in short…

• well worth the queue - the little bakery in Vasastan is one of the best in Stockholm 

• a handful of outdoor seats allow us to linger awhile with a cup of coffee 

• and make sure not to miss the heavenly pastry rolls with vanilla cream! 

Whenever we suspect that a queue outside a shop is more of an Instagram thing than actually worth the effort, we usually make a beeline for somewhere else.

We can tell straight away, though, from the constant queue outside the little Lillebrors bakery that it’ll be worth the time.

“Krämbullar med vaniljgrädde” - pastry rolls with vanilla cream - these are the delightful treats we can already see in the hands of those leaving the bakery. Lightly dusted with sugar and flavoured with cardamom, Lillebrors’ version is arguably the most delicious of their kind in Sweden’s capital.

Alongside these are crusty sourdough loaves, croissants with a thousand flaky, buttery layers and the very best cardamom buns - all well worth the wait.

in short…

• a relaxed, authentic bakery and café in Stockholm

• a place for locals - boisterous tourists rarely find their way to Sankt Paus Gatan

• simply delicious - Swedish pastries and generously loaded sandwiches 

This small café chain has three branches - one right in the heart of Norrmalm and two in Södermalm, which remains surprisingly untouristy.

The café on Sankt Paulsgatan, with its lovely bakery, has particularly won our hearts.

Green wooden benches with small tables are unpretentiously bolted in front of an elegant 1960s facade.

Locals read their newspapers here in peace over a cup of coffee, whilst visitors like us take a break during our stroll through Södermalm.

We refuel with a generously topped sandwich or a sweet cardamom bun.

Along with this, there are freshly squeezed juices and smoothies.

in short…

• a pleasant archipelago atmosphere, right in the heart of Vasastan

• Swedish classics - from cardamom buns to Princess cake

• all handmade - from heirloom grains and with a real passion for the product

Puff pastries filled with custard or red berries, yeast buns with cinnamon sugar and cardamom, meringues, punch rolls or the bright green Swedish Princess Cake, which was invented especially for Princess Margaretha and her sisters in the 1930s – all of these delicacies are temptingly displayed in Bergstrands Bageri.

The tiny shop is known among Stockholmers as a „Hål i väggen“ - a hole in the wall. 

This only adds to its charm, of course, as the few seats inside the shop are snug and right in the thick of things.

Outside, there are a few more seats in front of the beautiful old building on the corner of Frejgatan and Västmannagatan.

in short...

• a little bit of Lapland in Södermalm

• fresh milk from Alfred Hellström's parents' farm

• what we could do for hours  - watch the open bakery

Svedjan Bageri in Södermalm is the kind of place where we could easily spend an entire Swedish winter day.

Because really - what could be better than sitting at a big wooden table with a steaming black coffee in front of us, gazing into the open bakery where fresh sourdough loaves are being pulled from the oven?

We could definitely imagine celebrating Kanelbullens Dag here - Sweden’s Cinnamon Bun Day in October.

At Svedjan Bageri, the buns are so good that a line outside the door is anything but rare.

Not that this comes as a surprise - Alfred Hellström, who runs the café in Södermalm, puts enormous care into the quality of every single ingredient.

in short…

• here we like to treat ourselves  after a walk on Monteliusvägen

• award-winning coffee and an award-winning barista

• the delightful pastries are from Svedjan Bageri

Joanna Alm, Managing Director of Drop Coffee, has swept up every award the coffee world has to offer. Today, she is a board member of the Specialty Coffee Association, which is dedicated to ensuring quality, sustainability and fair trade in coffee.

Back in 2009, she co-founded Drop Coffee with the simple idea to serve really good coffee. 

The company has since then grown to a successful roastery of organic, fair-trade 

beans. 

The tiny spot by Mariatorget Park has remained what it was  from the beginning - a cosy neighbourhood café where we can get really good coffee.

in short...

• a lovely trip to Djurgården Island - preferably on a midsummer day

• perfect for a picnic beneath apple trees

• the best extra - cutting our own flowers

The island of Djurgården, a green oasis in the heart of Stockholm, is a wonderful place for daydreaming.

It's hard to believe that this idyllic paradise can be found so centrally located in the Swedish capital.

Wandering through Rosendal Trädgård, established by the Swedish Garden Society between 1861 and 1911, to the greenhouses and gardens with the charmingly romantic café, makes for a perfect outing on a long Swedish midsummer day, we would never want to miss.

in short.. 

• traditional Swedish baking in a cosy industrial setting

• we love the cardamom buns

• our favourite branch - in Gamla Stan's Lilla Nygatan

The small Swedish bakery chain, Fabrique, has successfully expanded to London and New York for good reasons. 

Right after our first visit, we became Regulars and loyal fans of their Cardamom Buns.

Stylish stores with an industrial look set an appealing scene for traditional baked goods.

There are several lovely locations throughout Stockholm, and we always like to stop by for a quick coffee.

Here, crispy sourdough bread, delicately prepared bread rolls, cinnamon and cardamom buns, cakes and cookies are all handmade from natural, fresh ingredients.