Gränden Ost & Deli — Specialty Store in Gamla Stan, Stockholm

Gränden Ost & Deli is an independent specialty shop on Svartmangatan in Gamla Stan, and the first thing you meet is the counter: a spread of cheeses from Swedish dairies alongside imported ones, set out so you can taste before committing.

The cheese is the reason to come. You work along the counter with the owner, who describes where each one comes from and how it is made, and you can try a newer truffle cheese before deciding. Beyond the cheese there is more than you expect on the shelves: olives and olive oil, chocolate, sardines, boquerones, jams and marmalades, vinegars, non-alcoholic sparklings and cookbooks about cheese.

The shop runs booked cheese tastings that walk you through around a dozen cheeses with background on the dairies and the making, drinks included, and generous portions, with what you cannot finish going home in doggy bags. The room itself feels old-fashioned and cozy, and the service is personal: the owner is happy to describe and let you taste, and the conversation at the counter can make a visit take a little longer than a plain errand.

Prices are fair for what the cheeses are, and tasting before you buy means you spend on what you actually liked rather than on a guess. Plan around the hours: Tuesday to Friday from 12 pm to 6 pm, Saturday 11 am to 3 pm, closed Sunday and Monday. If you want the full tasting rather than a counter sample, book ahead.

This is a shop for anyone building a cheese platter, buying a gift, or curious enough to stop in and taste their way along the counter.