remaining broth while holding the big bowl but this is Stockholm so if you do this and you are not Japanese, you might get some weird stares, but to each one’s own. It could be such a satisfying bowl of ramen that every single drop is slurped up.
These are my top spots to get a nice bowl of ramen noodles in Stockholm:
Totemo ramen. Spicy Miso ramen with onsen egg. Picture by M. Thitiwan Chotejirakan
Totemo Ramen
This little ramen shop reminds me of one in Japan with bar seating and an open kitchen layout. There is indoor and outdoor limited seating so come early or be prepared to wait until a seat opens up. They make the broth, noodles, and ingredients from scratch. Though the ramen cooks are not Japanese, do not let looks deceive you because their ramen is full of umami flavor that one cannot resist slurping up this salty goodness!
My personal favorite is their Tokyo ramen which utilizes a pork and chicken broth. Get an extra topping of their 64 degree onsen egg which is cooked to soft poached perfection. A favorite of my Thai friend (who loves her spicy food!) is the spicy miso ramen. If you like spice and can handle the heat, this one is for you.
Blue Light Yokohama
Situated in trendy Södermalm, this authentic Japanese restaurant serves their ramen only on Sundays and is a favorite among Japanese expats in Stockholm. They only have two types of ramen; Tonkotsu pork bone broth or Yasai vegetable broth. Satisfying bowls of scrumptious broth that makes one slurp every last drop.
It might be appropriate here to even slurp noisily since this restaurant is patronized and run by Japanese folks. If you speak a bit of Japanese, they would love it if you practice your language skills with the staff.
Note – Ramen is served on Sundays only.
Vietnamese Pho
Vietnamese pho spots have also taken over Stockholm and I managed to try one of the hot spots for pho. I love a good bowl of beef pho for hangover days.
Though not on the same level as the pho places in East London’s Hoxton district with the myriad of Vietnamese pho restaurants, the trend of Vietnamese food is slowly gaining popularity in Stockholm. I recommend Eatnam in Vasastan.
Eatnam
On a rainy and cold winters’ day, I ventured past the ice skaters in Vasaparken to this sunny casual restaurant at the corner of Västmangatan. A pretty authentic Vietnamese eatery that is open everyday until 22:00. I came a bit after the lunch crowd so it was pretty quiet but I was happy to have a peaceful late lunch.
The pho had a nice beefy broth with a taste of star anise that is so common in pho broths. I was feeling a bit under the weather then and the broth of this soup really helped my sinuses and revived me. It is amazing what a beef bone broth soup can do!
Nothing soothes a tired soul than a good bowl of soup and noodles. I predict that there will be more ramen and pho shops opening up in Stockholm as the city embraces more global tastes and more expats move into the bustling Swedish capital.
You Might Also Enjoy
New Nordic Restaurants in Stockholm
Spotlight on Stockholm Food Stories
