Den Gyldene Freden, Stockholm

Every child in Sweden knows about Den Gyldene Freden, the cozy old restaurant in Stockholm, which opened in 1722. Its name, which means the golden peace, appears in many poems and songs—hardly a surprise, because the restaurant has always been a gathering spot for Swedish authors, musicians, and artists. This is one of the best places on Earth to learn about traditional Scandinavian cooking; the dishes respect old-fashioned Swedish tastes but aren't heavy or bland: meatballs with lingonberries, pickled cucumbers, and creamy potato puree; veal tartar topped with shavings of black truffle grown on the Baltic island of Gotland; cheesecake with vanilla ice cream and cloudberries. When you're dining in one of the many gracefully decorated rooms, seated at a table covered in unbleached linen and lit with the glow of candles, it could be the 1700s all over again. —Charlotte Jenkinson, Stockholm, Sweden