ICA Karlaplan — Supermarket in Östermalm, Stockholm

This is one branch of the ICA chain, sitting on Karlaplan in Östermalm, and what you notice first is how compact it is. The layout is easy to read, so you are not hunting down aisles for a single item, and the shop stays open until 11 pm every night, which is later than most of what surrounds it.

The reason to come is the fish and deli counter. Cured herring and crab are the things to buy here, and they are the sort of purchase that turns a quick stop on the way to or from work into something worth carrying home. The counter is the draw, not the shelves around it.

Because the shop is small, the assortment is limited. You will find what you need for a meal or a late errand, but this is not the place to assemble a full week of groceries across many categories. The staff manner is friendly and welcoming, which makes a short visit pleasant even when the shelves do not have everything.

Prices run high for what is on offer. Those are the two things to expect going in. Neither changes the fact that the counter is the reason this branch is worth knowing about in Östermalm.

Treat ICA Karlaplan as a targeted stop rather than a full shop: come for the herring or the crab, pick up the few things you need alongside it, and use the late closing to your advantage when the rest of the neighbourhood has shut.