Garrett Y.
Yelp
I happened upon Den Gylfene Freden my first night in Stockholm, but kept moving in search of a "better" place for dinner (I ended up at Marten Trotzig, which earned only three stars from me). But I am glad I got a chance to circle back and have a meal at the oldest restaurant in Stockholm (founded in 1722) on my last day here.
This was by far the best meal I had in Stockholm. Den Gylfene Freden offers a lunch menu, which has reduced prices over dinner (this was a reason why I had initially moved on that first night). After being seated and ordering, I was offered fresh bread and Swedish crackers (you pick out from a basket the server brings). As a starter, they offered me a small cup of soup. I tasted like lobster bisque. It was a nice way to start lunch, especially after walking around Stockholm in the cold morning. I decided to start with the pickled herring three ways. It was good! The herring also came with a side of boiled potatoes. One could probably just have this and the bread as a full meal. However, I really wanted to try the fish and shellfish stew (I've seen this dish at other restaurants), so got that for my main meal. O. M. G. The stew was amazing! I only wished it had more broth (tomato based). It was chocked full of salmon, white fish and vegetables. The broth had a perfect taste to it. The shellfish were served separately, which I thought was curious, but in the end decided it was probably to keep the flavors fresh in the stew.
The ambiance is of an old-world tavern with small wooden tables at benches along the sides of the room and small wooden chairs. Service was very good. I had sparkling water, which was complementary (surprise!). The server was very attentive but like most restaurants here in Stockholm (and Europe in general), they are "slow" to bring the check. I was fine as this gave me time to finish my water (a whole carafe was brought to me) and Instagram my photos from the morning's site-seeing.
I would definitely come back to Den Gylefene Freden, and highly recommend to all visitors to Stockholm. I would try dinner out here as well. The menu was much more extensive, and is worth checking out if you want items outside of the basic Swedish dishes (which is fine for lunch).