On my first night back in Stockholm with friends, I really wanted them to try the traditional meatball dish. Only problem? One of us is celiac, one of us is lactose intolerant, and one of us is vegetarian.
In my 24 hours in Stockholm during Spring, Summer or Autumn: My Scenic Itinerary for when the Weather is Good I cover popular traditional spots such as Nytortget 6 or Pelikan. But these places were unlikely to cover all out dietary restrictions whilst still delivering on the promise of traditional swedish meatballs.
So we headed to the popular place in Sƶdermalm: Meatballs for the People.
Now, if you have read a bit about Stockholm, this restaurant might have popped up once or twice. It is definitely a popular tourist spot: I can’t imagine Swedes waiting so long for meatballs they surely can have many other places. However, as mentioned, this place did have some appeal to us as a group with dietary restrictions, so here is my honest review:
In short: for bigger groups, this place is definitely worth it. For a small party of two or three without any special type of restrictions, I don’t think the wait is worth it.
Let’s dive into the reasons!
When we arrived, we had to wait around 40 minutes. They have tables outside to do so, which is very much appreciated, plus you could order your drinks directly to the table. I’d say this is a great way to make sure you’re just not waiting standing up, and whilst we ended up waiting for one hour, it did pass by rather quickly.
Keep in mind we went in July, so in winter the situation might be more tricky.
One if was our turn, we were greeting by a cozy, kind of eclectic interior which, to be honest, smelled incredible. We were greeted by a very nice Spanish waiter and got a free glass of their special cranberry juice. Vibes were overall really good.
We ordered the mixed meatballs, the vegan ones and the reindeer ones. You have the option to make everything lactose free, vegan or gluten free (most of their meatballs are already gluten free, so you don’t miss out on the taste)! The plate comes with the traditional cranberry sauce and pickle.
We waited a bit for the food, so by that time we were already quite hungry (it had been over an hour wait). The portions are generous (albeit it being a bit pricy, but it is Stockholm in the end) and the food was really tasty.
Random fact but there is only one bathroom, so I also ended up waiting around 5-10 minutes just to go, which added to the rest of the wait in the evening, was kind of funny! š
The food was really good, vibes were great, and overall it was a very good experience. However, waiting and waiting does make the evening kind of drag along, and as mentioned, this dish can be found in many other places.
But for a group that has vegans, vegetarians, celiac or lactose intolerant people, go ahead and enjoy!! āŗļø
