Part of Djurgården since 1874
A villa since 1874. A restaurant since 1897.
The story of Villa Godthem begins in 1874, at a time when Djurgården was emerging as the obvious place for Stockholmers to seek out pleasure, culture and recreation.
That was the year the distinctive merchant's villa was built as a private residence for the celebrated opera singer Carl Johan Uddman. Set among the greenery of Djurgården and beside the Djurgårdsbrunn canal, the villa became part of the setting that still makes this place so special.
From “walked home” to Godthem
Behind the name lies a story that has been passed down through generations.
As the story goes, Uddman had one evening done something most unusual for him – walked the whole way home from the Opera. When he finally stepped through the door, he is said to have exclaimed, exhausted:
“I have WALKED home!”
The expression stuck, and the villa was given the name Godthem.
A new chapter begins
With the Stockholm Exhibition of 1897, Villa Godthem took the step from private residence to restaurant.
During the exhibition, Djurgården filled with people, restaurants, pavilions and new experiences, and Villa Godthem became part of the restaurant life that grew up around the area.
Ever since, the doors have stood open to generations of Stockholmers and visitors from all over the world.
A restaurant for generations
For more than a century, people have gathered around the tables at Villa Godthem.
Business lunches have been settled here, families have come together, birthdays have been celebrated and first dinners have been followed by new visits year after year.
All the while, the classic Swedish restaurant kitchen has remained a natural part of the house. Traditions have been kept, menus have changed with the seasons, and new generations of chefs and guests have left their mark.
It is precisely this meeting between the house, the food and the people that has shaped Villa Godthem into the place it is today.
Godthem today
More than 150 years after the villa was built, the setting is still just as much a part of the experience.
The greenery of Djurgården outside the windows. The Djurgårdsbrunn canal alongside. The historic salons, the open fire and the garden that comes to life during the warmer months of the year.
Today, guests come here for a long lunch after a walk around Djurgården, Swedish classics for dinner, afternoon tea, holidays and celebrations – just as generations have done before them.
Stockholm has changed and Djurgården has evolved.
Villa Godthem remains.
A villa since 1874. A restaurant since 1897.
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