Two of Stockholm's Most Popular Restaurants

I have written quite a few restaurant reviews... this post is more general information than an actual review.
In my job I often recommend restaurants to visitors, but there are two restaurants that visitors seem to know about before coming to Stockholm: Gondolen and Pelikan. Besides being good restaurants, they are widely written about in various city guidebooks. I think that this is because of a combination of word-of-mouth and good PR on behalf of the restaurants themselves.

The restaurant Gondolen... perched up high!

The first one is Gondolen, a high end restaurant run by celebrity chef Erik Lallerstedt with a menu that is a nice blend of Swedish and international cuisine. The main selling point, however, is the view... the restaurant is perched 33 meters above Slussen with views over the Old Town and the harbor. What is good to note about Gondolen is, because of its popularity, that you should definitely book a table in advance. Booking a table on the same day, especially on the weekends, is almost impossible unless you get lucky with a last minute cancellation. Booking can be either done through me (if you are a hotel guest) or on their website which I have linked above. In the event that that the restaurant is fully booked, I would then recommend visiting their great cocktail bar where you can enjoy the same wonderful views. Otherwise, another good restaurant with a view is Och Himlen Därtill located just a few blocks inland from Gondolen. (EDIT: I have written an individual recommendation about Gondolen after a recent visit which you can read here).

The Pelikan

The second is Pelikan, a very different restaurant than Gondolen... this is one of the best places to try more rustic Swedish cuisine (called husmanskost) like meatballs, herring and reindeer. Located in the vibrant SoFo neighborhood on the island of Södermalm, this restaurant has more of a pub or beer hall atmosphere and is popular with locals and visitors alike. What is good to know about Pelikan is that they have a smaller room where they have bookable tables as well as a large hall (with seating for 125) that is on drop-in basis only. So, if the smaller dining-room is full, just drop by... there might be a small wait but you can enjoy a drink in the bar while waiting for your table. The SoFo area is full of restaurants, so if the wait is too long you have more to choose from. If you have your heart set on rustic Swedish cuisine then I can also recommend Blå Dörren.
All four above mentioned restaurants are located on the island of Södermalm, a 5 to 20 minute walk from the Rival Hotel... depending on the restaurant!