My Asian food favorites in Stockholm

My passion for Asian cuisine took off a couple of years ago while traveling in Asia with my partner. We spent most of our time in Thailand and Cambodia and had lots of gastronomic experiences.

The biggest one by far was "bubble tea", or "boba tea" as it's called in its country of origin Taiwan. "Boba tea" is a type of sugary tea cocktail, with chewy tapioca pearls and sometimes milk or fresh fruit. I've always been a tea aficionado, especially the British kind with some milk and sugar. So my first taste of "boba tea" was that of a kid experiencing a sweet soda drink for the first time.

When we came back to Stockholm I tried to make my own "boba tea". There are a couple of well-stocked Asian supermarkets in town, like Asian Market at Hötorget where you can buy the crucial tapioca pearls. I'd say it turned out OK, but it just wasn't the same as if a pro had made it. Luckily, I also started to search for "boba tea" cafés in Stockholm actively and found quite a few. I realized for example that Cha Talk, a café I've walked by practically every day to work, has a great selection of "boba teas". I'd go so far as to call them Stockholm's best with a perfect balance between liquid, tapioca pearls, sweetness, and bitter tea flavors. Though I'd also happily recommend Machi Machi, Yi Fang, Oolong Tea House, and Ninecha.

Besides "boba" cafés my eyes were opened to all the great Asian restaurants in Stockholm. There's this close relationship between Sweden and Asia after all, and Swedes take to far-eastern flavors pretty quickly. You'll find a good sushi bar or Thai restaurant in practically every small town.

Close to where I live on Södermalm, for example, you'll find the Nikkei restaurant Indio. Nikkei is a unique fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine, translating into great ceviche, sashimi, and probably Stockholm's best sushi. If I'm in the mood for rich and deep ramen, on the other hand, I go to Ai Ramen on Erstagatan instead. They also have a restaurant on Gamla Brogatan, and speaking of Gamla Brogatan Saigon Baguette is a must if you like banh mi sandwiches. Banh mi is a Vietnamese specialty, filled with fresh herbs, mayo, vegetables, meat, or tofu. I suggest you also order the off-menu broth to go with your sandwich. And if you don't know what to choose, or just have different cravings, I'd suggest Wäng Izakaya on Sveavägen. Wäng's menu is a great mix of Asian stalwarts; bibimbap, sushi, and pho soup. Their Pad Thai is the tastiest I've ever eaten, better than any I had in Thailand.