New Sturehof - a classic meeting place in Stockholm's nightlife

After six years of planning and rebuilding, in April of 2023, it was time for Sturehof to move back to Stureplan 2, the address where the restaurant was initially located in 1887. The new Sturehof consists of two restaurants on two floors, a new food market, and two outdoor terraces.

The current area of 1,900 sqm will be expanded to a total of 2,800 sqm when the restoration of the block Sturekvarteret is completed in 2026. Sturehof will be Stockholm's largest restaurant, with about 400 seats indoors and roughly 300 seats on the outdoor terrace and courtyard.

In this newsletter, you can follow along on a tour of the new Sturehof.

Enjoy!
 

Began as a German Bierstube

Sturehof was opened in the summer of 1887 as a German-style Bierstube named Malta. The name was changed to Sturehof in 1905 when hotel manager Ture Marcus took over the business. A few years later, Sturehof was taken over by his brother Ernst Marcus. Under his direction, this became one of Sweden's leading fish restaurants.

Today's version started in the early 1990s. A group of friends consisting of restaurateur P G Nilsson, the brothers Pelle and Björn Sturén, the designer Jonas Bohlin, the author Peter Kihlgård, the interior designer Jerry Hellström and the photographer Bruno Ehrs met over the tables in Stockholm's nightlife and began to make plans.

The friends wanted to modernize the classic restaurant at Stureplan and take the concept further into the future. The menu had to be updated, and so would the interior. Art and culture would become a central part of the experience.

Sturehof and art go hand in hand

Art has always been a prominent part of the interior design and experience at Sturehof. Right from the entrance, you are greeted by Petter Löfstedt's large paintings of photographed fish. Picture no. 2 from the top depicts the carp fish Tench (Tinca tinca). Further into the room are works by Anders Petersen, Dawid and other artists. On the walls, we recognize artist Ernst Billgren's hand-painted fish and shellfish. Some are new, while others have been improved after the rebuild.

Table 400 for a long lunch

Just before the turn of the millennium, a small group of freelancers, led by author Peter Kihlgård and artist Johan Pettersson, began to enjoy their Friday lunches at Sturehof. The group grew and developed into a social "after work" for those who didn't have colleagues to go out with. After a while, the regulars had their seats marked with a plaque. The plaques “Vännernas AW” (The Friend's After Work) and “Bord 400” (Table 400) have survived several chefs and are still around today.

From bank to salon

On the second floor was previously one of SEB's bank branches. After the renovation, it is now an expanded part of the restaurant that can also be booked by private parties and events. Much of the surface layer has been restored to what it looked like before the banking era.

 

Invisible technology

Upgrading the rooms with modern technology proved one of the biggest challenges. Some examples of stylish solutions are the grilles at the top of the bookshelves that hide the ventilation and act as an exhaust and the sprinklers beautifully recessed into the stucco rosettes.

Buy a book when you eat

Sturehof has always had a clear connection to music and art. In its salons, it takes another step into the world of literature. Bookshelves run along the walls with cookbooks as well as literary classics. The books are for sale and provide a cosy combination of restaurant and bookstore.

Seating for smaller guests

The “Blåmes” stool from IKEA has been beautifully decorated for the smallest guests.

The Food bar

To the right of the restaurant's main entrance, you'll find Sturehof's new food bar, which offers small and medium-sized dishes according to the season. Here, you can enjoy a glass of wine while your dish is prepared right before you. The dishes are based on what is currently offered in the food market, which is why the menu is regularly renewed.

The food bar and the food market are new parts of Sturehof. Here, large sections of the walls are clad with 25 mm thick glazed bricks. The holes are an aesthetic nod to designer Jonas Bohlin's classic tiles with a hole in them. Still, the design also contributes to effective sound dampening of the room.

The Food Market at Sturehof is just like the old days

Here, you can buy food that not only tastes good but is also of high quality, has a clear origin and is sustainably produced. The Food Market at Sturehof takes you back to a time when additives in food were unthinkable. You knew the name of your local butcher, and it was standard to buy fresh produce in season. Sturehof Food Market is also available online, and in addition to Sturehof, there are two physical stores at Garnisonen in Östermalm and in Täby Centrum.

The food becomes part of the design and adds warmth to the bare rooms.

 

Become your own chef with a bag of groceries from Sturehof

Feel free to prepare the gastronomic sensations from Sturehof yourself and enjoy them at home. The luxurious and easy-to-prepare dinner bags are available for pick-up at Sturehof Matmarknad and home delivery throughout Stockholm.

Stylish everywhere

Sturehof's premises are uncompromising in giving all rooms and spaces their consideration regarding design. Above, the stairs down to the toilets. Below the corridor from the salons on the way to the staff rooms.

 

Function becomes design

In the kitchen area, a higher sealing class is required for the light fixtures. It would be easier to install functional lights that comply with the rules. Instead, they designed their own lights (above left) that were first developed for Taverna Brillo. So now the ceilings and lights also follow the restaurant's design in the back regions, right up to the kitchen.

Project group of Sturehof
 

Jonas` fish

The logotype that you will find on the napkins was designed by Jonas Bohlin.

Welcome every day

Sturehof is open from morning to late night, 365 days a year.