Matbaren, the food bar, one of two restaurants of The Restaurant Mathias Dahlgren at the Grand Hotel Stockholm in Stockholm, Sweden has a contemporary décor, a horseshoe bar, and an exciting culinary menu that intrigued my taste buds.

Ulla Winbladh in Stockholm, Sweden is a charming antiques-filled restaurant that is housed in what was once a steam bakery built in 1897. Today, the restaurant features traditional Swedish cuisine, and is located next to the entrance of the world's oldest open-air museum, Skansen.

Another new restaurant to make its culinary debut in Stockholm, Sweden is Marcus Samuelsson's Aquavit Grill & Raw Bar, which opened in February 2008.  Head Chef Martin Brag clearly shines in this sleek, contemporary restaurant, and as the name implies, there are great Aquavit infused cocktails.

le Rouge in Stockholm, Sweden, opened in October 2007 and is about as dramatic as a restaurant can get with its curved stairway that leads into a dining room that is pure glitz and glamour in bold and sensuous reds.

West Sweden not only appeals to the eye, but to the palate as well. Setting out to fully experience West Sweden as a culinary destination, we began in Gothenburg, and then continued by visiting the restaurants in the outlying areas that participate in Vastsvensk Mersmak.

Thorskogs Slott is a grand manor house or castle that was built by Shipyard Magnate Petter Larson in 1892. Today, it is an elegant host to weddings, conferences and travelers looking for a unique destination with an impeccable restaurant.

During a stay in Göteborg, Sweden in August 2005, we found that Chef Stefan Karlsson, owner of fond excels at creating innovative cuisine.

Restaurang Trädgår’n is a stylish restaurant with contemporary décor that features a wall of windows overlooking the park and fountains, and an exquisite menu.

Råda Säteri, Chef Pär Hamberger’s restaurant that he runs with his wife Helena, is a gem set in an idyllic pastoral setting.

The Elite Plaza Hotel is Göteborg, Sweden’s first five-star hotel, and their restaurant Svea Hof has a 3-cutlery rating from Michelin.

Stockholm is a gastronomic paradise, full of exceptional restaurants, and Restaurang Leijontornet is a restaurant not to be missed.