In Sweden, there are a number of words that are unique to the native language. For example, the term ‘fika’ means to relax and enjoy a coffee. Though there's no American or British English equivalent, the word encapsulates that moment when you can sit back, relax and enjoy a warm drink while the world stops around you.
We could all do with more 'fika' moments. With this in mind, we've compiled the must-see cafes around the world, with options to suit all budgets.
Budget Your Trip
First and foremost, if you're wanting to do a fika pilgrimage to the 13 spots we've highlighted in this list, you'll need to consider your budgeting from the very outset. Of course, your focus is the experience itself, once you've arrived in Sweden. However, you really ought to consider the pragmatics such as flights and accommodations before you get carried away salivating over the tasty food you'll be experiencing.
Probably the best way to scout your options is to use online tools like eDreams, which offers a sophisticated search engine with lots of filters, blog posts on travel advice, and also exclusive deals and travel discounts. You can shop around and ensure that your basics, like flights to Sweden and accommodation once you arrive there, are tailored to your needs. Whether you're looking for convenience with accommodations close to your destination's city center or cost-effective flights, state-of-the-art online tools can handle it all.
Having decided on taking that fika break in Stockholm, here are some of the best spots to enjoy a coffee around the Swedish capital.
Cafe Pascal
Every great coffee shop relies on its hot beverages, but most provide a great all-around package. That’s the case at Cafe Pascal in Norrtullsgatan where the in-house bakery completes a luxury experience.
Cafe Pascal was founded by three siblings and it quickly became one of the most popular fika locations in Stockholm. In 2015, it won the city’s prestigious Gulddraken as the best cafe in the capital. Don’t miss out on the Semla, an iconic Swedish sweet delicacy. Providing a good central location and a wide range of coffee options, it’s the first stop for many fika tourists.
Konditori Genuin
Located in Pipersgatan, the Konditori Genuin provides everything that a coffee lover could wish for. Not only will you find one of the best selections of hot beverages in Stockholm, but coffee is also used to produce a range of delicious breads and pastries. Konditori Genuin offers a great location: customers can enjoy their coffee in-house, or they can head outdoors to relax in the spacious parks in neighboring Kungsholmen.
This is widely regarded as the place to be for those who are concerned about sustainable products and packaging. Konditori Genuin uses renewable energy to fire up its ovens, while many ingredients are locally sourced. As you may expect, vegan specials are provided but, whatever you choose, the coffee and the food are simply delicious.
Drop Coffee
The Drop Coffee cafe is so popular that it even comes with its own range of merchandise. Call in for a drink, and leave with a tote bag, a tasting book, or your own sustainable branded cup. Coffee is the main focus here, but there is also a range of sumptuous pastries and savory snacks. In terms of those hot drinks, all of the regular styles are here, while Drop Coffee also brews some unusual variations.
If you’re tired of your usual latte or cappuccino, why not try hazelnut coffee or a clementine caramel? For those who want to take the Drop Coffee fika experience with them wherever they go, all brands are available in packs to take away, subject to availability.
Johan & Nystrom
One of the longest-standing coffee shops in Stockholm, Johan, and Nystrom has been catering to locals and tourists since 2004. They are cited as groundbreakers due to their pioneering of Fairtrade brands, along with their desire to make Sweden become known as a premier coffee-drinking nation.
Situated in Sodermalm, this is one of the larger coffee shops in the city, but the atmosphere remains relaxed. Along with one of the biggest selections of hot drinks anywhere in Sweden, Johan & Nystrom also acts as a training facility for would-be Baristas, and those who want to enter into the wider coffee industry.
Espresso Sosta Bar
Short on time? Why not head down to the Espresso Sosta Bar in Vasastan where speed is of the essence? Here you can still enjoy a fika, but it’s all about packing in the experience in a smaller time frame.
As the name suggests, it’s all about espresso here but, while there is little in the way of drinking alternatives, customers can still enjoy a wide selection of cakes and pastries. The whole process is over in just a few minutes, but it remains one of Stockholm’s more unique coffee experiences.
Petite France
A little bit of France has arrived in Stockholm, thanks to this cafe which places an emphasis on little luxuries. Petite France has a reputation for providing the best macarons on this side of Paris, and there is a huge variety to suit all tastes.
A smaller selection of alternative cakes and pastries can be found, but it would be wrong to suggest that the emphasis is on food. Coffee also forms an important part of French cafe culture, and there are many varieties of our favorite hot beverage, freshly roasted on demand.
Located near the parks of Kungsholmen, Petite France has been officially recognized by its peers. This delightful cafe has won the coveted Gulddraken award on no fewer than three occasions, and that’s a serious endorsement of its quality.
Kaffeverket
If you hang out on social media for any length of time, you may have already come across Kaffeverket in Vasastan. Some striking interior designs include brass tables, a turquoise wooden counter, and sheepskin furnishings.
It all combines to make Kaffeverket one of the most photogenic food and drink establishments in Stockholm, and it’s a firm favorite among Instagrammers. The shop produces some mighty fine coffee too, and there are some superb cakes and pastries which help to complete the whole experience.
Kaffeverket is especially busy early in the morning when its renowned breakfasts are consumed with alacrity by locals. Later in the day, it’s less busy and this may be the perfect time to enjoy a unique fika experience in the most unusual of surroundings.
Cafe Kladdkakan
Stockholm Old Town, referred to in Swedish as Gamla Stan, is one of the best destinations for tourists. As The Culture Trip reports, there's so much to see here including the Royal Palace, the Swedish Parliament building, and a host of museums and galleries.
After a long day of sightseeing in this part of the capital, the best place to unwind 'fika style' is at the Cafe Kladdkakan at Stora Nygatan. It’s named for the classic local delicacy which is a sticky chocolate brownie, and this coffee shop aims to produce the best version in the whole of Stockholm. It’s something of a ‘must-have’, but there is much more to enjoy here.
The full range of coffees and hot beverages is supplemented by the best-selling Kladdkakan, while other recommended delicacies include cheesecakes and a range of baguettes for lunch on the go.
Mellqvist Kaffebar
This is where the locals go for their fika experience. Mellqvist Kaffebar is rated among the top coffee shops for residents of Stockholm, a city we've covered comprehensively before here at JustLuxe, but travelers should not be put off. Everyone is given the same warm welcome, irrespective of whether they are regulars or just passing through for the first time.
It is situated in Vasastan, one of the busiest areas in the capital. That location is perfect for sitting back and just watching the hustle and bustle of city life go by, while you’re joining the locals in their own fika moment.
Opened in 1996, Mellqvist Kaffebar is known as a genuine destination for coffee lovers. Yes, there are cakes and sandwiches available, but the focus is on our favorite brew, and there is a full range of all the familiar styles. Java is a specialty and the cafe is so popular that it’s open 365 days a year. So, if you fancy a festive fika, you can even pop in on Christmas Day.
As for the food experience, there may not be vegan options available, so be sure to check if that is important. It’s really all about the coffee, but Mellqvist Kaffebar won the prestigious Gulddraken award for the best overall cafe back in 2017.
Kafe Orion
Situated in Norrtullsgatan, Kafe Orion proves that size isn’t everything when it comes to fika. This is a tiny coffee shop with a smaller range of hot drinks than most, but it’s worth persevering in terms of finding a table.
The best time to visit is during the summer months when this quarter becomes pedestrianized. There will be plenty of seating at the front, so coffee drinkers can claim an outside table and watch the world rush by.
Espresso and filter coffee are the focus here and, while the range may be bigger elsewhere, the fresh beans from the Da Matteo roastery in Gothenburg are hard to beat. Customers can also buy beans to take home, for that in-house fika experience. Breakfasts and brunches are recommended and, while there may only be space for around 20 people in the colder months of the year, it’s worth being patient.
Wienercafeet
Coffee is a universal passion and many of the cafes in Stockholm pay homage to traditional shops from other parts of the world. If, however, you’re seeking something that is quintessentially Swedish, Wienercafeet is the place to come.
Situated in the main shopping district, this is a traditional Swedish coffee shop in every sense of the word. Smart-suited waiting staff set the tone as soon as you enter, and the food on display is focused on national and local delicacies.
At lunchtime, Swedish meatballs may be the dish of the day, while a quick stop for a fika means that coffee can be combined with a delicious apple strudel. As soon as you enter Wienercafeet, the display of pastries and loaves of bread takes your breath away. It has an opulent Swedish style and few, if any, can match the fika experience in terms of pure luxury.
Rosendals Trädgårdscafe
As we've covered extensively before on our site, dining experiences are about more than just food. This is something that Rosendals Trädgårdscafe understands. Lovers of nature will not want to miss out on a trip here - if you’ve never enjoyed a coffee while surrounded by tomato vines and other wild botanicals, this is your chance.
This is a garden cafe in every sense of the word, with food produced using many organic and biodynamic ingredients that are grown on-site. The setting is spectacular too with Rosendals Trädgårdscafe located on Djurgarden Island. Don’t worry, it isn’t an all-day trek requiring major planning, as the island can be reached via a footbridge.
Fine coffees are here in abundance, but it is worth a trip for a wide-ranging experience that takes you back to simpler times. In short, it’s fika as nature intended.
Fabrique
Fabrique is a small chain of coffee shops that currently has three locations across Stockholm. One of the more popular among those three options is close to the Nobel Prize Museum in Lilla Nygatan. It’s an enjoyable tourist experience, and it can easily be combined with a unique Swedish fika on the way home.
Whichever Fabrique outlet you happen to visit, you’ll find that cinnamon rolls are the signature dish here. The smell of sweet cinnamon pervades the air in every corner of the shop, and they are so hard to resist.
The coffee menu is an extensive one with all of the regular brews featured alongside a changing list of seasonal specials. Takeaway coffee is available along with those cinnamon rolls and other delicious pastries from the wood-fired bakery.
Many of us enjoy a coffee break, but few of us realize that there’s a word for that unique experience. The Swedes are experts in this brief moment of indulgence, and the term ‘fika’ may yet ease into a wider public consciousness.
The phrase can also relate to tea or any hot beverage, but it mostly relates to that coveted coffee break. It is a tricky term to translate for non-coffee lovers, but those who do like to indulge can recall that sensual moment without having to put it into words.
Across Stockholm, there are many luxurious spots where a fika can be enjoyed alone, or with friends and family. Many are close to the city’s top attractions, while others are worth seeking out in their more remote locations. All coffee shops here offer something a little different, but they all unite to embrace the concept of ‘fika’.
