Top Fives: North Europeans

The chill of winter means Nordic people love their rib-sticking dishes, their strong flavours and their spirits with lethal alcohol contents. But where are the top five places in London with a north European connection?

1. Baltic

A striking former coachhouse with food inspiration ranging from Scandinavia to Russia. Memorable dishes include crayfish in vodka butter and sweet, yielding herring; helping you to forget is a devilishly attractive range of vodkas.
74 Blackfriars Road SE1. Tel: 020 7928 1111. Tube: Southwark

2. Garbo's

A slightly melancholy little gaff, where a lugubrious elk watches over you as you tuck into such authentic Swedish dishes as Janssen's Temptation, a heavy, comforting dish of potatoes, anchovies and cream.
42 Crawford Street W1. Tel: 020 7262 6582. Tube: Edgware Road/Baker Street

3. Lundum's

Classy, distinctly Danish-flavoured restaurant, just right for the moneyed residents of South Ken, with classic and modern interpretations of dishes such as a lunchtime smorgasbord. Good selection of aquavits.
119 Old Brompton Road SW7. Tel: 020 7373 7774. Tube: South Kensington

4. The Aquarium

Christian Sandefeldt runs the show at this goldfish-bowl-like restaurant and brings his Swedish heritage to bear on the mainly fishorientated dishes. Beautiful terrace on to the dock for warmer days.
The Aquarium, Ivory House, St Katharine's Dock E1. Tel: 020 7480 6116. Tube: Tower Hill

5. Oslo Court

Slightly off brief here, but this bonkers restaurant, locked in the early 1970s with an hilariously retro Francophile menu and populated by a bunch of old-timers out for a raveup, is always worth a mention.
Charlbert Street, off Prince Albert Road NW8. Tel: 020 7722 8795. Tube: St John's Wood