Kvarnen

Kvarnen has stood on Tjärhovsgatan since 1908 and describes itself as one of the oldest restaurants on Södermalm. It is a classic Stockholm beer hall, with a long dining room, a busy bar and a loyal local following, and it is as much a social institution as a restaurant. On weekday lunchtimes it feeds office workers and students, and on Friday and Saturday nights it becomes one of the liveliest places on this side of the city.

The kitchen sticks to Swedish home cooking. Hand-rolled meatballs, pickled herring, calf's liver and cream sauce are the dishes the restaurant itself names first, and the à la carte menu is served every day at lunch and in the evening. A weekday lunch menu runs from 11:00 to 15:00, and brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 to 15:30. Every Monday the restaurant offers a tasting called Smaka på Kvarnen, which is a good way to sample several classics at once. Parties of twelve or more can arrange a set menu by enquiry.

The bar is as welcoming at a Tuesday lunch as on a Friday evening, in the restaurant's words, and offers Swedish and continental beers along with a drinks list. Outdoor seating is open from 11:00 to midnight every day in season, and it fills quickly on sunny afternoons.

Kvarnen suits groups of friends, students and visitors who want a lively, informal meal with Swedish food and a beer. It opens at 11:00 on weekdays and 11:30 at weekends, and stays open until 23:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays, until midnight on Wednesdays and Thursdays and until 03:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours occasionally change for holidays and events. Late on weekend nights the atmosphere is closer to a bar than a restaurant, so come earlier in the evening if you mainly want to eat. Book through the restaurant's online system, by phone or by email at [email protected], especially for weekend evenings.

Tjärhovsgatan is a few minutes' walk from Medborgarplatsen metro station on the green line. Götgatan, with its bars and shops, is just around the corner, Fotografiska is a short walk away on the waterfront, and the Nytorget area is a little further east.