An outstanding lunch at The World’s No 35 – with the staff creating a memorable experience: Restaurant Frantzén (14. June 2025)
The Frantzén has been on my ‘to visit list’ for a longer period of time, and somehow I never managed to do so. However, given I hadn’t travelled in a while, I figured that this summer would be a good option to try a few more of The World’s 50 Best, and since the Frantzén isn’t too far from Switzerland, I figured, I should give the No. 35 of the World a try – so, I was excited to stand in front of the place and finally get to enter.
It’s quite appealing because the entrance is simple and nice, and then you’re led through a corridor to an elevator …
… which brings you to “the Restaurant” …
… into an upstairs area, which is quite lovely in terms of interior design and somehow reminded me of my visit to Fäviken Magasinet back in May 2019 where you equally started your dining experience in the communal area.
There is one “tasting menu” (4’800 SEK), so, there isn’t much of a choice really, and you get what you get (you may say if you’re vegetarian, though) and the whole experience starts with five bites upstairs, being kicked-off by the “choux de Bourgogne”, which was a nice and flavourful cheese ball.
Then, it was time for a “tartlet, crustacean, egg yolk & jalapeño”, which was a nice flavor and texture combination, which would really light your mouth up and create happy feelings on your palate – truly a way to get started.
Then it was time for “råraka”. Now, if you ask me what råraka is, I cannot really tell you, but what I can tell you, is that it was absolutely tasty.
Then it was time for “macaron, foie gras, rum raisin & banana”, which was not your typical macaron, but damn, let me tell you, it was a macaron absolutely to my liking since it had that creaminess of the foie and was superbly savory.
Last but not least, they would serve a small “puff pastry, ricotta, pistachio & white asparagus”, which was a good ending to the amuse bouches, since it was light and really making you ready for more.
Then, you would be led to the counter …
… where they would guide you through the ingredients, which would be used throughout the lunch, which I always find quite lovely.
On your way down, you would be stopped very briefly by a poster of the drawings of his first menu ever, which I found quite inspiring. Especially considering that – back then in 2008 – it was a 17 course menu!
Then you’re brought downstairs where you would be seated at the table, which is surrounding the kitchen. Basically, all diners would be seated around the kitchen and get to watch the chefs prepare your food in the center and often …
… finished right in front of you.
The first course was a “crudo, hamachi, ‘barigoule’, heart of palm, coriander”, which was lovely since the hamachi tatar at the bottom had a superb richness, and so did the hamachi sashimi slices – together with the finish, the flavor profile was outstanding.
Next in line was the “langoustine, nishiki rice, swarnadwipa & harissa”, which was to be eaten by hand and to be dipped in the sauce. What I really liked was the fried rice attached to the langoustine because it would provide it with some texture, which was quite lovely. And together with the sauce, the bite was lovely.
Usually, I’m not too big a fan of cod since I find it often prepared in a very boring way, but today, the “cod, mussels, saffron & pine shoots” was actually delicious. Especially the sauce in which it was served was something to drink just like that.
Lagrima peas are one of the most delicious things ever, and I was so happy when the “chawanmushi, teardrop peas, Parmesan, Frantzén selection caviar” was served because the combination of Japanese egg custard with the teardrop peas, which are so aromatic, and the salty caviar on top was really a pleasant and enjoyable combination, which I celebrated quite a bit.
Then it was time for the “king crab, ‘aux morilles’, togarashi, ramson and vin jaune” and I must say that the king crab was great and so was the buttery sauce, but personally, I found the stuffed morel only limitedly appealing.
Then it was time for a very special and specific dish, prepared right in front of you again …
… which was the “French toast, maitake, double marinated beef & Japanese mustard”. Another bite you’d eat with your hands, and I must say that the maitake mushrooms really add to the dish and I found them even more appealing than the meat to top it off, and personally, that doesn’t happen often.
As the last truly savory dish, the “quali ‘bbq’, onion, liquorice, almond” was served. This dish is on their menu since the very beginning and they are truly proud to serve it. I must say that I truly enjoyed the flavor combination, but the texture of the quail wasn’t necessarily what I’d really celebrate.
The sauce of the quali dish, though, was absolutely exquisite. And if you took a bit of that bread, which was served with it, with a bit of that salted butter, then you would really have bites of heaven, sin, and pleasure.
Then it was time to move to the sweets – starting with the “verbeina, ginger, lemongrass”, which was a nice and refreshing way to cleanse your palate before the wider selection of sweets.
While I am conceptually not too big a fan of rhubarb, I must say that I actually enjoyed the “rhubarb, batak pepper, wild strawberries, tomato & saké” dish quite a lot. The smoothness of the rhubarb and the sweetness of the wild strawberries were a great combination – truly enjoyable.
Something I have never experienced before was the fact that you would get a full set of all the wine bottles you’ve tried right in front of you before you were to leave the kitchen. Frankly, that was superbly nice.
Besides the tasty dishes and the interesting experience to watch the chefs prepare your food, the whole experience is also super memorable because the staff manages to have the absolutely perfect balance between being professional and doing an outstanding job, and finding that level of joviality, which makes you laugh, but in a pleasant way without being too much.
Once the sweets are over, you’re brought up again to the initial room, and are served a set of friandises, which were superbly interesting because non of these were what they pretended to be. I mean, black garlic friandises? Who has ever tried that – I definitely hadn’t!
And with these friandises you get a bunch of Madeleines, which are not as sweet as you usually get them, but are rather aromatic – so, the whole friandises game is rather on the interesting and surprising side than on the sweet side, but it is definitely something unique you should absolutely try.
So, in a nutshell, the 3 Michelin Stars are very well deserved, and I get why this place is among The World’s 50 Best – it’s a great and absolutely unique experience. All the dishes are marvelous, the ambience is amazing, the staff does a superb job and really makes you feel welcome here.
So, if you have a chance to ever book a table here, do it. It’s worth the money from an experience perspective!
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Frantzén
Klara Norra kyrkogata 26
111 22 Stockholm (SE)
Tel.: +46 8 20 85 80
E-Mail: reservation@restaurantfrantzen.com
Homepage: http://restaurantfrantzen.com
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
