Lola. A. Åkerström shares some of her favorite locations to do brunch over the weekend.
Photo by author
While many restaurants and cafés around town serve some version of a weekend brunch, here are three places worth trying in terms of ambiance and that little extra.
Fåfängen
Translating into “Vanity” in Swedish, Fåfängan requires a bit of an uphill hike, but once up there, you’ll realize why the name – vanity – is apt. The isolated gazebo-style restaurant/event location stands atop its very own hill surrounded by perfectly manicured trees and spectacular views looking across over to the lush green island of Djurgården, Gamla stan in the distance, and amusement park Gröna lund.
On Saturdays and Sundays, you can dig into its classic gluten-free brunch buffet with seasonal ingredients. Along with a variety of fresh breads, croissants, and pastries, you’ll find a smörgåsbord with pickled herring (sill), smoked salmon, Eggs Benedict, bacon, BBQ ribs, as well as the occasional paella, seafood gratins, and more. Fåfängan tries to source most of its ingredients locally as well.
During the peak of seafood season – September through October – it offers up a Champagne Brunch with more seafood choices, and its Christmas brunch comes with additional items like Jansson’s Temptation (Janssons Frestelse), ham, sardines, and meatballs (julköttbullar).
Selling point: Brunch with a view
Cost: Prices range from 285 SEK to 345 SEK per adult depending on the season and type of brunch. Check out more here including making reservations which are highly recommended.
Address: Klockstapelsbacken 3, 116 41 Stockholm
S/S Stockholm
Source: Stromma
At exactly 12 noon every Saturday and Sunday, the 1931 refurbished steamboat S/S Stockholm pushes out of Nybrokajen bay and the three-hour brunch cruise sails to Vaxholm and back with impressive views of the archipelago along the way from its panoramic windows. S/S Stockholm’s brunch buffet is well stocked with everything from traditional Swedish classics like Janssons, all sorts of pickled herring, smoked and cured salmon, and roast beef to a variety of warm dishes, salads, potatoes, breads, and desserts.
The key to enjoying this brunch is to pace yourself on the cold starters. Because once you start gorging on the cold dishes, the tables are cleared to bring out the warm sausages, meatballs, bacon, scrambled eggs, and other hot plates, and you’ll hate yourself.
The brunch is run by chefs and restauranteurs Maria Svensson and Jesper Taube behind Taube Restaurang. Jesper’s cooking career began in Gothenburg before moving to Stockholm. He was also chef on board M/S Gustafsberg VII. Jesper and former companion Goran Landh took over the then newly renovated M/S Waxholmsbolaget III in 1994, and later took over S/S Stockholm in 2005.
Maria attended culinary school in Sandviken. In 1991, she moved to Stockholm and started back in 1995 aboard M/S Waxholmsbolaget III. Since 2004, she’s been in Stockholm as chef aboard M/S Waxholmsbolaget III and S/S Stockholm.
S/S Stockholm also happens to be my personal favorite – I’ve enjoyed it thrice including taking wedding guests on a nice brunch cruise the day after my wedding, and I take the cruise at least once a year now.
Selling point: Ambiance of sailing in the 1930s steamboat and a pretty sweet smörgåsbord with tons of choice.
Cost: 430 SEK per adult. Be sure to make a reservation. Space is limited.
Location: Strandvägen, berth no 16
Hotel Rival
Source: Rival
Vibrantly decorated with art deco, avant-garde black-and-white portraits, bold artwork, and all the trimmings of a boutique hotel, Rival is a modern hotel owned by founding ABBA member, Benny Andersson, and located at Mariatorget in Södermalm with 99 uniquely designed rooms, cocktail bars, café, restaurant, and a large 700-person cinema for conferences.
But its brunch has been touted as the best in town by local paper Metro with its extensive spread of artisan breads, cheeses, do-it-yourself crispy Caesar salad with grilled chicken, Swedish cured salmon (gravlax), American pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, cold cuts, steak tartar with egg yolk, and so much more.
Selling point: A little bit of ABBA novelty. Freshest DIY Caesar salad.
Cost: 265 SEK per adult (excludes beverages). Reservations are required and can sell out quickly.
Address: Mariatorget 3, 118 91 Stockholm
Looking for more suggestions? Check out Brunch Stockholm.
AlltomStockholm recently published their picks for the Top 5 Brunches in Stockholm (in Swedish).
Do you have a favorite brunch location here in Stockholm? Please share below and we’ll include it in our next round-up of brunches worth trying.
