Explore Stockholm's Coolest Pair of Streets

Both Wollmar Yxkullsgatan and Krukmakargatan have fun and unique shops that you cannot find elsewhere in the city. The best example is Papercut AB, a magazine shop on Krukmakargatan, which has an outstanding collection of magazines, from Stockholm zines to internationally famous publications – you can always find something you’ll love there. They also sell books and DVDs and Blu Rays.

Further down the same street is Fotoantikvarit, which sells vintage and rare photos and photo books. It is a real place for connoisseurs, with some books that date back as far as the 1960’s and are priced at more than 3000 euros. They will often have exhibitions that are well worth attending.

On Wollmar Yxkullsgatan, you have Lasette Antik and Design, which has design items from the turn of the 20th century and onwards. If you are looking to get your hands on some classic Scandinavian design items, then this is the ideal place to check.

If you are aiming for a new look, rather than antiques or magazines, then both of these streets have you covered, with several excellent clothes stores and some top-quality hairdressers and barbers that can give you a fresh, Stockholm trim.

Wollmar Yxkullsgatan is home to Adisgladis, a shop that focuses on selling clothes and lifestyle items, made from sustainable materials that come from reliable and environmentally friendly sources. They specialise in clothes made from recycled fibres and have a great range, as well as a very good website, which displays everything they sell.

A few doors down from Adisgladis is Modern retro, one of Stockholm’s best-loved vintage clothes stores. It is packed full of great bargains and items that span as far back as 1920. Their shops are over 200 square meters of vintage fashion heaven.

Uniforms for the Dedicated, on Krukmakargatan, is a classic Sodermalm style shop and fashion label. It is a menswear fashion label created in 2008, which, as its website notes, “stands for design-conscious minimalism in an expressive suit,” and aims to combine streetwear with elegance. The shop itself is elegance personified – it is simple and minimal with a great range of clothes.

If you are hoping for a haircut then you cannot go wrong with Honest Al’s barber. Their head barber has been cutting hair to perfection for over 20 years. For a hairdresser, rather than a barber, Dom Hairdressing has everything you could ever want, from colouring to clipping.

There are, in essence, two different types of cafe in Stockholm. You have Konditoris, which are like neighbourhood bakeries, who also sell coffee and then the newer ‘third wave’ type of coffee shops, where they can tell you about where the beans came from and why V20 filters are ‘the only way to enjoy a cup.’ These two streets have both in abundance.

In terms of konditoris, the best spots are Fabrique on Wollmar Yxkullsgatan and Naturbageriet Sattva Soder – both of which have excellent pastries and baked goods. Naturbageriet focuses on using only organic and sustainable ingredients. In terms of ‘newer’ types of coffee shops, Drop Coffee is one of the best in the whole of Stockholm – with knowledgeable baristas, a lovely atmosphere and their own roastery.

For those looking for something stronger, there are plenty of bars and pubs along the two streets. The particular standouts are Bar Hommage, the pub Loch Ness, SLM and Side Track (both excellent gay bars) as well as the Half way Inn, another charming pub.

For foodies, both of these streets can provide a place to get a fantastic meal. In between the two streets is Paradiso, a simple and elegant restaurant that serves great seafood.

Racamaca serves up wonderful small plates, ranging from artichoke soup to chorizo and nduja sausage sandwiches. Grand Gourmet is a beautiful deli, the ideal place to grab a quick bite for lunch, which you can enjoy in Jakob Mommas park on Yolmar Yxuallgatan.

Up on Krukmakargatan is Steam, a dumpling restaurant that serves Asian-inspired food. Rama, an Indian restaurant, is also there, as well as Timber, a classic neighbourhood eatery, and the beautiful French bistro Delikatessen Bistro Bar.

Both streets are very easy to access by metro with the stations Zinkensdamm being located at one end and Mariatorget at the other. If you are on a trip or just looking for something different in Stockholm, it is worth setting aside a couple of hours to explore everything these lovely streets have to offer.