COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS /TOP STOCKHOLM COFFEE HOUSES (including the one in Los Angeles)

Kaffeverket, downtown Stockholm, is a modern café that offers special matcha lattes and vegan treats. PHOTO: Janni Deler, Australia.

By Sofie Kinnefors,*Staff Writer, PillertoPost.org

Kaffeverket

Kaffeverket (pictured above) has a modern feel with an interior of tiled white walls, light green wooden details and two carefully placed, fairly melancholy looking, paintings on the wall. The café’s atmosphere is, however, warm and friendly. The staff is knowledgeable and will easily whip up a delicious cappuccino, flat white or matcha latte (made with green tea powder mainly used in Japanese tea ceremonies). Fun latte-art included! Choose amongst goodies such as chiapudding with berry compote and pistachio nuts, moist lemon poppy pound cake, caramel biscuits or vegan chocolate balls. The café has indoor and outdoor seating. (St: Eriksgatan 88, Vasastan).

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Classic Italian bar in Stockholm, Sweden.

Italiano Bar  

Italiano Bar (pictured above) was started by Italian immigrant Angelo Ottobre in 1989 and is still run by the same family. The classic Italian restaurant/coffee bar was inspired by the 1940s New York (pictured) and offers everything from early breakfast to late night dinner. 

Coffee is usually enjoyed on the go - standing by the bar. Choose between strong espressos, americanos or Italian coffee drinks, such as Corretto consisting of espresso spiked with a small amount of grappa or sambuca. Accompany your brew with a classic Italian treat, such as a panini or a buttery cornetti (Italian croissant). (Birger Jarlsgatan 23, Östermalm)

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Drop Coffee

Drop Coffee takes coffee seriously. With a coffee bar and roastery, located in the southern part of Stockholm, Drop provide their customers, as well as cafés and restaurants world wide with pure great tasting coffee. 

Café and world renown roastery with knowledgeable roasters/baristas.

Beans are picked in Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras and Kenya. No flavors (sugary syrups, powders or spices) are added to Drop’s coffee and the staff recommend drinking it black, without cream or sugar to get the best flavor.

         “Our vision of how Drop Coffee should taste is a clear taste profile, presenting most possible of the coffees acidity and sweetness,” said owners Joanna Alm and Stephen Leighton. Sandwiches, pastries and packaged coffee can also be purchased over the county. (Wollmar Yxkullsgatan 10, Södermalm).

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Popular place also offers American inspired brunch.

Non Solo Bar     

Non Solo Bar (pictured above) is a busy, yet family friendly café/bistro, located in Vasastan, Stockholm City. Besides lattes and Italian espressos, the café offers juices, smoothies, salads, pasta, as well as baked goods, such as vegan brownies and berry pies.

         

Stop by for a hearty breakfast of grilled cheese panini’s, homemade granola, porridge with nuts and fresh berries or perhaps eggs, sausage and bacon. Brunch consisting of American pancakes, frittatas and club sandwiches are offered during the weekends. Crispy salads are available for lunch guests. Try, for example, the Salato con chèvre fico; a tangy salad made of French goat cheese and exciting compliments such as prosciutto, walnuts and ripe figs. The café, which has plenty of regulars, can be crowded. There is, however, usually space, as the cafe has plenty of seats, as well as outdoor seating during the summer. (Rörstrandsgatan 4, Vasastan)

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Sun, snow, sleet or rain this chic & cozy place is always open. Photo: Jann Lipka

Il Caffé/Stockholm

Il Caffé on Drottninggatan 85 in Stockholm City (pictured above) has somewhat more of an urban feel, featuring plenty of graffiti on the walls. The café has lots 

of seats, as well as free Wi-Fi. Il Caffé is well known for their tasty cappuccinos, made from Kenyan beans and Italian roasts, as well as healthy salads, grilled sandwiches and gooey cinnamon buns. The coffee shop also has a small bread shop by its entrance. Il Caffé is open seven days a week, 365 days a year. (Drottninggatan 85)

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Il Caffe Swedish coffee bar in the US

Il Caffé/Los Angeles

Looking to try a Swedish coffee creation, but can’t make it to Stockholm? You’re in luck! Stockholm based coffee bar Il Caffé has a café in Los Angeles (LA version pictured above). “Everyone in Los Angeles is making good coffee,” said Michael Backlinder, co-owner of the two outlets and boss of the LA shop. He told the media, “so are we, but we’re a neighborhood place. We want this to feel like an extended living room.” Drinks are placed from a bar-style open counter, a sophisticated alternative to the usual cattle-call lines in many coffee houses. (855 S. Broadway, Downtown, Los Angeles.  Quotes source: LA Downtowner magazine.

Eastern Columbia Building, an icon of art deco design, was designed by Claud Beelman in 1930. The 13 story “wow” includes retail with residential lofts. Excellent downtown theatre district location for Il Caffe/LA.

About the Writer:

* Ms. Sofie Kinnefors, a Stockholm/San Diego freelancer, writes for www.swedishpress.com on a regular basis. Stockholm coffee shops is her second feature for Pillartopost.org blog.   Her first is a travel story “Falling in Love with Helsinki” appeared in this blog on November 3, 2013.