Christmas dinner at Göteborg Restaurant

During the Christmas season, Göteborg Restaurant offered two options for special Christmas meals - a Mini Julbord plate and a 4-course dinner!

We treated ourselves to the 4-course dinner to celebrate the start of the holidays!

It started with a herring dish, followed by smoked salmon and apple salad. 

The main dish was Venison with beets and mashed potatoes. 

To end the delicious Christmas meal, the dessert was a gingerbread roll with pieces of meringue, lingonberry sorbet and fresh Lingonberries.

We really enjoyed the Christmas dinner and had a pretty nice experience overall. It was a kidfree dinner for us that evening, however, there were other families enjoying the meal with kids. 

We have also taken kids to lunches at Göteborg Restaurant and they've enjoyed it. There are some menu options for kids' dishes as well. 

Göteborg restaurant is a cozy restaurant  located in the neighborhood of Hammarby Sjöstad. They serve delicious Swedish food and in the winter they are open for lunch and dinner, Friday-Sunday.

Check out my previous blog on Göteborg Restaurant! 

Enjoy your holidays and...

Don't forget your snacks!

Göteborg Restaurant

Midskeppsgatan 31, 120 66 Stockholm, Sweden

Check their website for opening hours during Christmas and New Year.

Kid-Friendly Buffet Pong Henriksdal

With a variety of dishes, and a great price for the kids (price depends on their age),  Asian Buffet restaurant, Pong, is a delicious family-friendly restaurant with locations around Stockholm. 

Pong Henriksdal is close to Anders Franzens Park, and is a great lunch option after outdoor play. Check out my blog on Anders Franzens Park.  

Weekday and weekend prices and items vary but they always have great Kids food options like miso soup, rice, avocado sushi and fried chicken.

The service has been great and they are used to kids and families. Depending on how busy it is, they usually regularly refill the dishes.

In the summertime, there is even outdoor seating with great views of the boats and ferries passing in the Hammarby sjö. 

Both the grandparents and toddler have enjoyed lunches at Pong! The meal even includes softserve ice cream and fruit (for those who can eat it) plus coffee or tea.

We have also visited Pong Skrapan. Check out my previous blog on it. 

If you're in Stockholm and looking for a nice family-friendly buffet lunch, Pong is a great choice!

Happy holidays and remember don't forget your snacks!

Pong Henriksdal  

Jan Inghes Torg 42, 120 71  

Stockholm, Sweden 

Check out their website for locations and opening hours.

Skansen Christmas Market

Stockholm has a few Christmas markets and Skansen is another one of our favorites!

The Christmas Market usually runs until Dec 23rd. 

Even in chilly weather and snow, Skansen is always full of visitors! With so many things to see and eat, the Skansen Christmas Market is a fun-filled Christmas activity for old and young!

There was music at the main square stage and everyone danced around to stay warm!

Note: Strollers are OK to take around the park. The paths are stroller friendly. There is a long escalator to get you to the main park from the entrance or you can walk up another way on a longer path which passes the aquarium and rides area. 

We often bring the stroller as it helps keep the kids warm (if they're in their stroller sleeping sack) and they can sit and take a break as well. A sled also works perfectly on a snowy day! 

Christmas market vendors sell all sorts of gifts like candles, ornaments, candy, jewelry and wooly Swedish mittens. 

Warm Christmas drinks like glögg (mulled wine) and hot cocoa are available at different stands and of course Cinnamon buns & Saffron buns and warm candied nuts.

Warm and delicious waffles with jam and whip cream are also quite popular! There are a few lunch options such as Swedish meatballs, hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids. 

Skansen is a great activity for families! Parents can do some Christmas shopping and kids can visit the Children's Zoo with the other parent. However, it's mostly outdoors so make sure you bundle up on a cold day!

There are always some warm fire pits around the main square. A nice place to warm your hands but watch that the kids don't get too close.

If you plan to visit more than once, consider buying a year membership card (årskort). Seniors get a discount on their card. The yearly card can be used for discounts in the park at the restaurant and shops! Here's my previous Blog on Skansen !

Although the Christmas Market season at Skansen ends Dec 23rd, Christmas decorations stay up at the park until early January! 

Happy Holidays and remember don't forget your snacks!

Skansen

Djurgårdsslätten 49-51, 115 21 Stockholm

Check Skansen's opening hours on their site.

Free Fruit for Kids while at Grocery Store

I never really appreciated being able to go grocery shopping on my own until after I had kids! It's so relaxing to go by myself. Who knew how fast you can shop as well! Parents can be so productive and efficient when we only have a short amount of time ;) 

I remember one time, my toddler had a tantrum right at the checkout line. I was busy dealing with her and holding up the line  that the person behind me actually helped put my items on the conveyor belt for me. He had no idea how helpful and kind that was to one tired Mama!

When I need to bring kids with me to the grocery store, it's such a kind gesture to offer fruits for kids to take to eat while we are shopping. 

Coop grocery store in Stockholm, Sweden. 

It's surprising how just a banana or an apple, can keep them busy and provides them a snack so parents don't have to worry about opening something they haven't paid for yet! 

As a busy mom, who sometimes can't avoid taking at least one kid to the store with me, I am very grateful whenever I run into this at a grocery store!

Hopefully, there are some grocery stores that do this in your cities too!

However, if you haven't found any yet, it's more important to remember, don't forget your snacks! 

Happy2Bake Custom Cakes and Cupcakes

Recommended to us by another friend, Happy2Bake Custom Cakes is a great choice if you're in Stockholm and looking for a custom cake or custom cupcakes for your special occasion!

Placing an order with Happy2Bake is simple and easy. You mention the date you need your order and they even have delivery available! They were very helpful with my many questions and they sent several available unicorn designs for me to consider. This was very helpful :)

All of our cupcakes survived the taxi trip to the Trampoline Park! Check out my blog on birthday party at Jumpyard!

Recently, we ordered some cupcakes with a flower design for a birthday celebration they were beautiful and delicious. Kids wanted seconds!!

If you're in Stockholm and planning a kids or adult's birthday or any other special event, check out Happy2Bake! It's nice to support small business and indie bakers. We have been very happy with our orders and the great service!

Thank you for the delicious cupcakes Happy2bake! They were enjoyed by the big and little guests!

Don't forget your snacks!

Happy2Bake 

Stockholm, Sweden

Check out their facebook for contact info and cake photos!

Gamla Stan Stockholm Christmas Market

From small neighbourhood Christmas markets to larger city ones, there's nothing like a Christmas Market to get you ready for the Christmas season! 

In Stockholm, Christmas markets or "Julmarknader" are in full-swing all over the city. One of the nicest ones is located in Stockholm's Gamla Stan or "Old Town". It's called "Stortorgets Julmarknad"!

With it's cobblestoned streets and narrow passages, cafes and little shops, Gamla Stan or "Old Town" is already a great place to see when visiting Stockholm which makes it a great location for a market. 

Note: This part of the city with cobblestones and hills, and small cafes isn't the most stroller friendly area for parents. Bring a baby carrier instead if possible so you are free to walk around. It's also not so easy for seniors! 

If you're looking for Christmas gifts (check out my blog on Christmas gifts for teachers) or just want to browse the market stalls for a snack, visiting a Christmas market is a wonderful, festive activity with family, friends or on your own :)

There's nothing like some hot mulled wine (glögg) and treating yourself to some delicious snacks like a saffron bun or Lussekatter to warm you up on a chilly winter day especially in the snow!

Happy Holidays and remember, don't forget your snacks!

Stortorgets Julmarknad 

Stortorget 7, 111 29 Stockholm, Sweden

Check out their website for more info 

Kid Friendly pizzas at Allè Pizzeria

Most kids have all sorts of requirements when it comes to food. They might want fruit cut in certain ways or they want different items separated into different bowls, or to eat only from their favorite colored bowl! 

Planning dinner, preparing it and then the guessing game of 'will they or won't they eat it' is popular in many households. Picky eaters won't stay Picky eaters though (I was also very much a Picky eater myself growing up).

Sometimes with the busy work and school week it's nice to take a break and order takeaway for dinner! Check out my previous blog about takeaways! 

Pizza has always been a favorite dinner option and the kids usually enjoy it! 

Pizza from Allè Pizzeria in Stockholm, Sweden is a special treat, not only because of how delicious it is, but the kids' pizzas are made special with a smile for the kids :)

My dairy eating kid loves the cheese pizza! You can also get kids pizzas with other toppings too! For kids who can't eat dairy, they also offer pizza with Vegan cheese!!

Aside from pizza, other items on the menu of Allé Pizzeria include, burgers, chicken nuggets, kebab plates and salads among other things. There's an option for both parents and kids!

Fast, friendly service and tasty food, why not consider Allé Pizzeria if you're looking for a delicious lunch or dinner option for takeaway!

Don't forget your snacks!

Allé Pizzeria 

Stockholm, Sweden 

Delivery is available through Uber Eats.

Check out the full menu on their website!

Starbucks in Stockholm

When we lived in Gothenburg, Sweden, there was a Starbucks at the train station for a few years. It unfortunately closed down and I missed having a Starbucks in my city.

Now that we are in Stockholm, there's two Starbucks locations downtown and I can get my old favorite flavored drinks when I want. 

Weekday mornings are pretty calm at this Starbucks location. Afternoons and the weekend are busy as expected. 

Today was a Peppermint Mocha to-go, with whip cream. Maybe I'll try the toffee nut latte next!

 

Just going to a Starbucks reminds me of North America and it's probably why many tourists frequent Starbucks in Stockholm as well. You can recognize some of the items and order in English with ease.

The snacks/pastries offered is a mix of Swedish and North American. I've seen donuts, cheesecake, brownies but also Swedish cinnamon buns! 

If you're out and about in downtown Stockholm, maybe ice skating in winter (see my Ice skating blog) or shopping and looking for a café to sit in or grab a snack, you can checkout Starbucks in Stockholm city centre. 

Don't forget your snacks!

Starbucks

Hamngatan 33, 111 47 Stockholm

Ice skating at Kungsträdgården

 

It's that time of year again when Stockholm is dark by 4pm so Christmas lights and stars hang in the windows are a welcome sight brightening up the city.

There are traditional Swedish pastries, like lussekatter, fikabröd and Christmas drinks available at the cafes to enjoy. 

Christmas markets are open around the city and the ice skating rink is now set-up at Kungsträdgården!

You can rent skates or bring your own (During a weekend the lineup for rentals can be long)! The ice rink is open from 8am and when I passed by one morning there was only one person skating! 

Near the ice rink there are a couple of cafes to get snacks and Swedish mulled wine or glögg. There is also a food truck "Cafe Cruiser",  at the ice rink that sells glögg or hot cocoa and some snacks like lussekatter and donuts. 

There's a stage with some performances during the day as well.

Kungsträdgården's ice rink is one of the most beautiful places to ice skate in the city!

The ice rink isn't too big and there are some shelves to leave your regular shoes. The location is central and easy to find (it's also very close to the shopping centre Gallerian). Both kids and adults can skate here, making it great for families as well! 

If you're looking for a winter activity, why not try ice skating? 

   

It's even nice just to stroll through the city and check out the ice rink on your way to Christmas shopping or Christmas markets!

If you're in Stockholm and looking for a great family activity this winter, visit Kungsträdgården! The ice rink is open until March 3rd, 2024!

Don't forget your snacks (and your helmet, especially for the kids)!

Kungsträdgården 

Stockholm, Sweden 

Check out their website for more info

Magnus Johansson Bageri & Konditori

Offering delicious Swedish pastries, breads, seasonal treats and cakes, Magnus Johansson Bageri & Konditori is one of our favorite cafes to visit.

This neighborhood cafe bakes it's breads and buns onsite, so it's fresh and delicious. Their Swedish Cinnamon buns or Kanelbullar are too good to enjoy just one! Pair it with a coffee and you've got yourself a lovely fika (coffee break).

Morning bun and Swedish cinnamon buns!

Seasonal treats!

They always have some delicious treats for the holidays! Whether it's some gingerbread dough (pepparkaksdeg) or Saffron buns (saffransknut) for Christmas or some Halloween themed treats.

Treats for Halloween season, Christmas treats are also available! 

Cakes for Special Occasions!

If you're interested in pre-ordering a cake for a special occasion, you can either order in-store or give them a call. The staff have been very friendly and helpful whenever we've had questions.

There are usually a few different cakes for that week to choose from, with the classic Swedish Princess cake as one of the options. It's also possible to add some text to the cake if you'd like! 

We have tried one of their chocolate cakes and a cheesecake from Magnus Johansson and both were delish! 

This cafe has an upstairs seating area or you can sit at a barstool at the windows. In the Summer, they also have outdoor seating so you can get a little sun 🌞 as you start your day. 

Unfortunately, it's a small cafe and can get crowded, so strollers are not allowed inside. We usually park ours outside before we head inside. Recently, I think they've relaxed this rule as I've noticed a few strollers in the cafe.

For those with allergies or dietary preferences, there are usually some Vegan pastries or treats available as well! Feel free to also ask the staff if you have any questions.

Pro-tip, pick-up a coffee card to stamp as you go and receive a free drink!

Magnus Johansson Glass & Konfektyr is their sister shop offering delicious Gelato and various chocolates, candies and pralines. It's just down the street from the bakery.

They even have ice cream cakes available to pickup in-store!

Pick and choose various chocolates for a gift or a treat for yourself.

Chocolates make a great gift idea for teachers as well.

Whether you're sitting at the cafe for a coffee or just picking up something sweet to enjoy later, you will not be disappointed! 

Don't forget your snacks!

Magnus Johansson Bageri & Konditori

Lugnets Allé 7, 120 65 Stockholm, Sweden

Magnus Johansson Glass & Konfektyr 

Torkhusgatan 3, 120 65 Stockholm

Check out their website for online selection at both the cafe and the ice cream shop!