Martin Bundock, originally from south London, moved to Stockholm 19 years ago and founded clothing store Beneath with Johan Wirfält.
Parallel to this, he originally brought Vice Magazine to the Nordics as well as created a number of entrepreneurial projects within music, clubs, and streetwear spanning from London to Stockholm.
These days he is a founding partner at independent communications agency A World Beneath based in Stockholm working within sport, food and drink, technology, culture, and real estate.
My favourite thing that makes me proud of Stockholm:
To see how Stockholm has grown to be much more international, diverse, and inclusive. It is not perfect but things have improved in the last 19 years. The selection of restaurants to chose from is brilliant compared to when I first visited and that’s driven for the most part by immigrants. Stockholm businesses have realised they need talent from abroad to be able to expand their companies outside of the Swedish borders, this has opened up Stockholm to even more positive influencers from immigrants and given us an even more diverse culture which has lead to many successes within the creative industries, tech, manufacturing, design, fashion, et cetera.
The weirdest thing for a Brit when coming to/living in Stockholm:
Neighbours not saying hi and avoiding you as much as possible, I used to take this personally but realised they were doing this to everyone in the block. However, since moving to a new flat in Hammarbyhöjden this isn’t so much the case anymore. We have some fantastic neighbours, some Swedes who love to chat but many from the UK too.
My favourite weekend routine:
My favourite routine at the weekend is to grab a quick black coffee and then to go for an early mountain bike. I’m new to the world of mountain biking, I’ve only had a bike the last year or so, it’s a constantly humbling experience (falling over in the woods or just being incapable of getting over, down, or around various natural obstacles). I like meeting up at Hästhagen to meet my friend Richard Prime for some English banter and some cross-country mountain biking down various trails in Nacka nature reserve. Every time we go out he always has a new route, which I can never recall myself, as I’m usually very present so as not to pitch myself over the handlebars. If time allows, and they are open, I will pop past the cafe at Mountainbikeskolan for another coffee and clean the bike.
My favourite nature experience:
Erstaviksbadet! Up to last summer I never knew this place existed, a fantastic beach, and a beautiful nature reserve right next to Nacka nature reserve, nothing like an early morning mountain bike ride out to a deserted beach for a coffee, swim and a ride home. I also recently discovered Marvikarna out near Marifred, which was perfect for hiking and berry/mushroom picking, for it was an unexpected pleasure to find such a picturesque spot so close to our house we had missed.
My favourite place for a creative or business meeting:
I have three places depending on the location of the meeting & weather. When I am in the city I take my meetings at United Spaces on Torsgatan which is in a historic building by Ferdinand Boberg. Then we just created a new office in a fantastic building from 1897 at Mosebacketorg 4. However, if the sun’s shining I’ll take the coffee over to Wood Cafe in the square, great for people watching and it’s picturesque.
My favourite place for dining out:
I do love to go to Tjoget, there is nowhere with the same atmosphere in town. Add great food and the best cocktails and you have an obvious smash hit! The last year I have needed some comfort as I miss Berlin and my friends there, so Liebling has become a familiar classic. I always the same meal: a Mikkeller Limbo Riesling to drink with Schnitzel and fries. If I need a quick lunch I always grab a takeaway from Pita on Götgatan. If I’ve time to sit down I’ll easily take a dosa at Indian Street Food at Ringen.
Post covid we look forward to trying out some of the new or nearly new places we missed out on that are over our side of town like Pangpang Brewery in Hökarängen, Bageriet Bak in Gubbängen, and Il porto dal storko in Gustavsberg.
My favourite breakfast place:
I don’t eat breakfast during the week, so it is hard to recommend anything. But a perfect weekend breakfast would have to be at my house at Kalkudden with the family. Plenty of time to serve newly ground, black coffee from an Aeropress, some bread from Annas Bakery with which I would make BlueBerry Ricotta Toast from All the stuff we cooked by Fredrik Bille Brahe.
My favourite city escape:
Our city escapes are becoming more and more sporty as the kids get older. In the summer we escape to Marifred, however this summer we also spent a week exploring the bike trails of Rörbäcksnäs and Sälen as well as the newly built Bike Park Trail in Lindvallen. We also love to head up to Järsvö to bike but also to ski with the kids in the winter. It’s always a must to stop past Järvsjö Lanthandel for dinner or lunch. If we have plenty of time on our hands, then the best city escape is a skiing week in Ramundberget. An authentic Swedish winter experience, plenty of snow, and great food!
My favourite cultural spot:
I have a soft spot for old houses, as a child, my parents would take me to visit National Trust properties in the UK such as Batemans (Rudyard Kipling’s house). So for me two houses I also have a soft spot for in Sweden specifically in Dalarna, have to be Carl Larsson-gården, Sunborn & Zorngården, Mora. We have family in Mora so I always make sure to visit the grounds of the house even in winter and have a coffee in Cafe Zorn and just look at the building. This summer I did find a new and unexpected favourite museum: Sörmlands Museum in Nyköping. A museum telling the stories of people from Sörmland through their unique possessions connected with me. They also had a ceramic exhibition, collection of paper theatres, history of mopeds/bikes in Sörmland which was well-curated and presented.
My favourite space for great design:
Esteriör is my favourite store selling a great mix of vintage as well as modern design items. If it’s art I am after, if I have a spare spot on the wall then I would always go to Steinsland Berliner.
My favourite local entrepreneur or creative I want to promote:
I feel I should give some credit to the other English immigrants I have met throughout the years in Stockholm who excel at what they are doing and have certainly inspired me in various ways! Some of them are chef and author Billy White, artist and graphic designer Harry Woodrow, Another Tomorrow founder Joe Coppard, Richard Prime at Buster & Punch, Stephanie Darvill, co-founder & COO at Aline, Aaron Coleman at Hawaii Poke, Rico and Thomas Flinn.
My favourite hotel for a staycation:
Early summer, I was lucky enough to be invited to Fiskebäckskil on the west coast, I had never been before but it was a beautiful, seaside village. We stayed at Brygghuset’s hotel, and experienced a sauna and swim in the sea, I’d go there again at the drop of a hat.
My favourite route for a run or walk:
I don’t want to keep mentioning Nacka nature reserve, but I feel I have to, it has so much to offer in terms of trails for running, mountain biking and hiking. I always keep discovering new places as I enter it from various places along Line 17 (the green line on the subway) and then progress towards Alta and move beyond into other nature reserves. I plan to explore Sörmlandsleden out towards Lida nature reserve hopefully before the snow comes.
My favourite example of tech innovation in Stockholm:
I’m impressed by Innocent Mugenga & his co-founder’s company Aline. I love the idea of constantly learning and being able to validate that knowledge. It’s something I can relate to throughout my career, how to validate all those seemingly small learnings, lessons, teachings into an overall goal.
My favourite local media:
I would like to give some credit to some Instagram accounts that inspire, inform or keep me entertained. Parisa Amiri, Dopest, Tramfrans, Badass Food Stories, Niki Sjölund, Mr Bricks, STHLM SIGNS, and Restaurant Garba.
My favourite thing at home:
Our kitchen, where I love to entertain our guests, get my kids or their kids to try new foods, teach my children to cook meals from scratch, browse my cookbook collection and create menus for the next week!
Right now my cookbook shelf contains the likes of All the stuff we cooked by Frederik Bille Brahe, Eat Run Enjoy by Billy White, The Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer, Potions of the Caribbean by Beachbum Berry, Falastin by Sami Tamimi, One Tin Bakes by Edd Kimber, and Week in Week Out by Simon Hopkinson.
