Hantverket
Swedish Culinary Craftsmanship
The atmosphere here is unpretentious and friendly, while the food is incredibly refined and artistic without being affected.
Traditional Swedish dishes, crafted with careful handwork by Stefan Ekengren and his team, are presented with a modern twist and sometimes a touch of humor.
There is also a bar where experienced, cool bartenders mix remarkably good cocktails with great passion.
For those interested, a "Spritbordet" five-course menu is available, perfectly paired with cocktails or mocktails.
Love for Natur
A short stroll through the old Humlegården park in Östermalm sets the perfect mood for the beautiful restaurant, which is just a few steps away from the park.
Natural colors, lots of wood, and plants dominate the interior of Hantverket, seamlessly extending into a cozy courtyard garden.
The name "Hantverket," which means "The Craft," reflects the owner's love for traditional craftsmanship.
This appreciation for high-quality, nature-inspired interiors is evident, as is the love for handcrafted details in the beautiful menu, the dishes and of course, the dedication to preparing wonderful food and drinks.
Swedish classics reinterpreted
We start with a rose-colored non-alcoholic cocktail made from rooibos, vanilla, hibiscus, cranberries, and egg white.
It tastes as delicate and refreshing as it looks, not too sweet, and we don't miss the alcohol on this hot summer day at all. The bartenders definitely know their craft.
The Struva we order is an egg pastry made according to a traditional recipe, fried in thin layers in lard with a special hot iron.
Stefan Ekengren fills the Struva with whipped duck liver in port wine and tops it with finely grated Parmesan.
Equally traditional are the Hasselback potatoes, created by Leif Elisson in 1953 for the Stockholm restaurant Hasselbacken.
The chefs at Hantverket make up to forty fine cuts in each young potato, leaving a thin layer at the bottom to hold it all together.
Thoroughly brushed with butter, the potatoes are then baked in the oven. At Hantverket, they are served with vendace roe and sour cream.
The shrimp sandwich with poached egg reminds us of the smørrebrød interpretations at Copenhagen's "Selma."
At first glance, it's anything but a sandwich.
We are almost put to work, as the poached egg with spinach in a creamy hollandaise comes in a heavy bowl, and we have to conquer it by breaking through the crispy rye bread layer with a small mortar.
In every dish, from the chilled green tomato soup, the slow-cooked pork, to the homemade butter and the Änglamat dessert, the Swedish "angel food," Stefan Ekengren combines culinary art and craftsmanship, making Hantverket one of our favorite restaurants in Stockholm.
