Christmas dinner in Stockholm 2024
Publiceringsdatum: 1 October 2024
Meatballs, mulled wine, Christmas ham, and lutefisk: classic components of a Swedish Christmas buffet. Here are some restaurants where you can have a taste
Meatballs, Jansson's temptation, lutfisk, gingerbread, and hot mulled wine ("glögg"). For anyone who wants to experience a traditional Swedish Christmas, the Christmas buffet (julbord) is a must! Here are our top tips on restaurants offering Christmas buffet, and some restaurants that are open for dinner during the Christmas holidays. The julbord season starts in late November.
Typical Swedish Christmas food
Although you'll find Christmas buffets and specials catering to every taste, there are some evergreens you should know if want to taste traditional Swedish Christmas food.
- Julskinka ("Christmas ham"): The centerpiece of a classically Swedish buffet table. Boiled and then grilled with a coating of breadcrumbs, mustard, and egg yolk. Most commonly eaten with a dash of mustard or sometimes with apple sauce.
- Meatballs: The Swedish classic, found on most buffet tables no matter the holiday or season.
- Prinskorv ("prince sausage"): Small sausages, usually grilled.
- Pickled herring: Comes in various flavors. But more often than not has a sweeter taste than for example Eastern European pickled herring.
- Jansons frestelse: A casserole of potatoes, onions, breadcrumbs, cream and anchovies (special, Swedish ansjovis featuring a unique spice mix).
- Lutfisk: An older dish that has fallen out of fashion somewhat. Dried with fish (usually cod), cured in rye. Regional differences aside, the common lutefisk is served with boiled potatoes and Béchamel sauce.
- Common sides are boiled potatoes, crisp bread, baked Brussels sprouts, and kale.
- Drinks include beer, ale, wine, and two Swedish specialties; svagdricka (a non-alcoholic, spiced, beer-adjacent beverage) and julmust (a seasonal soft drink, best described as a kind of sweet, non-alcoholic, stout).
- Glögg – Mulled wine with or without alcohol. Usually served before or after dinner as a fika alternative.