It was just a year ago that Magnus Ek and Agneta Green opened Oaxen Krog & Slip, their twin restaurants on the island of Djurgården in the center of Stockholm. Since then both establishments have won awards for food and design: Krog is a Michelin-starred dining room, and Slip, a casual bistro (and Bib Gourmand pick, Michelin's designation for standout value). Both establishments specialize in locally sourced and seasonal Nordic cooking.
The couple's adventures in the food world began 17 years ago at Oaxen Krog, a small restaurant on the island of Oaxen in Stockholm’s archipelago. Agneta works as a waitress (and later got her sommelier certification) and Magnus ran the kitchen. They served inventive dishes using island produce and herbs, and together created a menu and an ambiance that brought guests from near and far to experience one of Sweden's most sophisticated restaurants.
The island's harsh weather, however, kept Oaxen Krog closed for much of the year, and so Magnus and Agneta decided to relocate closer to Stockholm. Their search for a site eventually led them to Gamla Djurgårdsvarvet, a crumbling shipyard on the island of Djurgården. With the help of architect Mats Fahlander, interior designer/architect Agneta Pettersson, and general contractor Einar Mattsson, they entirely rebuilt the shipyard, constructing the new on the footprint of the old—and seeing to it that the nautical spirit remains intact.
Photographs by Lindman Photography, unless noted.
Above: The Oaxen Krog and Slip is housed inside a new corrugated metal building. A 30-foot-tall wall-to-wall window faces the marina. The exterior and interior were given a shipyard appearance.
Above: The exterior is painted a bright yellow.
Above: The interior of Slip, also known as the bistro, is filled with marine references, including boats hanging from the rafters. The turquoise-bottomed Tova, a Swedish wooden craft called a plymsnäcka, was built in 1905; the single scull at the restaurant's far end dates to 1920. Pettersson detailed the space with vintage furniture, porcelain, cutlery, and accessories. The community tables are old school desks from southern Sweden; the chairs come from a theater and are fixed to the floor.
Above: The table settings are simple and informal. The bar stools date to the 1920s and were sourced from a Copenhagen restaurant. The angled wall lights are vintage Triplex lamps by Johan Petter Johnsson.
Above: At one end of the Slip, a red leather sofa, made for the dining room of a food supply company, stands against a white corrugated metal wall. Vintage Thonet bentwood chairs are matched with Roll Tables by Tom Dixon that have cast-iron bases with wheels. The hanging industrial pendant lamps are from the 1950s.
Above: The wooden stairs have a cube-like pattern and a steel railing designed by Fahlander. Photograph via Oaxen.
Above: Oaxen Krog, the more formal dining room, seats 35 and serves six- and ten-course menus paired with wines from small European ecological vineyards. All ingredients are sourced in Scandinavia and during the summer season, the kitchen staff picks wild herbs and plants on Djurgården island.
Above: The dining room walls and ceiling are covered in slatted oak panels. The built-in sofa is made of oak and leather. Local shipyard carpenters fabricated the custom tables, which are paired with 1950s chair design that's still in production by Swedish furniture maker Wigells. Socket lamps hang from fabric cords over the tables.
Above: The Club Room, located above the restaurant, offers private events and dinners—and impressive views from a balcony of Saltsjön Bay and the island of Beckholmen. The paneled walls and ceiling are painted in a linseed oil and the glass ceiling lamps are by Massimo Vignelli for Venini. The chairs are Arne Jacobsen's Grand Prix design for Fritz Hansen, first introduced in 1957.
Above: The white-and-black-tiled bathroom has an industrial feel. It's detailed with classic porcelain Belfast sinks and faucets made from exposed copper piping. The tiles are handmade by Spanish company Decorativa.
Above: Owners Magnus and Agneta also operate a hotel ship called the Prince van Orangiën. It was built in 1935 in Holland as a combination home and office for its original owner. Photograph via Oaxen.
Above: The newly renovated ship has six guest cabins and is moored off Beckholmen island, a short distance from the restaurant. For more information and reservations, go to Oaxen Krog & Slip. Photograph via Oaxen.
Check out our Stockholm City Guide for more visit-worthy places, including Restaurant Museet (which has its own Siberian tiger). Gardenista takes you to one of Stockholm's most beautiful garden shops: Zetas Trädgård.
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