Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden
Parkside Pétanque Culture
Boulebar Rålambshov is a pétanque bar and outdoor social venue in Stockholm's Kungsholmen park, best visited on a long summer evening when the waterside setting justifies the trip. It is not a destination for ingredient-driven dining — for that, book AIRA or Adam / Albin instead. Come here for a relaxed group occasion that feels distinctly Stockholm without the fine-dining price tag.
Yes — if outdoor leisure, a waterside setting, and a relaxed Swedish summer atmosphere are what you're after. Boulebar Rålambshov sits at Smedsuddsvägen 2 in the Rålambshovsparken area of Kungsholmen, one of Stockholm's most photogenic park-adjacent spots along the water. It is not a white-tablecloth restaurant. It is a pétanque bar and social venue where the setting does most of the work, and on the right day — a long Scandinavian summer evening with the light stretching past 9 PM , it earns its place on any Stockholm itinerary.
Visually, the appeal is immediate: open-air courts, water views, and the kind of unhurried Nordic park energy that Stockholm does better than almost any other European capital. The venue is built around pétanque (boules), which means the experience is participatory by design. You are not just eating and drinking , you are playing, which makes it a strong pick for groups looking for something looser than a tasting menu dinner but more intentional than a standard bar crawl. For a date or a celebratory evening that does not involve formal dining, this format works well.
On the food and drink side, the Boulebar group has a track record across Sweden of pairing casual French-influenced bar snacks and drinks with the pétanque format. The sourcing philosophy across Boulebar venues leans toward accessible, crowd-friendly options rather than ingredient-driven fine dining , so manage expectations accordingly. This is not where you come if provenance and produce are the point. If you want ingredient sourcing to anchor your special occasion, Stockholm has stronger options: AIRA and Adam / Albin both put sourcing at the centre of what they charge for. But for an evening where the occasion is the setting and the activity, Boulebar Rålambshov delivers.
Timing matters more here than at almost any Stockholm venue. Come in summer , June through August , when the park is alive and the light makes the waterside setting worth experiencing. A weekday evening in July, arriving before 6 PM, gives you the leading chance of securing a court without long waits. Weekends in peak summer fill fast. Winter is not the format's friend: the outdoor setting loses most of its appeal when Stockholm drops below zero.
Reservations: Booking courts in advance is advisable for weekend visits in summer; walk-ins are more manageable on weekday evenings. Dress: Casual , this is a park venue, not a restaurant with a dress code. Budget: Price data is not confirmed in Pearl's records, but Boulebar venues across Sweden are generally positioned as accessible, mid-range spend. Getting there: The Kungsholmen location is reachable by bus or a short taxi from central Stockholm; the park address is walkable from Fridhemsplan T-bana station.
Against Stockholm's formal dining scene, Boulebar Rålambshov is not competing. Operakällaren, AIRA, Adam / Albin, Ekstedt, and Etoile are all €€€€ tasting-menu or fine-dining propositions where ingredient sourcing, technical cooking, and service depth justify the spend. If your special occasion needs that level, book one of those instead. Boulebar is the right answer to a different question: where do I take a group for a summer evening that feels distinctly Stockholm without requiring a reservation three months out or a four-figure bill?
Within Stockholm's broader food and bar scene, you can find our full round-ups at our Stockholm restaurants guide, our Stockholm bars guide, and our Stockholm experiences guide. For stays, see our Stockholm hotels guide.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulebar Rålambshov | Easy | — | ||
| Operakällaren | Swedish, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| AIRA | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Adam / Albin | New Nordic | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Ekstedt | Progressive Asador, Grills | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Etoile | Contemporary French, Creative | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Boulebar Rålambshov and alternatives.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
