History
The smörgåsbord codified in the late 19th century as a Stockholm hotel-and-restaurant format and was exported to global recognition through the 1939 New York World's Fair Swedish Pavilion. The Christmas julbord is the contemporary version: ham, herring, lutfisk, meatballs, Jansson's temptation, prinskorv. Operakällaren, Sturehof and the saluhalls all run julbord sittings in December; the year-round version anchors hotel breakfasts.
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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Fish, Shellfish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- Three pickled herring sauces (mustard, dill, curry; buy pickled herring fillets and dress)
- 200g sliced gravlax with mustard-dill sauce (see gravlax recipe)
- 20 meatballs with cream sauce (see köttbullar recipe)
- 1 small Jansson's frestelse (anchovy-cream potato gratin) made in advance
- 200g sliced ham, 200g sliced kassler ham
- Selection of three Swedish cheeses (Västerbotten, Prästost, Herrgård) with knäckebröd
- Boiled new potatoes with butter and dill
- Pickled beetroot, pickled cucumber, lingonberry jam
- Hardboiled eggs cut in halves with anchovy paste
- Snaps and beer to serve
Method
- Make Jansson's frestelse a day ahead: layer sliced potato, onion, anchovy with cream and breadcrumbs; bake 50 minutes until golden. Refrigerate, reheat just before serving.
- Cure the gravlax 48 hours ahead. Slice thin just before service.
- Make the meatballs and cream sauce the morning of; keep warm.
- Boil new potatoes 15 minutes before service; toss in butter and dill.
- Open all the pickled herring jars: drain, transfer to small bowls, garnish with chopped onion and dill. Three sauces minimum (mustard, dill, curry).
- Arrange on a long table: herring first, then cold fish (gravlax), then cold meats and cheeses, then hot meatballs and Jansson's at the warm end. Eat in that order; reset plate between rounds.
- Snaps with the herring; beer with the meatballs; coffee at the end.
Tip from the editors. Eat in the correct sequence: cold herring first, then cold fish, cold meats, hot meats. Reset your plate between rounds; do not mix cold and hot. The snaps tradition is one glass per herring round.
Where to eat smörgåsbord
Smörgåsbord in Stockholm
Operakällaren 1 ★ ★ 4.5
Operakällaren in Stockholm's Royal Opera House has cooked classical European food since 1787, with one Michelin star and Emanuel Tärnqvist's tasting room.
OrderThe classic tasting in the main dining room; the Operakällaren wagon of cheese is part of the table service.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipCloses 2027 for a five-year Opera House renovation. Book before December if you want the heritage room before it goes dark.
Sturehof ★ 4.4
Sturehof at Stureplan in Stockholm's Östermalm is the 1897 brasserie locals run on; oysters, Toast Skagen, herring boards and a 365-day kitchen until 02:00.
OrderToast Skagen and a half-dozen oysters at the counter; the snaps tray is the table ritual.
TipThe bar counter is walk-in until late. The Vita Bar room is the quieter sit-down table.
Den Gyldene Freden ★ 4.3
Den Gyldene Freden on Österlånggatan in Stockholm's Gamla Stan opened in 1722 and remains the oldest restaurant in continuous operation under the same name.
OrderWallenbergare with pea purée, lingonberry and brown butter potatoes.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. The vaulted cellar is the heritage room; the upstairs table runs quieter.
Stadshuskällaren ★ 4.3
Stadshuskällaren in Stockholm's City Hall on Hantverkargatan cooks the Nobel banquet menu from any year you choose; the wine cellar holds 30,000 bottles.
OrderOrder the 2026 Nobel menu or pick a historic year off the heritage list.
TipClosed Sunday. The dining-room vaults are the heritage room; book lunch for the cheaper sitting.
Wedholms Fisk ★ 4.5
Wedholms Fisk on Nybrokajen in Stockholm's Norrmalm cooks the canonical Swedish seafood menu; sole meunière, smoked salmon and Janssons frestelse on a single.
OrderWhole sole filleted at the table with the house Janssons frestelse on the side.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. The corner window seats look across the bay to the Royal Palace.
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