Westminster, Scandinavian Restaurant Guide

“Mesmerising (even hypnotic) food and the live-fire kitchen meant I didn’t notice anything much that was going on around me!” – Stockholm star-chef Niklas Ekstedt’s dining room in Westminster’s Hyatt hotel captivates many diners with its theatrical Scandi flourishes. His “enthusiastic team” delivers “engaging explanations of each dish” and creates a “very interesting menu” that can be “absolutely fabulous”. Even those who say the food is “very good” however, can still feel it is “very overpriced”.

Down a cute Covent Garden alley, this tiny Scandi café with a handful of seats outside in summer is sweet in more ways than one: “the renowned Princess Tarta is criminally delicious and can be personalised to order… 100% authentic too!”

“Excellent smørrebrød” (open sandwiches) are on display at this Fitzrovia café, “but a lot of people go for the Swedish meatballs” – “this is where I head when homesick”, says an expat reporter. “There also is a little shop downstairs selling Scandi goodies”.

A headline act in Harrods’ pitch to be a gastronomic destination – this Nordic two-year-old is overseen from afar by a three-Michelin-star chef from Stockholm and occupies a striking, purpose-built, double-height space on the fifth floor. All reports agree its wide-ranging menu provides a “terrific blend of Scandinavian and Asian food” and the extensive array of wine-coolers at the edge of the room showcase a heavyweight wine selection. One or two reporters find the lower dining space “a bit moribund”, but you can always head upstairs to the “lovely rooftop, with terrace” (which is covered and heated even in the winter months).

“Opened in late 2023 in the trendy new cultural quarter around Finsbury Park tube”, this indie caff is hailed by early fans as “a fantastic addition to the area thanks to its wide choice of breakfast/brunch and lunch dishes”, plus “tasty” coffee and other brews. “The interior has a restrained Scandi-style aesthetic, but don’t think IKEA! We’re talking more upmarket”. Top Menu Tip – “divine chocolate brownies”.