The best northern European cities for bars get less attention than their Southern counterparts, partly because they cost more and partly because the food and wine culture of France, Spain, and Italy tends to dominate travel journalism. That is a mistake. Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo have each developed bar scenes in the past decade that stand comparison with any city in Europe. The prices are real. The quality is worth it.
Stockholm: The Nordic Leader
Stockholm has the most mature and consistently excellent bar scene in Northern Europe. The city's approach to cocktails is rigorous in a way that reflects the broader Swedish attitude to craft: if something is worth doing, it is worth doing correctly. The bars in Sodermalm and Vasastan have earned international reputations that their owners seem genuinely uninterested in, which is one of the things that makes them good.
01
Corner Club
Sodermalm
$$$
Classic Cocktails / Nordic Spirits
The benchmark Stockholm cocktail bar. The menu focuses on classic cocktail formats executed with Swedish and Nordic spirits wherever possible. The Aquavit Martini here is the definitive version of that drink. The room is small, properly dark, and decorated with the kind of restraint that costs more than it appears to. Book in advance for weekend evenings; walk-ins work Thursday before 9pm.
Order: Aquavit Martini, served ice cold with a caraway-pickled garnish
02
Pharmarium
Gamla Stan
$$$
Apothecary Bar / Historic Setting
Located in a 17th-century apothecary in Stockholm's old town, with original wooden cabinets full of tinctures, bitters, and botanical preparations. The bar program uses these ingredients seriously. Every cocktail here involves something foraged, fermented, or locally distilled. The atmosphere is unlike anywhere else in Scandinavia. Arrive at opening for the best seats.
Order: The Forest Spritz, which changes seasonally with whatever is currently being foraged locally
03
Himlen
Sodermalm
$$$
Rooftop Bar / City Views
Stockholm's best rooftop bar operates on the 26th floor of the Gothia Towers adjacent building, with 360-degree views of the city and the archipelago beyond. The drinks list is focused and well-executed. This is not a place that coasts on its views, though the views are exceptional. Go at sunset in summer when Stockholm's particular evening light makes the skyline look almost unreal.
Order: A Swedish gin and tonic, ideally with Hernö or Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple gin
The complete Stockholm bar guide
From Sodermalm cocktail bars to Gamla Stan historic venues. Our full Stockholm guide covers every neighbourhood worth drinking in.
Explore the guide
Oslo: Expensive and Worth It
Oslo is the most expensive bar city in Europe. A cocktail costs what a bottle of wine costs in Lisbon, which is a fact that stops a lot of people from visiting as a bar destination. Those people are making a mistake. The bars in Grunerlokka and the city centre operate at a level that justifies the prices. Norwegian bartenders have an extremely high floor for what constitutes an acceptable cocktail.
04
Internasjonalen
Grunerlokka
$$
Local Favourite / Beer and Wine
The most beloved bar in Oslo among actual Oslo residents, which tells you a great deal. No cocktail list, no attitude, no design concept. Beer on draft, wine by the glass, a covered outdoor terrace that runs year-round. The crowd is creative professionals from Grunerlokka who have been drinking here for years. Prices are the lowest you will find for a bar of this quality in Norway.
Order: Pilsner on draft, whichever Norwegian brewery they are currently featuring
05
Bar Boca
Majorstuen
$$$
Serious Cocktails / 1950s Aesthetic
Oslo's most respected cocktail bar has a 1950s American aesthetic that works considerably better than it sounds. The drinks list is classical with Nordic inflections. The bartenders are alumni of international competitions and approach their work with the kind of seriousness that produces genuinely excellent cocktails rather than the performance of seriousness. The Old Fashioned here is the best in Norway.
Order: Old Fashioned, made with their house-infused Norwegian whisky base and a specific local bitters
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Copenhagen: The Underrated Third
Copenhagen's bar scene lives in the shadow of its restaurant culture, which is arguably the best in the world. The bars here, though, are considerably more interesting than their reputation suggests. The neighbourhoods of Norrebro and Vesterbro have produced a generation of bars that take craft seriously without the self-importance that can afflict other Nordic cities.
06
Ruby
Gammel Kongevej
$$$
Classic Cocktails / Dark Interior
Copenhagen's best cocktail bar has been setting the standard for Danish bartending since 2007. The room is split across three floors of a townhouse, each with a different atmosphere. The classics are made with uncommon precision. The seasonal menu, which changes four times a year, consistently produces things you have not tried before and immediately want again. The staff know exactly what they are doing.
Order: Their seasonal Daiquiri variation, which reliably showcases whatever they are most excited about
07
Mikkeller Bar Viktoriagade
Vesterbro
$$
Craft Beer / 20 Rotating Taps
Denmark's most celebrated craft brewery operates this original bar in Vesterbro with 20 rotating taps, all Mikkeller and all worth drinking. The art on the walls changes with the seasonal releases. The crowd is genuinely mixed: locals who have drunk here since it opened, beer tourists who have made a pilgrimage, and Copenhagen residents who happen to live nearby and treat it as their local.
Order: Ask what is currently on cask. They always have one or two things not listed on the regular board.
08
Lidkoeb
Vesterbro
$$$
Whisky Bar / Three Floors
A converted pharmacy spread across three floors in Vesterbro with the finest whisky selection in Scandinavia. Over 400 bottles, sourced from independent bottlers with a focus on Scotch and Japanese expressions that are difficult to find elsewhere. The cocktail list runs alongside the whisky selection and holds its own. The top floor whisky library is open to anyone who wants to drink seriously in relative quiet.
Order: Ask for a single malt from an independent bottler, something without a standard retail release
Craft beer bars in Northern Europe
Our guide to the best craft beer bars across Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and beyond.
See the full list
Our Verdict: Stockholm Leads, All Three Are Worth Visiting
Stockholm produces the most consistently excellent bars across the most categories. The cocktail scene is the strongest, the rooftop bars are the most spectacular, and the neighbourhood bar culture in Sodermalm rewards extended exploration. Oslo is the choice for serious spirits and a local bar culture that remains largely undiscovered by international visitors. Copenhagen earns its trip for craft beer alone, plus a cocktail scene that punches far above what most people expect.
Budget planning note: all three cities are expensive by European standards. A cocktail in Oslo or Copenhagen costs 18 to 22 euros. Stockholm runs slightly lower at 14 to 18. Factor this into your planning and the visit will deliver significantly more than you expect.
Best bars in Oslo: the full guide
Every bar worth visiting in Oslo, across Grunerlokka, Majorstuen, and the city centre.
Read the guide
