The LGBTQ+ guide to Stockholm's best gay venues

The LGBTQ+ guide to Stockholm's best gay venues

Stockholm has an ever-growing and well-reputed selection of LBTQ+-friendly nightclubs, bars, restaurants and cafés. In this guide we follow the rainbow flag and lead the way to great places around town with an open mind and an LGBTQ-friendly crowd. You'll find everything from famous gay cafés and restaurants popular within gay circles, to open-minded bars and "The best gay club north of Ibiza". In other words, all the best gay spots in Stockholm!

Tatty Good, Content Writer UK & Translator SE, Thatsup Tatty Good, Content Writer UK & Translator SE, Thatsup
Tatty Good
  1. Bars and restaurants
    1. 1
      Mälarpaviljongen Lush summer oasis
    2. 2
      Söders Hjärta Plenty of heart
    3. 3
      Side Track The city's oldest gay bar
    4. 4
      Bakfickan Mälarpaviljongen Festive bistro
    5. 5
      Blow Gay culture
    6. 6
      The Secret Garden From dinner to clubbing
    7. 7
      Urban Deli Gay restaurant of the year in 2015
    8. 8
      The Blue Oyster Award-winning
    9. 9
      Spisa hos Helena Neighbourhood restaurant with a mixed crowd
  2. Clubs
    1. 1
      SLM Stockholm Fetish-friendly nightclub
    2. 2
      Patricia Legendary Sunday night club on the water
    3. 3
      Hera For lesbians, by lesbians
    4. 4
      Club Backdoor "The best gay club north of Ibiza"
    5. 5
      Trädgården Summer club with open attitude
  3. Cafés
    1. 1
      Chokladkoppen Popular gaycafé in the middle of Stortorget

Jump to

Bars and restaurants

Mälarpaviljongen

Website

Lush summer oasis

Mälarpaviljongen is a favourite Stockholm summer spot and a well-known gay hangout with a gorgeous floating jetty and pavilion. You can sit here, eat, sip wine, party and enjoy one of the city's most awesome waterfront locations. Count on a friendly, flirty atmosphere.

Söders Hjärta

Website

Plenty of heart

This well-known bar and restaurant welcomes everyone and all. Hang out, listen to music, drink cocktails, tuck into food and sit out on the outdoor dining area. The name means "The Heart of Södermalm" and Söders hjärta's owners Niclaes and Christian proudly ensure that this is a place full of heart.

Side Track

Website

The city's oldest gay bar

Open-minded and slightly hidden gaybar by Mariatorget with a restaurant, lively club nights and a flirty atmsposphere. Side Track is in the cellar right next door to Half Way Inn and is a popular watering hole for the city's queer crowd and everyone with a non-judgemental attitude.

Bakfickan Mälarpaviljongen

Website

Festive bistro

Mälarpaviljongen summer hangout also has a lively bistro that's open year-round. There's always something happening here – they describe the place as a rainbow-coloured meeting place, with food, cocktails, and entertainment. The menu is classic bistro style with primarily European influences.

Blow

Gay culture

Every Wednesday, the Sidenkällaren's function rooms transform into the gay bar BLOW, a fun space where everyones welcome, although gay culture takes centre stage. Their events calendar includes everything from quizzes to karaoke, drag shows, and speed dating – or 'speedgayting' as it's called here. The evening's theme varies from week to week, so keep an eye on their Instagram for information on upcoming events.

The Secret Garden

Website

From dinner to clubbing

You'll find this gay-friendly spot on Kornhamnstorg, a snug restaurant and bar which transforms into a lively nightclub later on. Open all days of the week, they also have a small "secret garden" if you prefer a more peaceful pace.

Urban Deli Nytorget – LGBTQ+ guide
Urban Deli Nytorget
Urban Deli Hagastaden – LGBTQ+ guide
Urban Deli Hagastaden
Urban Deli Sickla – LGBTQ+ guide
Urban Deli Sickla
Urban Deli Nytorget – LGBTQ+ guide
Urban Deli Nytorget
Urban Deli Nytorget – LGBTQ+ guide
Urban Deli Nytorget
Urban Deli Hagastaden – LGBTQ+ guide
Urban Deli Hagastaden
Urban Deli Sickla – LGBTQ+ guide
Urban Deli Sickla
Urban Deli Nytorget – LGBTQ+ guide
Urban Deli Nytorget
Urban Deli Nytorget Urban Deli Sickla Urban Deli Sveavägen Urban Deli Hagastaden
Urban Deli Nytorget
urbandeli.se
Urban Deli Sickla
urbandeli.org/sickla
Urban Deli Sveavägen
urbandeli.se/sveavagen
Urban Deli Hagastaden
urbandeli.se
Urban Deli Nytorget
@urbandelinytorget
Urban Deli Hagastaden
@urbandelistockholm
Urban Deli Nytorget Urban Deli Sickla Urban Deli Sveavägen Urban Deli Hagastaden

Gay restaurant of the year in 2015

Urban Deli was named restaurant/bar of the year at the QX gala in 2015 and was one of two official Pride festival restaurants that year. The inclusive philosophy is combined here with an organic mindset and it's a buzzy place to hang out whether you're gay or straight.

  • Nytorget 4, Södermalm Hasselmans Torg 12, Sickla, Nacka/Sickla Sveavägen 44, City/Norrmalm Hagaesplanaden 4, Solna
    Urban Deli Nytorget
    Nytorget 4, Södermalm
    Urban Deli Sickla
    Hasselmans Torg 12, Sickla, Nacka/Sickla
    Urban Deli Sveavägen
    Sveavägen 44, City/Norrmalm
    Urban Deli Hagastaden
    Hagaesplanaden 4, Solna
  • Urban Deli Nytorget
    urbandeli.se
    Urban Deli Sickla
    urbandeli.org/sickla
    Urban Deli Sveavägen
    urbandeli.se/sveavagen
    Urban Deli Hagastaden
    urbandeli.se
    •
    Urban Deli Nytorget
    08-425 500 30
    Urban Deli Sickla
    08-425 500 40
    Urban Deli Sveavägen
    08-425 500 20
    Urban Deli Hagastaden
    08-425 500 50
  • Urban Deli Nytorget Urban Deli Sickla Urban Deli Sveavägen Urban Deli Hagastaden

The Blue Oyster

Award-winning

From Wednesday to Saturday, the party atmosphere's at its peak in Hornstull. The Blue Oyster hosts drag bingo, drag queens, and DJs. There's no doubt about the bar's popularity – in 2022, The Blue Oyster was named the “best place of the year” by QX.

Spisa hos Helena

Website

Neighbourhood restaurant with a mixed crowd

A popular neighbourhood restaurant on Kungsholmen which is just as popular among the gay crowd. Spisa hos Helena serves a selection of Swedish and European food for lunch and dinner. Lots of people come for the lunch and relaxed atmosphere.

Clubs

SLM Stockholm

Website

Fetish-friendly nightclub

Leather, rubber, uniforms, skinhead or sports gear - SLM on Mariatorget is the gay club for men with fetishes. They arrange pub evenings, club nights and fetish evenings.

Patricia

Website

Legendary Sunday night club on the water

Sundays at Patricia draw in a huge gay crowd during the summer months, when the boat transforms into a floating gay club with a disco, bar and slightly lower prices than usual in the restaurant. The party goes on until 5am.

Hera

Website

For lesbians, by lesbians

Once a month, Hera puts on a club for all lesbian and queer women over 21 years old. Various DJs play during the evening and there are often surprises. All the security and bar staff who work on the club nights are female or non-binary. Bigger, better and even more lesbian - as they put it themselves.

Club Backdoor

Website

"The best gay club north of Ibiza"

According to the club organisers themselves, this is the "best gay club north of Ibiza" and if that sounds attractive just get yourself along to Tolv Stockholm at the weekend. They play everything from pop and 90s hits to hiphop, R&B and techno, and guest DJs and drag queens make regular appearances. 

Trädgården

Website

Summer club with open attitude

This popular summer club in Skanstull has drawn in the city's club kids who appreciate late-night parties and great DJs and they've hosted several Pride festivals. Even if it's not a purely gay club, the atmosphere is guaranteed gay-friendly.

Cafés

Chokladkoppen

Website

Popular gaycafé in the middle of Stortorget

In the middle of Stortorget in the Old Town you'll find this big-hearted café with a warm and welcoming living room feel. If you're hungry for something substantial they serve a soup of the day and fresh sandwiches made to order. In the summer you can sit outside in one of the best people-watching spots in the Old Town.

LGBTQ+ guide – About the guide

The guide to great LGBTQ+ hangouts in Stockholm is updated regularly. Please let us know if you know of any really good gay joint we ought to add to our guide, or if you spot any errors. Have you visited any of the places mentioned in the guide? Don't forget to write a review on Thatsup.

Send suggestion

Did we miss something in this guide?

At Thatsup, we have extensive experience of guiding our readers to a city’s hidden gems. Since 2008, our editors have been writing insightful guides covering restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, and hairdressers, among other things. Our guides consist of carefully selected tips based on our local knowledge and are regularly updated with the help of our focus group, where we collectively discuss selections and content. We are constantly working to inspire and provide you with the best possible experience, no matter where you are or what you are looking for.

Writer