Swedish cafe-bistro$$kungsholmen
Thelins Konditori on Sankt Eriksgatan in Stockholm's Kungsholmen has been a cafe-bistro since 1957; sandwiches, soup of the day and Swedish baking from the counter.
Signature: Open prawn sandwich, Princess cake slice
Order: The classic open prawn sandwich and a slice of princess cake.
Tip: Lunch only most days; open 07:00 to 18:00. The window tables fill by 09:00 on weekends.
Italian trattoria$$sankt-eriksplan
Trattoria Corazza on Rörstrandsgatan in Stockholm's Vasastan is a small Italian trattoria a step from Sankt Eriksplan, plating fresh-filled ravioloni and a carbonara locals will queue for.
Signature: Spaghetti alla carbonara, Ravioloni with bufala ricotta
Order: The spaghetti alla carbonara with guanciale, pecorino and pepper; the bufala-ricotta ravioloni on the side.
Tip: Tiny dining room of about 30 covers; book ahead on weekends or aim for the first sitting at 17:00.
Swedish-Nordic museum cafe$$djurgarden
Spritmuseum on Djurgårdsvägen in Stockholm is the museum-of-spirits restaurant; smörgås boards, snaps tasting flights and the harbourside terrace facing the water.
Signature: Daily smörgås plate, Snaps tasting flight
Order: The smörgåsbord plate with the snaps tasting flight; finish with the cheese board.
Tip: Best for lunch and an afternoon snaps tasting. The terrace is the seat in summer.
Swedish seafood$$$ostermalm
Lisa Elmqvist at Östermalms Saluhall in Stockholm has run a fishmonger and counter restaurant since 1926; oysters, Toast Skagen and the saluhall shellfish platters.
Signature: Shellfish platter, Toast Skagen with bleak roe
Order: The shellfish platter for two and a glass of dry Champagne.
Tip: Lunch is the better sit. Closed Sunday; closes at 18:00 Saturday.
Cafe with hot meals$sodermalm
Tehuset Java on Skånegatan in Stockholm's SoFo is the long-running tea house and cafe; daily hot lunch plates, sandwiches and the heaviest cardamom bun in the area.
Signature: Daily hot lunch plate, Cardamom bun
Order: Hot lunch plate of the day plus the cardamom bun.
Tip: Open seven days from 09:00. The garden out back fills for fika by 14:00.
Swedish meatballs$$sodermalm
Meatballs for the People on Nytorgsgatan in Stockholm's SoFo runs a meatball-only kitchen with eight rotating proteins from beef to wild boar to vegetarian shitake.
Signature: Beef meatballs with cream sauce, Wild boar meatballs
Order: The classic beef meatballs with mash, cream sauce, pickled cucumber and lingonberry.
Tip: Walk-in counter; queues from 18:00. The takeaway window does the same plates for half the wait.