by Kristian Johansson Kalzén, Sweden
Hi and welcome to Stockholm! The capital of Sweden. It’s a beautiful city with lots of good places to find gluten-free options, some more coeliac-friendly than others.
Generally speaking, finding places to eat or finding gluten-free food articles in stores is quite easy. Although the term “coeliac disease” is not so well known in Sweden, if you mention that you can’t have gluten or that you are gluten intolerant, it will be easier to understand. One difference between Sweden and other European countries is that there is no label that restaurants can get to guarantee that they are gluten-free. Fortunately, the Swedish Coeliac Youth Society (SCUF) has a gluten-free map showing places that are recommended by members of SCUF. Nevertheless, it is always up to the individual whether they choose to dine there.
If you are looking for gluten-free pastries or baked goods there are several bakeries in the central part of Stockholm that are 100% Gluten-Free.
Some of my favourite cafes and bakeries are in no particular order: “Malvas Glutenfria Hantverksbageri”, “Gullegårdens glutenfria bageri”, “Happy Ateliér”; and two that are a bit outside of central Stockholm: “Kea Bageriet” and “Green Praline”. All of these places are 100% Gluten-Free.
Malvas Glutenfria Hantverksbageri
Address: Vikingagatan 18, Stockholm.
Website: https://www.malvasglutenfriabageri.se/
IG @malvasglutenfriahantverksbageri
Opening hours: thurs-friday 10.00-17.00 Saturdays 10.00-16.00, Sun-Wed closed
The place opened in 2021 and is best known for its multitude of different breads, bread rolls, buns, and cookies. Most of their ingredients are ecological as well. At the moment of writing they are working on producing almost everything out of their small shop of no more than 25 square metres and are working on moving across the street into a local that is more than twice that size.
Gullegårdens Glutenfria bageri
Address: Brantingsgatan 33, Stockholm
Website: gullegardens.se
IG: @gullegardens_stockholm
Opening hours: Tues-fri 08.00-18.00, Saturday 09.00-16.00, Sun-Mon closed
This place is an extension of their original bakery that is only open during summer in Öland. With the owner and her children being diagnosed with coeliac disease she decided to learn how to make good gluten-free bread for her children’s sake. After more than 30 years of experimenting, she is said to have found the way. She and her husband realized that good gluten-free bread was something that most coeliacs longed for so they opened a bakery, which has had guests from all over Sweden travelling to them. They have a variety of gluten-free breads, but also different traditional cookies, pastries, and cakes as well as on some special days gluten-free croissants and pain au chocolat. But for that, you will have to keep a sharp lookout on their IG.
Happy Ateliér
Address: Hantverkargatan 47, Stockholm
Website: happyatelier.se
IG: @happy.atelier
Opening hours: mon-fri 09.00-17.30, Sat 10.00-16.00, Sundays Closed
Happy Atelier is a French bakery opened in Stockholm, making baguettes, sandwiches, buns and cookies as well as other artisan-crafted pastries. This bakery has focused on making as much as possible both gluten-free and lactose-free.
Kea Bageri
Address: Skaldevägen 59, Stockholm
Website: keabageri.se
IG: @keabageri
Opening hours: Wednesday 10.00-16.00, Thu-Fri 10.00-17.00, Saturdays 10.00-14.00.
Kea bageri was the first gluten-free bakery in Stockholm. Throughout the years, they have strived to make their bread as natural as possible. They have a wide variety of different breads, cookies and cakes but they are continually altering their assortment to keep a wide variety of different goods available. If you keep a lookout on their IG page, you may catch one of the delicious doughnuts they make during the weekend. They are also a royal supplier of gluten-free baked goods to the Swedish royal palace.
Green Praline
Address: Pepparvägen 9a, Farsta
Website: Greenpraline.se
IG: @greenpraline
Opening Hours: Mon-Tue closed, Wed-Fri 11.00-18.00, Sat 11.00-16.00, Sun 12.00-15.00.
Green Praline is a cosy gluten-free and vegan café with a special focus on chocolates. They have handmade pralines, chocolate products, homemade special tea blends and exquisite pastries. The two friends Sphinx and Michelle established this shop in 2019 and it has been going on since. During summer they also have an afternoon tea package that is possible to order “to-go” so that you can enjoy it anywhere you want, either in the shop or as a nice picnic.
If you are looking to eat something more substantial, like a dinner or more meal-related, I have explored some different restaurants that have become my favourites since they are good at adapting to a gluten-free diet. These ones are (in no particular order): “A la crêpe”, “Misshumasshu”, “Greasy spoon”, “Älskade Traditioner” and “Under kastanjen”.
A la crêpe
Address: Katarina Bangata 42, Stockholm
Website: creppan.com
IG: @alacrepestockholm
Opening Hours: Mon 16.00-22.00, Tue-Fri 16.00-23.00, Sat 13.00-23.00, Sun 13.00-22.00.
This is a small French-inspired crêpe restaurant where everything on the menu is gluten-free except 3 items that contain a non-gluten-free oat milk. They both have several delicious galettes and crêpes with inspiration from Normandie and Bretagne but with a Nordic touch.
Misshumasshu
Address: Birger Jarlspassagen
Website: misshumasshu.se
IG: @misshumasshu_sthlm
Opening Hours: Mon-Tue11-23.00, Wed-Thu 11.00-00.00, Friday 11.00-01.00, Saturday 12.00-01.00. Sunday Closed.
This is a diner and a bar mixed together. Loads of inspiration taken from Tokyo, mixing it together with Stockholm and flavours set forward by a chef duo from Sweden. They have a special menu specially prepared for coeliacs. But be sure to communicate with them regarding if you can have soy sauce or not.
Greasy spoon
Address: Several spots around town
Website: greasyspoon.se
IG: @greasyspooncafe
Opening Hours: Depends on which one
This is a place where you can order brunch and breakfast items all day. Some inspiration was taken from the British brunch, but also from a classical Swedish brunch. The items are clearly marked on the menu if you also make sure to communicate well regarding their current cross-contamination knowledge and the restaurant’s kitchen facility.
Älskade traditioner
Adress: Södermannagatan 42, Stockholm
Website: alskadetraditioner.se
IG: @alskadetraditioner
Opening Hours: mon-sunday 10.00-18.00.
If you are looking for traditional Swedish waffles in an environment inspired by the 1950s. Here you can get most of the items on the menu gluten-free. With the idea to revive the Swedish nostalgia with a modern twist, it has waffles for all occasions. Whether you want your waffles sweet or savoury, they have just the thing.
Under Kastanjen
Address: Kindstugatan 1, Stockholm
Website: underkastanjen.se
IG: @underkastanjen
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 08.00-23.00, Saturday 09.00-23.00, Sunday 09.00-21.00
Under Kastanjen is a bistro in the heart of Gamla Stan (Old Town). As the name implies, they are located underneath a big chestnut tree (kastanj). They serve lunch, dinner, fika, sandwiches and more. And they have a good knowledge regarding how to adapt their menu to fit gluten-free needs.
Thank you for reading all of my tips regarding gluten-free eating in Stockholm. Although not all of these are 100% gluten-free, they are more knowledgeable than most. Don’t forget, you still have to talk to them to make sure that it fits your specific needs.