Stockholm: a city of beauty, history and enviable architecture, perched gracefully between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. At this time of year, however, Stockholm is also, famously, quite cold. Bone-chillingly cold, no less. Fortunately, there’s some bit of warmth to be found (at least in spirit) at Frantzén, Stockholm’s three-Michelin-starred gem. A meal here might just be reason enough to face the frostbite – especially when it’s consistently ranked among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Still, not everyone is built for Scandinavian winters – Frantzén’s chef/owner Björn Frantzén included. Perhaps inspired by the desire for slightly less frost and slightly more sunshine, he has taken his signature modern European fare infused with delicate Japanese influences on somewhat of a world tour. After planting roots in the steamy streets of Singapore with Zén in 2018 – which has also gone on to claim its own three Michelin stars – the Frantzén empire has now ventured to the land of year-round summer: Dubai, with the opening of FZN by Björn Frantzén.
[See also: Casa Tua Expands to the Bright Lights of NYC]
Fitting comfortably into Atlantis The Palm, FZN by Björn Frantzén opened in early November, bringing a cool breeze of Nordic sophistication to the Middle Eastern heat. Opening alongside its more laid-back sibling, Studio Frantzén, FZN dials up the sophistication with an intimate setting (27 covers to be precise), a nine-course tasting menu and skyline views that are almost as dazzling as the food.
Chef
Unlike most chef’s origin stories, rather than cutting his teeth in the back of bistro kitchens, Frantzén was kicking around on a soccer field. After a five-year career as a professional soccer player, Frantzén traded his cleats for chef whites and sharpened his skills in some of the world’s best kitchens – including Alain Passard’s L’Arpège in Paris and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, UK.
Related
Frantzén returned to his roots in 2008, opening his namesake restaurant in Stockholm. Blending traditional Nordic flavors with French technique and Japanese influences quickly earned him Michelin stars and paved the way for more ventures. He’s been flying the Swedish flag high ever since, proving that the nation’s cuisine has a place among the world’s finest. The result? A three-Michelin-starred flagship that has firmly positioned Frantzén – and Swedish gastronomy – on the global map.
[See also: Marguita Opens Inside Zurich’s Baur au Lac]
Menu
Content from our partners
For all the fanfare of its long-awaited arrival, when it comes to the menu at FZN by Björn Frantzén, secrecy is clearly part of the allure. With its website teasing a dining experience that’s “as refined as it is unexpected,” who are we to spoil the surprise?
Fans of the flagship Stockholm restaurant should be in for a treat in its Middle Eastern counterpart as Frantzén’s is set to serve up his signature modern European cuisine with Japanese influences here, too. While the menu doesn’t give anything away, we expect to see dishes similar to his iconic French toast with grilled eel, spring onion emulsion and double marinated beef, or the deep-fried langoustine with Nishiki rice, served with a yuzu, sea buckthorn and dried pine butter emulsion –blending Nordic ingredients with delicate, umami-rich flavors.
What we do know is that the journey is every bit as indulgent as its setting: pre-dinner canapés are served in a stylish living room, followed by a nine-course tasting menu in the sleek dining room, and perhaps a nightcap on the terrace with Dubai’s skyline as your backdrop.
Of course, no fine dining experience is complete without the perfect pairing, and FZN delivers on that front too. With over 1,300 wine labels spanning boutique producers, global icons and Dubai firsts, the cellar is a sommelier’s dream. For those skipping the alcohol, the non-alcoholic pairings are just as thoughtfully curated. Whether you opt for a wine pairing, a zero-proof alternative or a mix of both, there’s no wrong choice – except not saving room for the seemingly endless servings of petit fours.
Interiors
FZN’s interiors bring a whisper of Scandinavian cool to a city known for its love of all things OTT. Sharing the same design DNA as its siblings, Frantzén and Zén, the space is a masterclass in Swedish craftsmanship and understated elegance, proving that minimalism can be just as luxurious as maximalism.
Adding to the experience is a playlist of 300 handpicked tracks personally curated by Björn Frantzén – because even the atmosphere deserves a Michelin-worthy touch. As the more intimate counterpart to Studio Frantzén, which opened a few days prior, FZN offers a sleek and sophisticated escape from Dubai’s usual glitz, without ever losing sight of the city’s flair for the extraordinary.
The tasting menu is AED 2,000 (approx. $545), with an additional wine pairing option available from AED 1,400 ($380), mixed pairing for AED 1,100 ($300) and a non-alcoholic pairing for AED 750 ($205).
FZN by Björn Frantzén, Atlantis The Palm, Crescent Road, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, restaurantfzn.com
[See also: Twin Tails Storms onto NYC Restaurant Scene]
