Hasselbacken, Hotel Hasselbacken, Stockholm, Sweden
Last Visit: Spring 2025
Curious and loyal readers might have already spotted our bar articles from Stockholm, so let's take the opportunity and follow up with a little culinary bonus. Stockholm, while often thrown into the same pot as Copenhagen, where of course, "the best restaurant in the world" and many trends used to be, features its own range of high-end dining. A country like Sweden in its capital can afford plenty of starred and exclusive locations that offer evening filling menus and cuisine for every taste.
Copyright: Royal Djurgarden
Given that I also want to do sightseeing however, all choices during this trip were a la carte and more focused on the "basics", which in Sweden's case means lots of meatballs, lots of potatoes and lots of fish. The general level of quality, even in a simple 'pub' remains so satisfying that it won't disappoint.
Located on idyllic Djurgarden, a city island that retains a lot of the old royal hunting ground feel, Hasselbacken takes us back to a sort of "Swedish golden age", that nowadays can feel a little faded, but offers a cozy and distinguished experienced. Close to both the, absolutely amazing Vasa Museum and the Nordic Museum, Hotel Hasselbacken was once (meaning since the 18th century) a premier weekend destination, with ballrooms, a large terrace and the restaurant of the same name.
The modernised interior follows a similar approach as the nearby Nordic Museum, with colorful patterns, fashioned after traditional crafts and with the table setting and service you get a bit of that old world charm. Both the menu and the wine list offer some good variety, while punching above its weight, for what is essentially "just a 4-star hotel".
So I did have to try the "famous" Hasselbacken potatoes mentioned in several fine dining guides and those are, of course, a bit gimmicky, since they are just thin slices and presumably fried. But what makes it worth it is the assortment of toppings from smoked salmons to cheeses and it is simply a lot of fun flavors in a good package. The restaurant prides itself that back in the day these were known all over the world and I can see why. With that I had a crisp white Sancerre from France that maybe wouldn't turn any wine nerd heads, but did a good enough job for the fish to shine and also calls back to another century when French wines ruled the world in an almost monopoly like position.
More potatoes and fish followed with a nice cured salmon and dill creamed potatoes (you see the theme here). Small portions for a somewhat hefty pricetag, but I'd rather have a little more quality when it comes to fish, than more of something worse. We also had meatballs on the table and while I liked the ones at Bla Dorren and Guldene Friyen more, they were not bad at all. The desserts come in a cute little Le Creuset pan, and again, were inspired by simple, but tasty Swedish cheese cakes with local fruit kompot made from cloudberries. The hotel makes its own honey too, a fitting product when you see how beautiful and lively the entire island is in the summer. I did bring a little jar of it home.
In any other place a hotel that is slightly fallen out of time with a relatively expensive kitchen like that might not work, but good, friendly service and the beautiful, walkable environment of Djurgarden work for me. I have a soft spot for this type of location, and if it isn't for you there are quite a few well regarded restaurants nearby that fit the "royal weekend out for a hunt vibe".
Cheers,
/jf
