Restaurang Varvet

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A boatyard, an island, and a serious kitchen

Restaurang Varvet sits on Högmarsö in Roslagen, Stockholm's northern archipelago, reached by a paid ferry crossing or private boat. The building is a former workshop, and the setting – right by the dock – is unmistakably industrial. Tomas and Klara Diederichsen opened Varvet in 2017, and the way they describe it says everything: "a neighbourhood restaurant that came along on holiday" rather than a typical archipelago restaurant. That distinction matters, and it shows on the plate.

Tomas Diederichsen, named Årets Kock (Chef of the Year) in 2011, runs the kitchen while Klara leads the wine work as sommelier. The fifteen or so tables inside are almost always fully booked, and the outdoor terrace waiting list tightens the moment the sun appears.

Food that refuses to stay in its lane

The menu draws on Swedish classics – char, crab, shrimp – but balances them with Central- and Southern-European and Asian influences. A crisp-fried veal schnitzel dressed with Caesar salad and lemon sits comfortably alongside a modern caprese and a tuna tartare with sweet-sour hot tomato salad. Desserts are consistently described as both delicate and generously sized, which is reason enough not to rush through the earlier courses.

The White Guide, which awarded Varvet its Fine level recognition in 2026, notes that the wine commitment stands out above all, with service that is solution-oriented even under the high demand the restaurant consistently faces.

More than dinner

Varvet's summer calendar mixes wine tastings, oyster-and-crab days, pizza nights and live concerts into the regular rhythm of lunch and dinner service. The result is an atmosphere that feels genuinely lively rather than staged. On weekdays the energy matches weekends – intentionally so. Midsummer traditionally opens the season with a hamburger night, and the full summer programme runs through August.

Getting here requires a little planning – follow road 276 from Åkersberga or Norrtälje, turn onto road 278 toward Furusund, and follow the signs to Högmarsö ferry. The effort is clearly worth it: the tables fill regardless.