9 Scanian spots for a tasty ‘fika’ break
Swedish ‘fika’, the art of the coffee break (usually accompanied by something sweet), has been making waves across the globe. In Skåne, the practice is deeply ingrained into our lifestyle and there is no shortage of great cafés and coffee shops around.
We’ve done the legwork – here’s our list of exceptional Scanian places to enjoy a fika break.
01
Atrium
Malmö
One of our favourite Malmö spots to grab a coffee and do some laptop work is Atrium. Judging by the number of other patrons in the airy café, we aren’t the only ones who love to spend time there and treat it like a second living room.
Opened in 2015 and run by husband and wife team Adrian Ndreca and Natalia Andersson, the space is welcoming, bright and friendly. Do as we do: Head there early, grab one of the breakfast deals with coffee, apple juice and sourdough bread open sandwiches, and just hang out for as long as you can before you get the feeling of having outstayed your welcome.
02
Söderberg & Sara
Ystad
Voted Sweden’s best café in 2018 (and currently in seventh place, making it the second-best in Skåne after Olof Viktors in Glemmingebro), the small Ystad café and bakery Söderberg & Sara keep on surprising us with their baked goods and high-spirited service. It is like one of those cosy little neighbourhood cafés just wish you had close to home. And with a 10-minute drive from TypeO, luckily that is exactly the case for us.
The Söderberg & Sara mini-emporium of hotspots (there’s a second Söderberg & Sara in Malmö, the Hedvigdal pizza and wine spot in Malmö and the popular much-loved Pastafabriken in Glemmingebro), owners Tilde Möller, Per Söderberg and Per Extor are productive trio and never seas to surprise with their new ventures. Make sure to try the kouigh amann, described by the New York Times as the fattiest pastry in all of Europe, while at Söderberg & Sara.
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03
Mat- & Chokladstudion
Malmö
There are a great many things that the masters at Mat & Choklasstudion in Malmö do well. There’s a vegetarian lunch to die for and a great selection of bread. But what they truly excel at is the creation of the most delicious and imaginative pastries, desserts and baked goods. And no wonder – head pastry chef Joel Lindqvist, who runs the place, was awarded the title Dessert master in a nationwide competition in 2014.
Our approach when tackling the very difficult task of selecting just what to order here is simply to go with the flow by having the server introduce us to all the different goodies on offer, and then put together a plate with at least a handful of different options to go to town on. It’s like we’ve died (of sugar overdose) and gone to heaven (if heaven was somewhat like Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory).
04
Kaffestugan Alunbruket
Brösarp
In 1930, cook Hilda Nilsson served her first cup of coffee to guests at her home, an 18th-century traditional half-timbered farmhouse located close to the Andrarum alun schists quarry. This makes her a true pioneer in female entrepreneurship in Skåne, and the café is the oldest in all of Skåne. It is still run by Nilsson’s ancestors.
Visiting the café is truly like stepping back in time. ‘Fika’ is enjoyed either indoors or outside, surrounded by the most magnificent garden. Our favourite thing on the menu is Alunbruket’s cookie plate, which consists of a delicious assortment of treats just the way Nilsson has served it for over 90 years. Imagine that.
05
Byvägen 35
Sankt Olof
In 2012, husband and wife Matti and Iwona Holgersson returned to Skåne (and Matti’s hometown) after having worked in various gastronomic fields in Copenhagen. A derelict carpentry in the quaint village of Sankt Olof offered them a new start in life, and a spot to explore their joint love of sourdough.
Today, the family business – a chain of organic bakeries and cafés – has grown to include no less than four different locations (in Sankt Olof, in Ystad, in Borrby and in Simrishamn). We still love the original location the best and like to drop by year-round. Don’t miss the weekly highlight – Sundays are pizza days at Byvägen 35.
06
Broder Jakobs
Lund
University city Lund has plenty of spots to get together for good coffee. But the one place we find ourselves returning to time and time again is Broder Jakobs, located in the heart of town and a couple of minutes walk from the train station.
This homey family-run bakeshop and café is always crowded so just find yourself a free spot on a sofa and squeeze in. The main reason for coming here are the mouthwatering pastries – make sure to try the cinnamon or cardamom rolls, or the vegan wheat bun filled with chunky apple compote.
07
Loshult Handelsbod
Loshult
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again … The gluten-heavy treats at Loshult Handelsbod are truly worth driving across half of Skåne for. We’ve spent years putting in the hard work of locating Sweden’s best cinnamon rolls, and we’ve finally found them in this remotely located village in northern Skåne.
The bakery, which is housed in a gorgeous ancient wooden villa, in the process of being restored by owners Salli and Raphael Bartke, also serves up the most beautiful variety of loaves of bread. Head here early (or order ahead) as queues start forming quickly.
08
Brödkultur 2.0
Helsingborg
We ran into the gem of a café while visiting Sofiero, a palace that used to be one of the Swedish royal family’s country mansions, located five kilometres north of Helsingborg. Brödkultur is housed in the palace’s former stable, which has been converted into a bakery and a café.
Brödkultur 2.0’s strong suit is artisanal breadmaking, a practice that was all but lost during the introduction of industrial breadmaking in the early 1900s. Here, the loaves are made of Krav-labelled flour and without additives. There are also proofing baskets and bags of flour for sale if you’re into baking your own bread.
09
Flickorna Lundgren
Skäret
The Lundgren sisters, which the timber-framed café and restaurant were named after, were a total of six. Greta, Anna, Ebba, Rut, Britt-Marie and Ella’s parents acquired the old fisher’s cot in 1927 and began renovating it to turn it into a holiday home for the family. When the family fell upon financial hardship, oldest sister Greta came up with the idea of turning into a café. Soon, all six sisters were involved in the budding business.
A classic from Flickorna Lundgren is Vaniljhärta, a pastry made of shortcrust dough formed into hearts and filled with vanilla cream. It is said that Swedish king Gustaf VI Adolf, who frequently stopped by for a coffee while in Skåne, would bring a selection of plants and shoots in exchange for a box of vanilla hearts.
