There’s something about stepping into a bakery and smelling the dough, the sugar, the butter, the flour and all the disparate elements that go into making that one perfect pastry. Compliment that with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and life is better than good. Guilty of having a major sweet tooth, I luckily got a chance to experience that once, once again and yet again in my recent trip to Stockholm, Sweden. One of my favorite traditions to experience in Stockholm was the Swedish concept of fika. While I’m vaguely familiar with the concept of fika in New York City (Swedish Coffee Shop Fika Closes All NYC Cafes), it is a completely different thing to experience it in its original birth place. Fika roughly translates to “a coffee and cake break” but its more than just that. It is about being present in the moment, taking a pause and enjoying the small but sweet moments in life. As it is part of Swedish tradition and culture, many Swedes try to make time daily for fika with friends and family. It is a way to improve one’s well-being and productivity in the long-term. In modern times, we have a number of distractions, are constantly multi-tasking and not really present in the moment. I know I am guilty of it.
Stockholm is the capital of Scandinavian and a large city relatively speaking so the opportunity to take a break and relax with a coffee and cake (or pastry or bun – the edible food item does not matter as much!) was special and a highlight of my trip. I feel humbled that I had the means to travel to Stockholm to experience fika first hand.
The first inaugural fika moment came at Vete-Katten in the Norrmalm neighborhood of Stockholm. Jet-lagged, tired and hungry, I needed something to eat. I did a quick search on breakfast and coffee spots in the area; Vete-Katten was one of the top recommended spots and it lived up to expectations. I did some research prior to the trip but I walked into Vete-Katten not really knowing what I wanted to eat. I stared at the cakes, pastries, buns for several minutes, not knowing what was what and finally asked for some help. My Swedish reading ability was limited so I wanted some guidance on the choices and selection, the top recommendations etc. Being a huge elachi (cardamom in English) fan, I went with the Kardemummabulle which is a sweet cardamom bun and the sibling of the ever more popular Kanelbullar. The Kanelbullar is the Swedish cinnamon bun. Trust me when I say it is so different from the sugar-laden and overly sweet sticky buns (hello, Cinnabon!) we get here in the states. I complimented the bun with a oat milk cappuccino to enjoy my first fika in Stockholm. What was interesting was how delicious the bun was without being overly sweet or sugary. The cardamon flavor was powerful but not overbearing. It gave me sweet gentle reminders of masala chai with elachi (South Asian spiced milk tea) which is a part of my Punjabi heritage and identity. Cha time (“Tea Time”) in Punjabi culture also seems the same – a moment to take a break and enjoy the slower and sweeter moments of life. My extended family in India and abroad take several cha breaks throughout the day, complimented with cakes or biscuits. This includes tea and biscuit first thing in the morning to start the day. I can see some parallels with fika, can you?
With ample seating and the time to just sit back and relax, I enjoyed the fresh Kardemummabulle and my jet lagged slowly started to wear off. Vete-Katten was full of both locals and tourists enjoying their morning break with their own preferred choices of cake and beverage. One popular item is the Prinsesstårta, or Princess cake, which is a Swedish cake that consists of various layers of airy sponge cake, pastry cream, raspberry jam and a thick-domed layer of whipped cream. The cake is covered by a layer of marzipan which some people like and some people dislike. My biggest “awe” moment was just how fresh everything was from the first bite. You truly do savor every moment and in the true spirit of fika, feel like you’re taking a step back from the daily hurdles and challenges of life and just living in the moment, in the present, in the “now”. Back in the states, you don’t always find the freshest bakery items in chain bakeries, most items are not baked on premise. But here, all items are baked on premise with only the best all-natural ingredients.
Kanelbullar, or Swedish Cinnamon Bun at the Vete-Katten Bakery in Stockholm, Sweden
Another A-M-A-Z-I-N-G fika spot with only outdoor seating was Lillebrors Bageri. This was situated in proper Stockholm but in a more residential and tranquil neighborhood called Vasastan. Here I got to enjoy fika in the sun sitting outside. I saw many locals here buy fresh bread from the bakery, along with croissants, pastries and other sweet goodies. The croissants seemed quite popular; many folks ahead of me in line ordered croissants to eat. Unlike Vete-Katten, you can see the baking process firsthand as you walk in. I saw a staff member cleaning up some flour as I walked in and could see the baking operational process behind the counter. Lillebrors is probably one of the best bakeries I have ever visited. Everything was so fresh, as in straight from the oven and to my mouth LOL. Ever walk into a bakery with the desire to just want it ALL? Well, that was my experience at Lillebrors. Granted since everything is baked on premise and fresh, they do not have the wide variety of a large scale chain bakery store. But that’s the USP and charm. You have a few items and baked goods to select from but everything is 100% the best. By know, you know I am an elachi fan so I went with the Kardemummabulle yet again. I don’t find this enough in the states so I wanted to enjoy the Kardemummabulle as much as I could during my trip. This one was a bit different from the one from Vete-Katten; it was sprinkled with large bits of sugar that complimented the strong cardamon flavor. I was a happy camper and could have ordered another one but reminded myself that everything must be experienced in moderation. On my next visit, I had the summer special – a strawberry and vanilla custard based pastry. Since it was summertime in Stockholm, there was no Semla (traditional sweet cream based roll) available to enjoy this time around. It was a bummer but also a reason to come back to Stockholm and experience the city in it’s winter charm.
How can I write about fika without discussing the best options for coffee and cafes in Stockholm? There are plenty of options but I would highly recommend Espresso Sosta Bar for a great cup of strong brew. An irresistible cup of coffee roasted in Italian style. They have limited food items such as baked goods, sandwiches and gelato but the USP of this place is its coffee. I was here for the coffee. If you’re visiting the Stockholm Public Library, Sosta is a nice spot for a coffee break. It’s located a short walk from the library. A taste of Italy in Stockholm located in the <3 of Stockholm.
Part of the joy of traveling is learning about local traditions and customs and then trying to immerse yourself in them while respecting the local culture and norms. I was happy to participate in fika and definitely felt like it was a “break” from traveling and regular sightseeing. Compared to other sights and tourist activities, it is a less expensive (and tasty) way to experience a new city and culture. My fika cost about 77 Swedish Krona (SEK), or $7.60 for a cappuccino and cardamon bun. Definitely not cheap by any standard but given the quality of the food and drink, it was reasonable and also comparable to what I would pay in the NYC metro area. Also, most places in Sweden are cash-less so credit cards and Apple Pay come in handy here.
So if there’s one thing to do during your trip in Sweden, make sure its fika. Take the time to fika and break free for a moment. And don’t forget to enjoy the carbs and caffeine while you’re at. Moderation is the flavor of life and travel, too.