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 by Edsviken bay, surrounded by forest and water, Ulriksdals Värdshus serves a traditional Christmas table in seven servings. 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.

Beautiful van der Nootska palace on Sankt Paulsgatan in Södermalm oozes classic Fanny and Alexander vibes. This year's Christmas dinner, which is served in the French Dining Room, magnificent Library or the Swedenborg salon, is created by Michelin-starred head chef Gustav Otterberg. The meal consists of four courses served to your table, with homemade delicacies, well-known classics and Gustav's personal favourites.

Celebrate Christmas with French food and a fun boules tournament. Boulebar serves up oysters, bubbles and a four-course French julbord with French cheeses and desserts. They also offer a vegetarian julbord. 

This steamship has a fascinating history. Their julbord cruises began in 1981 and the tradition lives on today. Enjoy watching Stockholm's beautiful archipelago pass by the window as you're served a classic Swedish julbord with organic and locally-produced ingredients. You can also book a private dining room. 

Restaurant J in Nacka strand serves their julbord in Tornvillan, their historic 19th century building complete with towers and pinnacles. They lay out a classic Christmas buffet with traditional flavours in fairytale surroundings close to nature. Their julbord is served right up to and including Christmas Eve.

Italienskan welcomes you to a really fun, vibrant Christmas party that revolves around Italian food, drink, kisses on the cheek and Italian pop hits. Everything begins and ends in the bar, and in between there are plates full of delicious food so no one goes home hungry. Afterwards, it's back to the bar, with a party atmosphere that gets livelier as the evening goes on.

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 festive dinner consisting of an appetiser buffet, main course and a dessert buffet filled with sweet treats and cheeses from local producers. 

Krusenberg Herrgård, just outside Uppsala, lays out a homemade julbord in their historic, festively decorated dining rooms. The evening kicks off with Krusenberg's glögg and snacks before it's time for the main event. Why not make a weekend of it and stay over in one of the romantic bedrooms?

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 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. If you really want to treat yourself, book a room and wake up to a hotel breakfast.

Experience an atmospheric julbord out on Djurgården, in the old boatyard that's now home to Slipen. The Christmas buffet here consists of five courses including pickled herring, salmon, Jansson's Temptation, ribs and their own schnaps. Sturgeon caviar and roe can be added for a little extra luxury.

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, salads and sauces at both lunch and dinner. 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.

Basta invites you on a culinary journey to Italy, with starters, main courses, desserts and artisanal cocktails at the top of Åhléns City department store. Choose between a three and four-course menu with classic Italian flavours and a wine package to pair with the food.

This year, Görvälns Slott will be serving a julbord in which the cold dishes are laid out on the buffet and the hot ones served on plates to the table. For the main course, you can choose between spice-roasted reindeer fillet, steamed cod loin and roasted artichoke, and if you want to raise a toast with something festive, there are wine packages, beer and schnapps as well as non-alcoholic options. All served in chic castle surroundings dating back to the 17th century. For a really deluxe experience, you can book Casual Christmas, combining the julbord with an overnight stay and hotel breakfast.

Enjoy a traditional Christmas buffet full off local delicacies on the archipelago island of Idöborg . Classic dishes combine with apple juice from Värmdö Musteri, venison pâté from Nämdö and cheeses from Rindö Ostmakeri. You can easily get there with Waxholmsbolaget's ferries, and for a truly magnificent Christmas experience, you can book an overnight package with breakfast and sauna.

Enjoy an Italian Christmas meal at Basta's sister restaurant Florentine, a modern trattoria with influences from the Italian Seventies, right next to Medborgarplatsen. They invite guests to enjoy a glamorous experience with Italian flavours and selected ingredients. Their Christmas meal consists of a three- or four-course menu that can be combined with artisanal cocktails.

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. Vegans and vegetarians also get a 30% discount.

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 Baggensfjärden. 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 award-winning head pastry chef, Annie Hesselstad.

Celebrity chef Niklas Ekstedt will be serving his julbord among the beautiful pillared halls and balconies of Gamla Riksarkivet, the old National Archives, once again and this year they've raised the bar yet again in celebration of 10 years of serving julbord here. At weekends they'll be showing festive films for children and The Library will function as a private dining room where you can drink Christmas cocktails and eat festive food. Their Christmas buffet consists of both classic and contemporary dishes as well as vegetarian alternatives. 

Edsbacka Wärdshus is close to the waterfront of Edsviken bay in Sollentuna and the inn's origins go back to the 17th century. They lay out a classic Christmas buffet in gorgeous surroundings with views over the water and the park surrounding nearby Edsbergs Slott. You'll find several kinds of pickled herring, cured salmon, prinskorv chipolatas, meatballs, Christmas ham and a groaning dessert table, along with masses of other classic elements of an authentic Swedish julbord.

You'll find this restaurant and bar on the jetty of Jungfrusund on the island of Ekerö. They lay out a mainly traditional julbord, with all the usual classics along with plenty of plant-based dishes. Accompany your meal with warming glögg mulled wine, Christmas beer and chilled snaps. Just gather a small group of family, friends or colleagues and enjoy the festive food and drinks with Lake Mälaren as a backdrop. On six occasions over the festive season, Sonja Aldén and Håkan Berg will be performing music and magic.

Arrange a Christmas cocktail party at 7A Strandvägen in stunning premises with views over Nybroviken. They serve Christmas-inspired canapes accompanied by piano music in historical surroundings. Its exclusive location and atmospheric setting make this an ideal option if you prefer festive drinks parties to Christmas buffets or sit-down dinners. 

Urban Deli Sveavägen have selected their favourite festive dishes and serve them as a wintry three-course menu to celebrate Christmas with in large and small groups. The aim is for you to leave the restaurant feeling happy, satisfied and full, and there are vegetarian, fish and meat main courses to choose from. They have also joined forces with Måla och Skåla over the festive season so anyone who wants to can create themed art. This is booked separately.

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.

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. Round off your meal with cheeses, a generous dessert buffet and coffee. 

Put your thinking cap on this Christmas at Hop & Vine. They've teamed up with Fox in a Box and offer fun packages with escape rooms and festive food. The package includes welcome mulled wine, Christmas and dessert buffets and your choice of escape room, which offers both tricky and scary challenges to enjoy with friends, colleagues and family.

The Welcome Hotel serves a shellfish platter with lobster, langoustines, prawns ad oysters, a cold buffet with pickled herring, salmon and paté, as well as a dessert buffet with Christmas flavours. If you want to extend your julbord experience, why not check in for a whole weekend including overnight accommodation and access to the spa?

Smådalarö Gård invites guests to enjoy champagne cocktails in the bar, a three-course dinner in the restaurant and an overnight stay at the hotel. Open fires and Christmas decorations create a festive atmosphere in beautiful archipelago surroundings. You can also take a winter dip, relax in the sauna or book in for a luxurious spa treatment. 

Sjätte Tunnan is inspired by the days of medieval knights and their five-course julbord, from pickled herring to desserts, is served at the table. Accompany your meal with homemade mead, beer, wine, own-spiced snaps and non-alcoholic options.