Restaurant of the week: "Nook"
Stockholm’s beloved "Nook" is back in Södermalm, bringing its cozy vibe, inventive three-course menus, and playful flavor combinations to a moodier, modern space.
Defined as a small and cozy enclosed space, that was indeed the spirit of the original Nook, which opened in 2014 on Stockholm’s Åsögatan and quickly gained a loyal following. Its appeal lay in its reasonably priced three-course menus, Asian-inspired fusion cuisine, and excellent wine list. Nook moved to larger premises in 2022 but never quite found its footing, closing shortly thereafter. However, a new attempt opened in August on Högbergsgatan in Södermalm, retaining the original team of Alexander Bäckman and Gustaf Larsson as well as the familiar concept of two three-course menus complemented by a few snacks. The new space trades the somewhat tired white-tile aesthetic for a darker, moodier palette with exposed ducts and pipes.
Regulars of the old Nook will feel right at home at the new kitchen bar, which once again encourages the lively interaction that was a hallmark of the original. The music is equally inspired, and their playlists are even available on Spotify–perfect if you want to recreate the vibe at home. The initial menu options include a SKR 595 menu featuring pike-perch sashimi, Hubbard chicken, and a raspberry-fig leaf dessert, or a SKR 645 menu with aged beef, monkfish, and a hazelnut-plum dessert.
Nook has a penchant for layering flavors around a main ingredient–you’ll find dill, tomato, cucumber, dashi, sour cream, birch bark oil, and nasturtium with the pike-perch, while the beef comes with chanterelle, string bean, iceplant, rose vinegar, and lovage. Don’t be alarmed: The cooking is precise, the flavors well-balanced, and you might even be inspired to try a few
simplified combinations at home.