Stockholm Dining: Gastrologik

Built on 14 major islands, Stockholm is an exceptionally attractive city at the juncture of Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city’s Old Town is a maze of narrow medieval streets and baroque palaces, while elsewhere, the architecture ranges from the 18th-century Royal Palace to the Rafael Moneo-designed Museum of Modern Art.

Djurgården, the “Royal Game Park,” is a leafy oasis. Stureplan and Kungsgatan are Stockholm’s main entertainment districts — home to many of its dozens of theaters and performance venues — and Södermalm Island, south of the city center, is a hotbed of fashion. Stockholm’s restaurants have been leaders in the global “fresh and local” food revolution.

While Mathias Dahlgren remains Stockholm’s culinary star, a younger generation of chefs is now emerging. The best place to experience their work is at recently opened Gastrologik, in the city’s Ostermalm district. This is the creation of Anton Bjuhr, a baker, and Jacob Holmström, formerly executive chef at the two Michelin-starred Dahlgren restaurants in Stockholm.

The daily tasting menu is a suite of surprises. What is consistent, however, is the use of local seasonal produce, and this is seen in dishes such as oysters with fermented cucumber, and braised oxtail with beer gelée and dried beetroot. Odd as these may sound, they’re delicious, which is why reservations are required well in advance.

Gastrologik, Artillerigatan 14. Tel. 662-30-60. Three-course tasting menu, US$115; six courses, US$160. Read Mr. Harper's review of Ett Hem, a new boutique hotel in Stockholm, in the December 2012 Hideaway Report.

All images © Gastrologik