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SB Voices: 24 hours in Södermalm, Stockholm

Fresh from a fleeting trip to Sweden’s capital city, Annie Hayes picks out three bustling bars in Stockholm’s most creative neighbourhood that are worth splashing your cash in.

Sip on a Piña Colada in Paradiso…

Formerly a working-class neighbourhood, Södermalm is widely regarded as Stockholm’s hippest district; boasting a myriad of Scandi design stores, minimalist fashion boutiques, art galleries, eye-catching florists, delicatessens, kitsch cafes, and – of course – some great watering holes.

Leading Söder’s cocktail bar scene is Tjoget, located in the edgy Hornstull area on the western tip of the island. Tapping into the popular ‘third space’ setting, Tjoget is a three-pronged venture comprising Linje Tio, a southern European restaurant; Bisou Bisou, a Champagne bar-slash-patisserie, and old-school style barber shop Roy & Son.

Settle into a bar stool at the beautiful Linje Tio bar and whet your palate with a Bianca; a combination of vodka, white chocolate, lime, coconut syrup and thyme served in an ice-cold coupe. If you’re in the mood for something punchier, try the Salty Caramel; the blend of PF Cognac 1840, Manzanilla Sherry, amaro, rock candy syrup, walnut bitters and crystal-clear chunky ice is a dream. Impressively, the bar has its own ice programme sourced directly from icebergs.

Just one of Södermalm’s many eclectic boutiques

Tucked away in the back room of lively bar, club and restaurant Marie Laveau – a popular spot for the after-work crowd – is speakeasy gem Little Quarter. Clad in framed pictures and independent label stickers with a hip-hop soundtrack, the bar oozes cool. The station is set in the back corner, surrounded by slick shiny white tiles on which the contantly-rotating cocktail menu is scrawled, lit up by an off-white neon sign.

You’ll find your favourite classics, from Americanos to Sours, with a rebellious twist. Grab a seat if you can and order the Mai Tai. No one ever picks it, according to the bartender, despite the drink being a firm favourite among the talented bar team (for good reason!).

Just streets away, lit up with hot pink neon lighting, lies urban tiki treasure Paradiso. Go late – the place is lively, the music is loud and the cocktails are excellent. Their Piña Colada (made with white rum, pineapple, lime, coconut, ‘love’ and ‘respect’, as per the menu) was everything that a Piña Colada ought to be: refreshing with a perfect balance of creaminess and tanginess, served in a glass pineapple and garnished with bright green plastic palm tree stirrer.

Drinks in the city tend to be on the expensive side, so you might find yourself paying between 130 and 180kr for what can be, at times, sub-average cocktails. However for the most part the quality is there – making Stockholm’s burgeoning cocktail scene one to watch.

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