The guide to the best places in Stockholm to eat Christmas julbord

At Stortorgskällaren in the Old Town, musician and celebrity foodie Plura Jonsson will be leading the Christmas festivities, laying out a Christmas table filled with traditional delicacies. serving his own-spiced snaps and choosing the music. Classic favourites from the end of the 19th century will sit alongside more contemporary dishes, along with festive sweets and drinks. You can buy signed copies of Plura's cookbooks and records in the restaurant's store - a perfect Christmas gift!

Beautifully located on Edsviken bay, surrounded by forest and water, Ulriksdals Värdshus serves a traditional Christmas table in seven servings. Just 15 minutes from Stockholm city, you can choose from pickled herring and other cold and smoked fish, vegetable dishes, cold cuts, hot dishes and finally a dessert table with both sweet treats and Swedish cheeses. Much of what they serve comes from their own kitchen gardens and only Swedish meat is used.

Mister French has hard-to-beat views over the water from Skeppsbrokajen in the Old Town. They lay out a classic julbord with pickled herring, meatballs, Janssons Temptation, along with modern, plant-based options. Round off your meal with a visit to the dessert room, full of sweet treats such as ris à la Malta rice pudding, pannacotta and Christmas sweets. If you want to go all-in you can also add on the restaurant's seafood menu to your meal.

In the Cedergrenska Tower just outside the city centre, Christmas is celebrated with a traditional Christmas buffet in historic surroundings. Pickled herring, salmon, meatballs, chipolatas and other homemade delicacies and classic favourites are served and the entire julbord is rounded off with a dessert table created by Magnus Johansson.

Celebrate Christmas with French cuisine and perhaps a fun boules tournament with a guide. Boulebar has raked the gravel on their boules lanes and offers 'Christmas boules' with French flavours served at the table. Choose from four different menu packages, one of which consists of a seafood platter. You can also start the dinner with oysters and champagne.

A short boat trip from Nybrokajen, Restaurang J serves up a traditional Christmas buffet with homemade pickled herring, sausages, and everything else that comes with it. Gather friends, family, and colleagues and soak up the atmosphere by the open fire right by the water at Nacka Strand. You can also reach Restaurant J by car or bus.

The enchanting Tornvillan, part of the Hotel J Nacka Strand, offers an exclusive Christmas experience created by Michelin-starred chef Mathias Dahlgren. Framed by a winter landscape with views over the bay, a classic Christmas buffet is served, starting with mulled wine. The buffet is based on old family recipes combined with Mathias Dahlgren's personal favourites.

On Skeppsbron, Hôtel Reisen lays out its classic seafood Christmas buffet filled with fish and shellfish delicacies, such as oysters, lobster, salmon, and homemade herring. Enjoy a slightly more luxurious Christmas buffet served in historic surroundings. Don't miss the chance to have a signature cocktail in the hotel bar before or after the buffet.

La Botanica calls itself Sweden's biggest julbord, and they set up a huge Christmas buffet in the Westfield Mall of Scandinavia in Solna. Familiar Swedish festive dishes combine with American and Italian flavours. Just make sure to save some room for dessert, because there's plenty of that too. If you want, you can combine the buffet with fun activities in their game zone.

In the charming neighbourhood of Gamla Enskede you'll find Gamla Enskede Matbod, a welcoming and ambitious local restaurant that suits most groups and occasions. They promise a Christmas Eve atmosphere every day over the Christmas period, with a fragrant Christmas tree, candles, home-made mulled wine and of course all the classics on the julbord.

FågelbroHus invites guests to a country-style Christmas with traditional decorations. The evening starts with a glass of their homemade glögg, before tucking into a classic julbord using local ingredients and a dessert buffet filled with sweet treats and cheeses. If you really want to treat yourself, you can also book a whole Christmas package with overnight accommodation.

Krusenberg Herrgård, just outside Uppsala, lays out a homemade julbord in their historic, festively decorated dining rooms. The buffet kicks off with Krusenberg's apple glögg and snacks before it's time for the main event. On Fridays and Saturdays, you can enjoy the julbord at lunchtime, but if you want to be sure of getting a dinner reservation you can also book a package that includes julbord and overnight accommodation. 

Thoresta Herrgård serves a manor-house Christmas buffet filled with traditional and modern dishes, from creamy pickled herring to festive ham. The kitchen works with hand-selected ingredients from small-scale producers. Start your evening with a glass of warm mulled wine and pepparkakor in one of the salons or in front of the roaring fire. You can also combine your julbord with an overnight stay in the manor house hotel.

It doesn't get much cosier or atmospheric than eating a festive buffet in Djurgården surrounded by the wintry park. Villa Källhagen serves a traditional Swedish julbord with beautiful views over the water. Tuck into everything from pickled herring and meatballs to desserts created by Villa Källhagen's pastry chefs. If you really want to treat yourself, book a room and wake up to a hotel breakfast.

During the winter, Hallwylska covers their palatial inner courtyard with a heated glasshouse. They lay out a classic julbord groaning with hot dishes, cold cuts such as Christmas ham and paté, pickled herring and smoked fish, cheese and much more. Just make sure you save room for the dessert table where you'll find festive flavours such as gingerbread cheesecake, saffron buns, treacle toffee, candy canes and saffron pannacotta. Order a drinks package to go with your meal and Christmassy cocktails.

At the boutique hotel Görvälns Slott by Lake Mälaren, the motto is "stylish and tasteful". Indulge in seasonal Christmas food, prepared with no-fuss local ingredients. The Christmas menu includes pickled herring, smoked reindeer tartare, pike perch from Lake Hjälmaren, and cream cheese ice cream with lingonberry meringue, all served at the table in a traditional manner.

In Medborgarhuset in the heart of Medborgarplatsen, Biblioteket Live serves a classic Swedish Christmas buffet in a unique cultural environment. Enjoy the atmosphere and festive spirit in the restaurant with family, friends, and colleagues. Larger groups can also book the courtyard with its own bar and stage, or the Archive venue on the third floor.

Villa Godthem's charming wooden villa out on Djurgården oozes Christmas spirit, with an open fire and the scent of spiced mulled wine. They serve a classic Swedish julbord carefully prepared using traditional ingredients. 

Storholmen Sjökrog, on the waterfront right outside Lidingö, goes all-in on Christmas spirit both indoors and out, with Christmas trees, decorations and log fires. They serve a five-course julbord; some courses are served to the table and others as a buffet. Flavours are classic with archipelago influences and there's a full dessert buffet. The ferry goes all day.

If you go to O'Learys in Tolv Stockholm to eat julbord you can choose from a wide range of fun and bonding activities such as bowling, adventure golf, shuffleboard and karaoke. The buffet is classically Swedish and includes a vegan section and a generous dessert table. Perfect for large or small groups.

Stockholmers and tourists alike head to Wärdshuset Ulla Winbladh to enjoy a classic julbord. Nothing is left to chance here and they've fine-tuned the details over many years. In addition to the traditional buffet there's a completely vegan table. Fragrant fir trees, hundreds of candles and starched linen napkins set the tone.

Head to Artipelag for a classic julbord in beautiful archipelago surroundings with views over the inner archipelago. At the end of November they light the open fire and lay out a rustic julbord with festive food made from scratch on site or made by local producers. Sweet treats come from Artipelag's own pastry chefs and bakers.

Storkholm's former National Archives offers a fairytale setting with beautiful halls from the 19th century. The Christmas buffet is, as usual, created by celebrity chef Niklas Ekstedt and consists of various types of bread, a whole fish table, hot and cold cuts, as well as many vegetarian dishes and a generous selection of classic desserts.

Out on Ekerö, Jungfrusund sets up a lavish Christmas buffet full of classics and Mediterranean influences right by the water. Christmas is also celebrated with ice-cold snaps and warming mulled wine in the traditional way. Just gather the family, friends or colleagues and enjoy food and drink with Lake Mälaren as the backdrop.

If you're tired of pickled herring and Jansson's temptation, then Brisket & Friends provides a meatier alternative. This Texas-influenced smokehouse restaurant serves a BBQ buffet at the table until you can't eat any more, perfect for groups craving smoked meat, mac 'n' cheese, desserts, and much more. Vegetarian options are also available.

At Urban Deli Sveavägen, they serve Christmas dinner in their own unique way. The whole party gets to choose a shared starter and then select their own main course and dessert, with a choice of fish, meat, or vegetarian dish for the main course. Everyone also gets to play a Christmas gift game where the winner receives a Christmas present to take home.

Basta, at the top of the Åhléns City department store, offers a culinary Christmas journey to Italy with an Italian Christmas menu and handcrafted cocktails. Expect vibrant starters, fantastic main courses, and a refreshing selection of desserts. The whole party can choose a three or four-course menu, known as Piccolo or Grande. A vegan menu is also available.

Seventies-inspired Florentine transforms into a magical Christmas destination as they invite you to a glamorous Christmas experience, filled with Italian flavours and selected ingredients in the heart of Södermalm. Bring your loved ones, friends and colleagues and combine craft cocktails with a three or four-course menu. A vegan menu is also offered.

Book an event with a Christmas dinner in this cosy dining room on Torsgatan, near Sankt Eriksplan. Choose between their Christmas buffet and a Christmas-inspired three-course menu. The evening begins with mulled wine and pepparkakor in the bakery and afterwards, food is served in the dining room, which your group will have all to yourselves.

At the renowned Tyrol restaurant, you'll find one of Sweden's largest Christmas buffets, a full 35 metres long and filled with food and treats. There's game meat, classic favourites, innovative variations, and plenty of vegetarian options. A sumptuous Christmas buffet with something for everyone.

Blå Porten invites guests to a generous julbord that begins with hot mulled wine out in the garden. The buffet includes all the Christmas classics, such as pickled herring, salmon, meatballs and ham as well as vegetarian alternatives and traditional desserts, all served in charming surroundings. 

If you're looking for a julbord full of all the delicious classic dishes but combined with a little action, BallBreaker on Kungsholmen is the place to go. Extend your evening with various activity options - for example bowling or mini golf - combined with dinner with your friends and family. A fun, sociable way to hang out that isn't all about the food - although you can also book just the julbord if you'd rather sit still.

This fish and shellfish restaurant, which has been located right next to Cityterminalen for more than ten years, serves an seafood Christmas buffet filled with bleak roe, lobster, crayfish and smoked prawns, as well as hot dishes such as Janssons Temptation. Round off your meal with cheeses and a generous dessert buffet. 

The Welcome Hotel in Barkaby serves a shellfish buffet which consists of classic Christmas food and shellfish platters with lobster, langoustines, prawns and oysters, as well as a dessert buffet with Christmas flavours. Why not enjoy a game of ping pong and shuffleboard, or book a karaoke room or some spa time. 

Sjätte Tunnan draws inspiration from medieval knights and serves the Christmas buffet as an old-fashioned feast in five courses. This includes hot dishes such as meatballs, game sausages and venison, alongside entertainment featuring jesters, mystery plays, concerts, and English folk music.