Sweden's greatest meal: all dishes at once, eaten in strict sequence starting with pickled herring. Navigating the smörgåsbord correctly is a Swedish social skill.
About Smörgåsbord
Sweden's greatest culinary tradition — a multi-course spread in which all dishes appear simultaneously on the table: pickled herring in multiple preparations (dill, mustard, onion), gravlax, Janssons frestelse, meatballs, prinskorv sausages, Jansson's temptation, pâté, cheese, crispbread and aquavit; the art of navigating the smörgåsbord in the correct order (herring first) is a Swedish social skill.
Sweden's greatest culinary tradition: all dishes appear simultaneously — pickled herring in multiple preparations (dill, mustard, onion, matjes), gravlax, Janssons frestelse (anchovy-cream potato gratin), meatballs, prinskorv sausages, pâté, cheese and crispbread. The art of navigating the smörgåsbord in the correct order (herring first) is a Swedish social skill.
“The art of navigating the smörgåsbord in the correct order (herring first) is a Swedish social skill.”
Start with cold fish (herring, gravlax), then warm fish, then cold meat, then warm meat, then dessert. Mixing courses is not done.
What to Expect
At a Swedish smörgåsbord you return to the table multiple times — once for the herring selection, once for the gravlax and cold dishes, once for the warm dishes. Each plate is modest.
Why Try It
The smörgåsbord tells you about Swedish food culture's relationship with abundance and order — maximum variety, consumed in careful sequence.
Insider Tips
- Start with herring — this is the rule, not a suggestion.
- Julbord (Christmas smörgåsbord) is the most complete version, served November–December.
- Grand Hôtel Stockholm serves the most celebrated traditional julbord.
