Pharmarium — Restaurant in Stockholm

A cozy and quite small cocktail place in the middle of the historic Gamla stan. We came there 30 minutes early but they still let us in and led us to our table, great service!

Waiter was very friendly and gave us loads of information about the drinks. The drinks I had were:

Tantris sidecar - A variation on the old classic. Not that complex of a drink but still quite tasty. Took a while to fully appreciate it, maybe it needed to become warmer? Presentation was lacking. 3,8/5 ⭐

Blueberry wind - Interesting cocktail. A bit intimidating at first with the heavy vinegar smell but tastes better than the smell. This one also took a while to fully appreciate. I like the edible component that complements the drink. Without it the vinegar would have been too overpowering. 4/5 ⭐

The reason why I gave the place 4 stars is because of the drinks, they felt underwhelming and not up to par with other cocktail places I've tried in Stockholm. Perhaps I ordered the wrong cocktails for me or maybe I wasn't in the mood for these kind of cocktails, who knows. This review however reflects the experience I had that evening. Service and everything else was flawless.

I will definitely come back and try some other ones just to see if it was just these two cocktails that...

I don't think I've ever written a review online before, but The Pharmarium compelled me to. I'm a cocktail enthusiast. I don't design much, but I can reverse engineer OK. Or at least I thought I could before I came here. The Pharmarium has a cocktail menu that is unquestionably a significant cut above anywhere else in Stockholm. The creativity and attention to detail going on here is nothing short of magnificent. "It ain’t the same ballpark, ain’t the same league, ain’t even the same f*^&!ng sport." The furnishings, low-level lighting, and under-stated music are all perfectly in character - properly comfortable, inviting, relaxing. I found the place 3 days ago and have been back every day since, and I'm going back after work today.

You have to put your money down, make no mistake, but if you look at what you get it's perfectly on-scale.

Note that I'm in it purely for the drinks and go there when I expect it to be quiet (~17-18 hours) - I've no idea what...

5/5 for excellent cocktails of the more adventurous and avant-garde "mixology" type. That's a rare treat in Stockholm, a city more known for overpriced booze, abstemiousness, and "basic" tastes in drink. The interior is stunning, as well, with the trappings of an old-time pharmacy, dark-wood mood, and little window-nooks for couples. You certainly wouldn't expect all that for a place right next to the touristy heart of Gamla Stan's most famous square. I just subtract one point for the horrific, glacial pace of service. Yes, quality takes time, but waiting 15+ minutes for every drink (even at the bar) is really pushing the limits for a patron's patience. Similarly fussy artisanal cocktail bars manage their tempo better. Maybe have a menu with some pre-mixed cocktails, simpler aperitifs, or other forms of liquid amuse-bouche to buy your bartenders...