I have been a vegan for over fourteen years, so I have been to countless vegan restaurants in that time, and I can honestly say that Maholo, in Stockholm, is one of my favourites. It stands out in so many ways. 

Established in 2015, Maholo warmly proclaims, “All our food is made with a lot of love for the environment, the animals, and for our wonderful guests.” And I’d add, it’s a wonder of plant-based eating. 

Great menu with a great vibe 

My favourite thing about the menu is its repertoire of colour and imagination. Everything looks so impressive and photogenic. I must have taken at least ten photos of every dish I ate. 

There’s an impressive variety of food and drink choices which are fresh, healthy, and exciting. From breakfast to desserts, there's something to suit your fancy. The inclusion of creative smoothie bowls shows the commitment to healthy eating at any time of the day.  

The restaurant has two sites in Stockholm, on opposite ends of the city, so that doubles the output of mouth-watering food! The atmosphere and the staff at Mahalo are welcoming and accommodating. My girlfriend and I loved every minute spent there; we visited three times over the getaway. Here’s everything we ate:

Dreamy dinners 

On our first visit, we ordered ‘Peas & Love,' a falafel dish with a cabbage salad and a tasty vegan Greek-style cheese. We split that with a juicy java bean burger, the ‘Burger Queen,’ with sweet potato fries and a chipotle mayo. 

We loved these fries so much that on our second visit we ordered the loaded version, which came with black beans, cashew parmesan and red onion; we had this with a ‘Hooked on a T**na Sandwich,’ a tasty, lemony, curried tuna alternative on toast - one of the best fish replacements I’ve tried.

Sean Barrs

Delicious desserts

The desserts did not let us down either. On our first visit, we had banana bread served with blueberry and blackberry compote and sweet cream. 

We tried the raw blueberry cheesecake the second time, and it rounded the meal off perfectly. The base was made of dates, which made it feel healthy (for a dessert!), yet it was still sweet enough to feel like a treat. 

Bountiful breakfast

We returned the next morning for breakfast and ordered a mango smoothie bowl decorated with granola and more fresh fruit, a stack of pancakes with cream and raspberry sauce, and a croissant filled with cream and covered in strawberry sauce. Breakfast was all so delicious and paired perfectly with strong black coffee. Yes, it was as good as it sounds, and the photos don’t do it justice. We ate loads but felt good afterwards. 

Sean Barrs

Final thoughts 

I wanted to try everything Mahalo had to offer (as it’s my dream restaurant). Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to try one (or two!) of everything, but we did get to try a large portion of the menu. Everything we tried was fantastic, and I highly recommend this restaurant if you’re visiting Stockholm. 

If you want to find out more about Mahalo, you can do so by visiting their website.

Stockholm was a great place to visit as a vegan, and if you’re looking for more vegan-friendly destinations here are some recommendations in Lisbon and Zurich.