Steffen Timm takes a tour of Stockholm’s best haunts for cigar lovers
Stockholm is regarded as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. In fact, there is something magical about it, in particularly during the early summer, when the parks and public spaces along the water are filled with locals who seem to praise every second of sunlight after a long, cold and dark winter.
Yet largely untroubled by tourists, the cherry blossom in Kungsträdgården is in full splendour and Stureplan (Stockholm’s Sloane Square, if you will) is rife with beautiful people sipping champagne on the terraces of one of the many bars and restaurants around the area.
For me, this time signifies the annual shift of the centre of my life from London, to where I won’t return before the early autumn, to Stockholm and the surrounding archipelago. Being a passionate cigar lover though, I must confess that I am fairly spoiled with London life and its great variety of members’ clubs, bars and cigar terraces. However, being one of Europe’s most distinguished culinary hotspots, Stockholm too offers many great places to indulge in a fine cigar, good drinks and great company. In the following lines, I shall explore some of the finest locations and hidden gems in Scandinavia’s self-declared capital.
Hidden between the picturesque buildings in Stockholm’s Old Town is the city’s sole cigar club, Cigarr Klubben. Located in a centuries old vault cellar, this members’ only location offers a large walk-in humidor with a great selection of vintage cigars, as well as a representable portfolio of spirits. The latter comes with a small price tag, a genuine rarity in the whole of Scandinavia.
Not a dedicated cigar place but a great location for a good smoke is the patio of the recently opened Nosh and Chow Townhouse, a stylish and fancy restaurant and bar in the heart of Östermalm, just a stone’s throw away from Stureplan. Get yourself a drink at the Garden Bar, light up a cigar and watch Östermalm’s fashionable and sleek sipping their champagne.
Another newly-opened hot-spot, named Who is Mister French?, is accommodated in the former ‘Pontus by the sea’ location on Skeppsbrokajen and is the centre of attraction for Stockholm’s younger generation. The outside lounge is a nice place to sip a chilled glass of white wine, enjoy a cigar and watch the boat traffic at Slussen.
A true hidden gem is the Lydmar Hotel’s roof terrace, which not only offers a splendid view over Stockholm whilst enjoying a good smoke, but is also one of the finest places to stay while visiting the city. The rooms are captivating with their minimalistic but expensive interior and the living-room style restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike. On top, it has a nice outside terrace, for those who cannot secure a place on the popular rooftop.
For those lucky readers who can already count themselves member of one of London’s social clubs, it is by all means worth the time to enquire whether the club upholds an affiliation with Stockholm’s finest counterpart, Sällskapet. Not only does the club captivate with its splendid interior and its 15,000 volume library, it also harbours a large cigar society which upholds regular tastings and get togethers.
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