The best cafés when you want to have coffee in Stockholm

We have listed the city’s best cafes, a mix of traditional Swedish ‘fika‘, French delicacies and Hawaiian smoothie bowls. Yum!

Café Pascal was founded by three siblings who loved great coffee, fine ingredients and true craft. And they have shown that they practice what they preach – they won the prestigious award ‘Gulddraken’ as Stockholm’s best café in 2015 and were nominated the following years. At Café Pascal you can have salads made from scratch, soup of the day, grilled Pain au Levain toast, and delicious cardamom rolls in a stylish setting with gold lamps, photo art and brick walls.

Located across from Vasaparken, Ritorno has been around since the 1930s, and it almost seems like the original furniture is still there. Worn, comfy chairs and sofas are overlooked and abutted by badly hung paintings, jukeboxes, odd curiosities, and even a cuckoo clock – it’s like sitting in your eccentric aunt’s living room. There is a great selection of pastries, cakes, and sandwiches, and a great tea menu. And the coffee? It’s among the best in the city. The owner is a bit of a local legend: each and every day he wears a different hat, which can mean anything from a top hat to a Mexican sombrero.

If you’re in Kungsholmen, visiting Petite France is a must. The bakery has won three ‘Gulddraken’ (the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter’s yearly award) as Stockholm’s best café and is famous for its macarons. But here you can also have a croissant filled breakfast, today’s lunch, éclairs, fruit tartlets, and buy bread and buns home with you.

The health café Mahalo on Hornsgatan is the perfect place for those who want a healthier alternative and a little Hawaiian feel at the same time. On the vegan and mostly organic and RAW friendly menu you will find fresh smoothie bowls with pitaya, açaí, spirulina and cacao nibs, but also gingerbread shots, milkshakes made of cashew, date plum, oats and banana milk, crispy salads, and wraps. An extra plus for the sunny outdoor seating under parasols that you can find in the inner courtyard.

In this cozy patisserie and bakery you can have, if not the biggest, at least the best buns in Stockholm. The counter is filled with fluffy coffee breads and delicious pastries. A brunch is served during the weekends, and for the rest of the time you can vary the pastries with salads and hot and cold sandwiches.

Since 1928, Vete-Katten has baked buns and bread in the old building. In the cozy coffee room, both famous and less well-known Stockholmers have been talking about life over a cup of coffee and a sandwich or pastry. Vete-Katten calls themselves a ‘Schweizeri’, because they also serve light food such as salads, open-face sandwiches, and prawn sandwiches. Nowadays you can also try afternoon tea here.

Checkered tile, a turquoise wooden counter, sheepskins, and brass tables make Kaffeverket the most Instagram friendly café in Stockholm. But it’s not just for its interior that Kaffeverket is well worth a visit. According to White Guide it’s one of Sweden’s best cafés. In addition to great coffee, the menu offers chia puddings, avocado sandwiches, small pancakes, salads, and soups. And you should definitely try an early breakfast here.

The best breakfast. The best coffee. The best café in 2017 according to Dagens Nyheter’s award Gulddraken. These are just a few reasons to visit Mellqvist Caffè Bar. The small venue and the tables on the outdoor seating add to the Italian espresso bar feeling. In addition to breakfast Mellqvist also serves lunch sandwiches with eggs, turkey, salami or chevre, and grilled sandwiches right from the bakery.

Sturekatten is truly a Stockholm institution and one of the city’s oldest cafés. Located in the heart of Stockholm’s tony Östermalm district in a 1700 century building, this café/bakery isn’t easy to find but once you do you’ll delight in enjoying your fika in one of the many cosy rooms that are spread across two floors. Sturekatten serves up classic Swedish pastries and sandwiches, along with excellent warm and cold drinks. That there is outdoor seating in the courtyard during the summer months adds to the charm. Be warned, though, this place is popular, so set aside enough time to truly enjoy your experience.

Café String is a hip retro café located in a trendy part of the city. Here you will find authors and students sipping coffee side by side with tourists and locals. Every Saturday and Sunday between 11 AM and 1 PM one of Stockholm’s most popular breakfast buffets is served here for only SEK 80. It is a great place to take a break at before you continue discovering Södermalm.

The name of this cozy coffee shop is actually the native name of the Swedish specialty “Chocolate Sticky Brownie”. Served with whipped cream or ice cream it will blow your mind. Not only do they make the best “kladdkaka” in Stockholm, they also serve great salads, healthy plates and baguettes with a variety of fillings. Being located in the center of Old Town, a stop here should be on your to do list.

We hope you get to enjoy a nice ‘fika’ with really good Swedish coffee during your stay in Stockholm!