At Restaurant Tradition in Gamla Stan, in Stockholm, you can try the best Swedish meatballs in the world.
Swedish meatballs or köttbullar for most people outside of Sweden are synonymous with their visit to IKEA stores. There, the meatballs are the most popular dish in the store’s restaurant and are often the conclusion to a day of shopping. For the Swedes, it is one of their favourite dishes and a delicious addition to their family meals.
THE ORIGIN OF SWEDISH MEATBALLS
The most common theory suggests that the meatballs’ origin is Turkish, despite their Swedish name. According to this theory, the recipe that King Charles XII brought back from Turkey in the early 1700s is the basis for what we now know as Swedish meatballs. However, the lingonberry jam, a basic component of the well-known meal, is surely Swedish. Their characteristic is that they are simultaneously tart, sour, and sweet.
HOW THE MEATBALLS ARE MADE
The meatballs are usually made with ground pork or a beef-pork blend. Before being covered with eggs, breadcrumbs and flavourful allspice are added to the mixture. Once they are shaped to the proper diameter, they are finally fried on a skillet. They serve the meatballs with mashed potatoes and a white, creamy sauce that resembles gravy. The creamy sauce, with a roux of flour, stock, milk, or cream, is cooked until it thickens and smooths out.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE BEST MEATBALLS IN SWEDEN
You can find this classic meal in numerous restaurants, pubs, and even supermarkets in Sweden, in addition to IKEA stores. Since it is a meal that tourists want to sample, it is even easier to get them in Stockholm, where there are more foreign visitors. This national dish is actually the speciality of the world-famous Meatballs for the People restaurant in the Södermalm district. This restaurant offers only meatballs in a significant variety of combinations. However, we can claim with confidence that the Restaurant Tradition (Restaurang Tradition) in the heart of Gamla Stan serves the best Swedish meatballs we have ever tasted.
MEATBALLS AT TRADITION RESTAURANT
Very close to the central square of the old town, Restaurant Tradition has a beautiful space with a light, airy atmosphere and is decorated in Scandinavian style with simple, pared-back furniture and natural tones. This restaurant creates a friendly and homely ambience, a fact that the food also reflectes. The menu at Tradition includes typically Swedish dishes as well as modern variations on much-loved favourites. At the same time, the quality of the raw materials and the freshness of the ingredients they use are evident in every dish they serve. All of the above are combined with impeccable service and unpretentious hospitality.
Definitely the meatballs are the dish you should try (photo at the top). They have a silky texture, a wonderfully balanced taste, and a plethora of scents. Subtly highlighting the meatballs’ aftertaste, the creamy sauce has a smooth texture and flavour. The mashed potato that goes with it is prepared to perfection, and the tasty jam is the ideal accompaniment.
OTHER SWEDISH SPECIALTIES AT RESTAURANT TRADITION
Of course, in addition to the restaurant’s famous meatballs, you may sample other classic dishes they expertly prepare. The kroppkakor, which are potato dumplings with pork, browned butter, and lingonberries, or with mushrooms, lingonberry purée, and parmesan chips, is one of the most notable of them. The traditional toast skagen (shrimp salad, whitefish roe, and toasted bread) and the three-way Herring, served with red onion, crème fraiche, and cheese, are also wonderful starters.
AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
Restaurant Tradition is a gastronomic destination. The setting in the old town’s winding lanes, the exquisite interior design, the high calibre of the ingredients, and the flawless preparation of the dishes create an unforgettable experience. Don’t lose the opportunity to stop by this restaurant and sample their speciality meatballs if you’re ever in Stockholm. You will always carry that delightful recollection with you.
Restaurant Tradition is located at Österlånggatan 1, 113 53 Stockholm
