Vina

 

Polarisation, extremism, cuts, you name it. With so many issues plaguing Sweden and Europe these days, it's easy to forget to enjoy the small things. And even easier to forget that we can only affect the way we think and therefore act. I guess the best way to improve the world is to improve our own world first. Some of the small rituals I love is to go for lunch by myself. Not too often (otherwise they are going to realise I'm a proper loner, at my office) but as much as I can. Two or three days a week I venture out, on my own on a quest for a peaceful lunch. Sometimes I take long walks in the hopes of discovering a good new spot. And during one of these walks I came across Vina.
Vina, a small tucked away wine bar and food heaven. The kind of place you wish you could find in Paris. For lunch they have a simple menu of just three dishes, written on a piece of paper on the wall. A soup (always vegetarian) served with a piece of cheese and bread, a salad or a pasta dish, always with coffee included, at a ridiculous good price. I usually go for the soup as it's the perfect meal for a lighter lunch.
With so many problems all over the world, a peaceful and quite lunch, in a tucked away corner of Södermalm, Stockholm might just be one of those small things I sure won't stop enjoying.

Matapoteket

A while ago a good friend of mine jokingly wondered out loud why raw food was so expensive. 'It's not even cooked', he added. Despite his cynicism, there was something to his complaint. 

Now, even though I'm a vegetarian, I've never been so much into the raw food movement. Maybe it was the prices, or the fact that I enjoy hot food, or maybe I just don't like raw stuff that much. 

But I do love food. So... I found myself at Matapoteket. 

With an open heart, and an open wallet (just kidding, the prices are actually very friendly), I ordered a couple of dishes: a falafel dish and a spring roll. 

The service was very good, as clueless as I was trying to read the menu and understand the ingredients, they were very friendly and guided me to some raw goodness. 

The food was great, and surprisingly filling. 

Everything they serve is carefully prepared using organic ingredients and following 'raw food' principles. Matapoteket was a pleasant surprise. Good food, nice calm atmosphere and good coffee. 

Now I need to convince my friend to give it a try. The food is not even cooked. 

Greasy Spoon

One of the things that you realise quickly after living in Stockholm for a while is that the food kinda tends to be same, everywhere you go. Especially for breakfast. It's either a limp cheese sandwich or an average yoghurt with granola. Which is ok, but sometimes one craves a proper breakfast. Eggs, toast, grilled veggies. In fact anything cooked would save the day or the morning, rather. 

Hence, Greasy Spoon. Owned and ran by Brits (and an American here and there), they excel at what almost no one in Stockholm does: great, filling and proper breakfast/brunch. 

Good prices, great food, nice music and English speaking workers. That's my kind of place. 

Because one can have enough limp cheese sandwiches. 

ilcaffé

I've written about ilcaffé in SOFO before. Their coffee, sandwiches, this and that. Yes they have fast open wifi, yes, the place sometimes look like a start up office. One thing I failed to mentioned tho, is that they also have quite an exuberant flower shop. So now you know. Coffee, sandwiches, cinnamon buns, internet, creative looking folk and now.... flowers. 

Gilda's Rum

Swedes get horrified at the idea of having something sweet for breakfast. Like the concept of having a cinnamon bun or a croissant in the morning  is just wrong. Not allowed. 

Well, I'm from Buenos Aires, so sometimes I ignore these social rules (much to the horror of my Swedish friends). So while they were having granola with yoghurt I went for this freshly made cookies.

Gilda's Rum is right across from Nytorget, a very popular yet small city park in Södermalm. 

This places is always very crowded, kinda messy, especially during the day.  But it's quite in the mornings. 

Ideal for sweet breakfasts. And granola and yoghurt (if you are Swedish). 

Copacabana

When I think about Copacabana, I think about beaches, speedoes, beach football, summer and bossa nova. Pretty much everything I need in life (speedoes I can live without). Since moving to Stockholm my beach life is well, non existent. Except for some random swimming in the summer, but it's not the same. Still, there's a Copacabana in town. And it's not a beach. It's a café. Right in the heart of Hornstull, this Copacabana doesn't offer much of a beach life, but it does offer some decent coffee, ok breakfasts and filling lunches. It's not a place to die for, to be honest, but it's perfect for a quick lunch or a lazy fika. No speedoes needed.   

Steam

There's this dumpling trend going on in Stockholm these days. New fancy places popping up around town selling the stuff. Dumplings are OK. What I really like, tho is noodles. Lots of noodles. 

Steam is a cool little restaurant in Södermalm that sells dumplings, noodles and stews. Simple, affordable and delicious. I usually go for the noodle soup with tofu and veggies. Spicy and filling. Tea is also included in every meal. 

So as trends go, I stick to classic noodles. And tofu. And that's OK.

Cykelcafe Le Mond

Wow. I haven't written on this blog for such a long time. Three months. It's embarrassing. I've been very busy with school and freelance work. And my portfolio, which is up and running. So now I can relax a bit and share some nice places I've been visiting. And abusing their wifi, while coding. 

One of these places I've been going often now is a new cafe called Cykelcafe Le Mond. Really nice new place that opened a couple of months ago, with a bike theme (a bike repair shop in it would be nice, tho) and beautifully designed interior, this place is ideal for long hours chilling, working a bit or admiring some old bikes hanging from the windows. This street could really use more cafes like Le Mond. 

Now, gotta keep working on some homework. Next post won't take 3 months. That's a (late) new year resolution. 

Pom & Flora

These past weeks have been really intense in school. Still I always find time for a plentiful brunch over the weekends. This time we went to Pom & Flora, a new-ish cafe right on Bondegatan, slightly French inspired and already quite popular. The scones were freshly baked, the orange jam home made, the granola was perfect and the coffee was just what I needed to kill the pain of too much work. It does close at 1300 over the weekends so early brunch is of the essence. Busy days, yes. Lazy weekends? Always. 

Klipp Södermalm

Kenny G has the power to put you at ease. The smooth saxophone tunes he shares with us. His big fluffy curly hair. His winning smile. I didn't know any of this. I was missing out. Until I started going to Klipp Södermalm. Probably the best hairdresser in Stockholm. Keisy owns and runs this place with charm and grace. His attentive, helpful and very fast. No receptionists, no assistants, no fuss. When he is in the mood and can afford the time he invites me to some of the strongest tea I've ever had over some conversation and cookies. Now the best thing, tho is the music. Smooth jazz always playing in the background. And from time to time, complex saxophone melodies play to the clients' amusement. And here's the thing, that soft music, those calming tunes are crafted by the one and only: Kenny G. 

Mogen & Grus

There seems to be some sort of hierarchy amongst office workers: 

1. Practice

2. Agency

3. Studio

4. Office

5. Desk

'1' being on the top of this hierarchy (imagine architects), then the advertising and PR people (designers, creatives, freelancers) and the rest of the office workers that blend into some sort of grey cloud. 

Yes this list is arbitrary and it probably makes no sense at all. One thing is true, though,  some cafés in Stockholm only seem to open during office hours. This is something I still have a hard time getting used to. When are we supposed to go to these kind of places? On our lunch brakes? On our sick days? 

I was happy to come across Mogen & Grus yesterday. I left school a bit earlier, and on my way to some other café for some school homework (no studio or office, yet), I saw the smallest of coffee shops around. The coffee was just perfect. Rich, full, strong. I even got a free cookie. Located on Kocksgatan right next door to Haberdash, one of my favourite clothing's stores in Södermalm, this place is the ideal stop to load up on caffeine. Keep in mind that except for Saturdays it only opens office hours. 

Petrus

Everything costs a fortune in Stockholm. Breakfast? 80kr. Lunch? 100kr. Dinner? Well.. a lot. I'm a student these days. Coding, programming, designing. A lot of work, not enough siestas.

After school, though I do enjoy some good fikas here and then. Yes, coffee and baked goods can be pricy but well worth the $.

Petrus is a fairly new bakery around Mariatorget. Sourdough bread, brioches (spelling?), classic Swedish cookies, chocolate muffins…. The coffee is on the weaker side but at 20kr really can't complain. The prices were surprisingly friendly, which was a new in Stockholm. The place is small but cozy and the staff is friendly and helpful. This is one of my new favourite places for good fikas. Everything costs a fortune in Stockholm. But Petrus proves it doesn't have to.

Vurma

A few years ago when I first came visit Stockholm I found myself walking around Hornstull. I remember thinking the area was a bit off, slightly ran down, but still interesting and secluded from the rest of the city. Today It's a another story. The area has been regenerated, so much so that it's almost unrecognisable. New stores, dumpling restaurants, fancy wine bars and sourdough pizzerias have all sprang up in the area. Which is all good, I mean, who doesn't need a dumpling restaurant or a sourdough bakery around?

Still there are some places in the neighbourhood that hold some of the old charm. Places like Copacabana and Vurma are ideal for those in need of some space to get some homework done, with some coffee and a cookie or two. A couple of days ago I went to Vurma, nicely located right by the water for some fika. They have a great selection of nicely priced vegetarian friendly sandwiches, salads, cookies, cakes and everything needed to survive the always evolving urban regeneration. This time I went for a simple cookie and filter coffee.

No need for dumplings or sourdough anything or fancy wine.

Chokladfabriken

So it was 'cinnamon bun day' the other day. To me nothing says Sweden more than a proper cinnamon bun. The question is.. How did I celebrate it? Since I eat several cinnamon buns a week I figured I'd do something different. Something out of the ordinary. Something Chocolatly. Last Saturday was a lazy Saturday. As it should be. Waking up to the smell of cinnamon buns (happy neighbours) is always a good thing. But then again.. I was craving chocolate. Somehow, I was around fancy Östermalm, and it was just after lunch, perfect time for coffee..

But where to go? Chokladfabriken sounded like the best option. Perfectly crafted handmade chocolate, good coffee and random magazines showcasing homes I'm never gonna be able to afford. But that's OK, because there's chocolate. And lots of it. We sampled a few truffles and different chocolate bites.

It was 'cinnamon bun day' the other day. Not for me. It was chocolate Saturday.

Bakverket

Brunch is good. Breakfast and lunch. All in one. It should be plentiful, delicious and life saving. And as the name suggests, it should be between breakfast and lunch. 

One thing I noticed here in Stockholm is that many think brunch should be taken at around 10am. Isn't that breakfast? Anyway, if you are like me, you'd show up for brunch at some point around noon. Which is a good thing here because most tables will be available since most will be done by then. Probably already planning a 'late' 5pm Sunday dinner. 

Anyway, a great place to go for proper brunch is Bakverket, on Bondegatan. Yoghurt, all kinds of breads, jam, salads, cheeses.. Everything needed for an epic brunch. It's usually very crowded, so patience is required, but the wait is well worth it. The coffee is strong and well prepared, the service efficient and the crowd is a classic Söder crowd of young families, art-director looking teenagers and couples. Brunch is good. Even for breakfast. 

Café Kaffe

I've had many jobs. The worst one? Once I thought it'd be a good idea to get a part-time job as a post delivery guy. The first day, I showed up all excited and full energy and there it was. The biggest and heaviest bag anyone has ever since. Full packed with millions of letters. I'm no Santa so there was no way that was gonna happen. I quit. Right there and then. That was the beginning and the end of my career within the post office. Many years have passed. I'm older and hopefully wiser. No signs of a beer belly or receding hairlines, so far.

I'm happy to be in school these days but I do work every once in a while. I work at Stutterheim. A handmade raincoats company. So no more half a ton post bags. No need to quit on any first days. So today before work I headed to Kaffe (is that the name?), a noisy and special place where it's all about coffee. Inspired by italian espresso bars this corner cafe is one of my favourite stops for a quick and strong cappuccinos. And cookies, of course. The prices and the staff are friendly. It's a cash only business. I made sure I had some with me. Thank goodness for my extra job. No heavy bags to carry around.

Chic Konditori

I guess there will be elections in Sweden next year. Definitely not looking forward to it. Everybody will suddenly become very opinionated and judgemental. And to me, no parties seem interesting enough to even write about them let alone go out and vote. Plus I'm not even sure if I qualify to vote here, but anyway. 

I guess political bloggers will write a lot about this and I'll leave politics out of this blog as much as I can. In many ways, politics is like religion, its just an opinion, and thats OK. 

Today Tuesday is grey out. A bit chilly and I dont feel very energetic. I didn't even have the energy to go for fika. Instead I stopped by classic Chic Konditori and got myself a mazarin, the Swedish classic pastry that reminds Swedes of of lazy Sundays with their grandmas drinking dark coffee like its water. 

Anyway, that was my afternoon. strong coffee, a mazarin and a longing for calmer days. I'll leave politics to other bloggers. Me, I'll keep writing about the good food that makes this city an amazing one. That's what I vote for.  

Mellqvist Kaffebar

It's Monday. It's raining. I'm in school. I should be studying and getting work done. Instead I'm thinking about where I'm gonna go for coffee after school. The only/best place I can think of right now is Mellqvist Kaffebar. Their cappuccinos are really good, and their cinnamon buns could really save my day. Their outdoors area is always very popular during warmer sunnier days, especially during the weekends when locals are trying to recover from their night outs. But today it's Monday and it's raining. Thank goodness for Mellqvist.

Coffice

Tomorrow is Monday. But not just another Monday. Besides the usual Monday's blues, the end of the weekend grief and summer-is-becoming-to-an-end Monday, tomorrow is the day I go back to school, again. In an interesting twist of fate and such I'm starting at Hyper Island, after a year of madness at Berghs School of Communication. But I can't complain, learning is always good, and it's a good program. So yeah. More hard work.
One of the things that make life easier when working hard is the company of good coffee and an environment that allows for some peace. Coffice is much more than a coffee shop, it's a 'workers' club' where for a small fee one can join and enjoy the place in an open office kind of way. Of course there's no need to join this club to enjoy the coffee. I just go there sometimes when I need to hide and just work. They have just started a collaboration with Johan & Nyström so their coffee is really good. Now another year of studies, hard work, random people and coffee. Yes, tomorrow is Monday, and it'll be a busy week. But I know where I'll be many a weekends to come.

ilcaffé

I've always wondered why breakfast is so expensive here in Stockholm. In many other cities, breakfast is a popular and rather affordable option. A quick visit to a favourite coffee shop, some yoghurt,  a sandwich, bread jam and butter would make for a perfect start of the day. Here breakfasts are not so popular but there are really good options, at a price, of course.
ilcaffé is my second home. I go there a lot, the staff know me, they always know what 'the usual' is, it's my second office, a hangout place, casual lunch spot and if I have the time and € a good breakfast place, as well.
Their coffee is strong and rich, the yoghurt is French and fancy, the sandwiches simple but delicious and always made with fresh quality ingredients, the cinnamon buns... the best in the neighbourhood, easily. They share their space with Fabrique, the omnipresent newish bakery that's all over Stockholm these days (they've even opened one in London).
I truly love this cafe, for fika, casual lunch, late coffee and yes, pricy breakfasts.