Best Seafood Restaurants in Stockholm (2026)

Stockholm sits on the water — a whole archipelago of it — so it would be strange if the city couldn’t do seafood, and it does it beautifully, from a single oyster at the bar to a full Michelin tasting menu. For the wider picture of eating out in the city, start with our Stockholm food and restaurants hub; this guide zooms in on the fish.

What are the best seafood restaurants in Stockholm? For a first-timer, Sturehof (a grand 1887 brasserie) and Wedholms Fisk (the classic fish house) are the safe, brilliant bets. For a splurge, Aira on Djurgården holds two Michelin stars for archipelago seafood. For value, the fish counters at Östermalms Saluhall and Hötorgshallen serve shrimp sandwiches and fish soup for a fraction of the price.

Stockholm’s best seafood restaurants at a glance

Here’s the quick reference — prices are per person for a main unless noted, and they drift, so confirm before you book.

Heritage Stockholm seafood restaurants

These are the white-tablecloth classics, the places that have been serving the city’s fish for generations. If you want the “proper Stockholm” seafood dinner, this is the section.

Wedholms Fisk

This is the grand old fish house, on Arsenalsgatan, and it’s where I’d go for a special-occasion fish dinner done the classical French-Swedish way. Think sole with champagne sauce and beautifully handled monkfish, a hushed dining room and a Stockholm-elite clientele. Poached monkfish is 550 SEK and the sole 895 SEK, with other fish dishes higher; a vegetarian risotto comes in at 325 SEK. It earns the money.

Sturehof

My most-recommended seafood spot in the city, full stop. It’s a sprawling 1887 brasserie right on Stureplan, open from late morning until late at night, and you can walk in for a plate of oysters or commit to a towering seafood platter (skaldjursplatå). The Toast Skagen here is a Stockholm lunch institution — a mound of dill-and-mayo shrimp with bleak roe on toast. Mains run from meatballs at 335 SEK to grilled halibut at 615 SEK and entrecôte at 695 SEK, and it’s as good for a solo bar meal as a group dinner.

Operakällaren smörgåsbord

An institution since 1787, Operakällaren shuts at the end of December 2026 for a renovation lasting several years. Before it does, the draw is the Christmas buffet, served from 19 November to 24 December at 1,795 SEK per person. That’s a splurge, and the last chance to eat a julbord in this dining room for a while. Book ahead and go hungry.

Verandan at Grand Hôtel

The other heritage smörgåsbord, with an archipelago-leaning seafood selection and a knockout view across to the Royal Palace. It’s the one I’d choose for a special-occasion weekend brunch when the view matters as much as the plate.

Modern Swedish seafood

Aira

Out on Djurgården, Aira holds two Michelin stars and builds its tasting menu around Stockholm-archipelago fish and shellfish with New Nordic technique. At 3,950 SEK it’s a real occasion, but you get the food and a waterside setting in one hit. This is the pick for foodies who want a memory, not just a meal — and it pairs naturally with a day exploring Stockholm’s wider restaurant scene.

B.A.R

On Blasieholmsgatan, B.A.R does modern seafood with a serious shellfish program and classical technique underneath the New Nordic gloss. Mains run from fish and chips at 260 SEK and moules frites at 265 SEK to monkfish au poivre at 425 SEK, with grill sides and sauces priced separately. It’s the smart middle path — a genuinely modern Swedish seafood meal without the full Michelin commitment or price tag.

Mälarpaviljongen

Come summer, this floating, flower-filled waterfront spot on Lake Mälaren is one of the loveliest places to eat in the city. It’s open seasonally, with mid-range prices and a relaxed, casual-shellfish menu. Go for a long, slow lunch in the sun.

Casual and counter-service seafood

You do not need to spend 600 SEK to eat well here. Some of my favourite fish in Stockholm comes from a market counter with a stool in front of it.

Lisa Elmqvist

The heritage fish counter inside Östermalms Saluhall, family-run since 1926, and the benchmark for räksmörgås — the open-faced shrimp sandwich. In the restaurant, one with 120 g of shrimp costs 275 SEK, and you can also grab a platter at the counter or buy fish to take away. It’s a Stockholm rite of passage.

Kajsas Fisk

Tucked in Hötorgshallen, this is the locals’ cheap-and-cheerful pick: fish soup (with a refill of the pot, traditionally), fried fish and herring plates for 125–195 SEK. It’s one of the best-value hot lunches in the centre, and it’s a natural addition to a cheap eats in Stockholm crawl.

Bakfickan

The “back pocket” of the Royal Opera — a tiny horseshoe-bar restaurant serving classic Swedish plates including herring and fish dishes around 145–195 SEK. Great for a solo meal at the counter before or after a show.

Oyster and shellfish bars

Stockholm takes its oysters seriously. Expect around 35–65 SEK each, more for premium varieties like Belon or Gillardeau.

• Sturehof oyster bar — A walk-in counter at Stureplan with a daily oyster selection and that easy Stockholm-classic buzz. My default.
• Riche (Birger Jarlsgatan 4) — A strong oyster program and shellfish small plates; the place for late-afternoon oysters and a glass of something cold. If you stay for dinner, bouillabaisse is 435 SEK and turbot 685 SEK.
• Östermalms Saluhall counters — Several vendors shuck fresh oysters and shellfish; the Lisa Elmqvist counter is the heritage option.

Stockholm seafood specialties worth ordering

Räksmörgås

The open-faced shrimp sandwich: a small mountain of hand-peeled shrimp on dark rye with egg, mayonnaise, lemon and dill. Lisa Elmqvist sets the standard.

Toast Skagen

Chopped shrimp tossed with mayonnaise, dill, lemon and a little red onion on toasted bread, crowned with bleak roe (löjrom). Sturehof and Riche are the addresses.

Sill (pickled herring)

Comes in a rainbow of cures — mustard, dill, onion, sherry, the clear “glasmästarsill.” Best sampled across a smörgåsbord at Verandan or at an Östermalms Saluhall counter; Operakällaren’s Christmas buffet is the other option until the restaurant closes for renovation at the end of December 2026.

Gravlax

Salt-and-sugar cured salmon with a sweet dill-mustard sauce (hovmästarsås). Sturehof does an excellent version, and so does Operakällaren until it shuts for several years of renovation at the end of 2026. It’s also a fixture of a good Stockholm brunch spread.

Kräftor (crayfish)

August brings the kräftskiva — boiled dill crayfish, schnapps and slightly silly drinking songs. Some restaurants run crayfish-party nights in late summer; worth timing a trip around if you can.

Surströmming

Fermented Baltic herring, and a genuinely acquired taste — the smell is infamous. It surfaces in late August and September at adventurous spots like the Viking-themed Aifur Krog. Order it as a dare, not a main.

Which Stockholm seafood restaurant is right for you?

First-time visitors

Sturehof for the full Stockholm-classic experience (Toast Skagen, platter, oyster bar) or Wedholms Fisk for the heritage fish house.

Couples

Aira for a Michelin dinner with an archipelago view, Wedholms Fisk for old-world romance, or Mälarpaviljongen for a summer waterfront table.

Foodies

Aira (two stars), Frantzén (Stockholm’s three-star, with strong seafood courses), and B.A.R for modern seafood without the full commitment.

Budget-conscious

Lisa Elmqvist’s räksmörgås (275 SEK in the restaurant), or a Kajsas Fisk lunch of fried herring (135 SEK) or fish soup (150 SEK). Market counters are the value play.

Solo travellers

Counter seats at Östermalms Saluhall (Lisa Elmqvist or Husman), the Sturehof bar, or the Riche bar — all easy and welcoming to eat at alone.

What Stockholm seafood costs

• Counter-service seafood: 125–225 SEK at Östermalms Saluhall and Hötorgshallen.
• Casual sit-down: meatballs at 335 SEK and halibut at 615 SEK at Sturehof; meatballs at 315 SEK and turbot at 685 SEK at Riche.
• Heritage fine dining: monkfish at 550 SEK and sole with champagne sauce at 895 SEK at Wedholms Fisk; fish and chips at 260 SEK and monkfish au poivre at 425 SEK at B.A.R.
• Smörgåsbord: 545–895 SEK at Verandan; Operakällaren’s Christmas buffet (19 November–24 December) is 1,795 SEK per person, its last season before it closes for renovation.
• Michelin tasting: 3,950 SEK at Aira.
• Oysters: 35–65 SEK each at most bars.
• Seafood platters: 1,295 SEK at Sturehof.

None of it is cheap by international standards — Stockholm rarely is — but the market counters and lunch specials keep excellent fish within reach on any budget.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best seafood restaurant in Stockholm?

For accessible classic seafood, Sturehof at Stureplan is my top pick — the Toast Skagen and seafood platter are Stockholm institutions. Wedholms Fisk is the heritage fish house for a special occasion, and Aira on Djurgården is the two-Michelin-star choice for archipelago seafood. Any of the three will do the city proud.

Where can I get the best räksmörgås in Stockholm?

Lisa Elmqvist at Östermalms Saluhall sets the benchmark. It’s a fish counter that’s been family-run since 1926, and the open-faced shrimp sandwich is piled high with hand-peeled shrimp. The restaurant charges 275 SEK for one with 120 g of shrimp. Eat it at the counter for the full market experience.

Where is the best Toast Skagen in Stockholm?

Sturehof (Stureplan, since 1887) and Riche (Birger Jarlsgatan) are the two benchmarks. Toast Skagen is chopped shrimp in a dill-and-mayo dressing on toast, topped with bleak roe. Both do a definitive version, and both let you order it at the bar with a glass of wine.

Where can I try Swedish herring in Stockholm?

A traditional smörgåsbord is the best way. Verandan at the Grand Hôtel is the elegant choice with a Royal Palace view, Operakällaren’s Christmas buffet runs until the restaurant closes for renovation at the end of December 2026, and the counters at Östermalms Saluhall let you taste a flight without a full sit-down meal.

How much do oysters cost in Stockholm?

Around 35–65 SEK each at most oyster bars, so a half-dozen runs roughly 195–395 SEK depending on the selection. Premium French varieties like Belon and Gillardeau cost more. Sturehof’s walk-in oyster bar and Riche are the reliable spots. Prices shift, so check the day’s list.

Where do locals eat seafood in Stockholm?

Sturehof for a classic, Wedholms Fisk for heritage, the Lisa Elmqvist counter at Saluhallen for a quick fix, Riche for oysters, and Mälarpaviljongen on a summer afternoon. Locals mix the grand dining rooms with the market counters depending on the occasion and the budget — and so should you.

Are Stockholm seafood restaurants expensive?

The top end is, yes. A heritage fish-house dinner at Wedholms Fisk runs 600–900 SEK a head, the Aira tasting menu is 3,950 SEK, and Operakällaren’s Christmas buffet is 1,795 SEK per person. But the counter-service options — Kajsas Fisk’s fish soup at 150 SEK, or Lisa Elmqvist’s shrimp sandwich at 275 SEK — deliver excellent seafood for far less. Confirm current prices when you go.