Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
THE LOCAL LIST

STOCKHOLM

Seven scrummy brunch spots in Stockholm

From sophisticated bistros to cosy coffee shops and a sizzling British-style breakfast cafe, here are seven of The Local's favourite places to do brunch in Stockholm.

Published: 18 September 2015 09:20 CEST
Updated: 18 September 2015 15:20 CEST
Seven scrummy brunch spots in Stockholm
Breakfast at Vurma, Stockholm. Photo: The Local

1. Urban Deli

Nestled in the heart of Stockholm's trendy Sofo district, the original Urban Deli offers a tasty breakfast menu between 8am and 11am, with dishes starting at 75 kronor (less than $10). Here, you're offered the chance to make your own sandwich “the way you want it”, accompanied by juice, yoghurt and coffee, or you can dig into the breakfast buffet. This cosy yet industrial setting also offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. If you're looking for a hangover cure, try out the hot dogs accompanied by bell pepper mayonnaise or gorge on the baby back ribs and pulled pork burgers. There's a delicatessen too, so if you can't face being surrounded by other peoples' chit chat you can load up your bag with goodies and enjoy them back at home. Gluten and lactose free options are available. There are also Urban Deli branches in Sickla and Sveavägen.

Address: Nytorget 4, Stockholm

Phone: 00 46 8 599 091 80

Opening Times: Monday – Tuesday: 8am – 11pm, Wednesday – Thursday: 8am – 12pm Friday – Saturday: 8am – 1am, Sunday: 8am to 11pm

Website: www.urbandeli.org


Photo: Image Bank Sweden

2. Vurma

You'll feel instantly at home at Vurma, surrounded by snuggly cushions and brightly coloured friendly-looking wallpaper. The company's original cafe is in Vasastan and offers a simple yet delicious range of breakfast options. For 50 kronor (around $6) you can enjoy a sandwich with a coffee or tea, while the most delux dish on offer includes boiled eggs with caviar, porridge with lingonberries, a cheese or turkey open sandwich, juice and a hot drink for 115 kronor ($14). There's also a huge selection of toasted sandwiches available, with fun names including 'scruffy', 'stranger' and 'buddy'. The kitchen offers vegetarian dishes, lactose and dairy free products.

Address: Gästrikegatan 2, Vasastan

Phone: 00 46 8 306 230

Opening Times: Monday – Friday: 7am – 7pm, Saturday: 9am – 7pm, Sunday: 10am to 7pm

Website: www.vurma.se


Photo: Nicho Södling

3. Greasy Spoon

A popular hub among expats, Greasy Spoon in the Södermalm district is run by two British friends who started the cafe after they had tried but failed to find any places for a decent full-on English breakfast in Stockholm. Go here for the great banter and the scrumptious comfort food: beans on toast, bacon, eggs Benedict, pancakes, plenty of vegetarian options, and for the adventurous perhaps even a cheeky Bloody Mary. The melodies pouring out of the vintage jukebox are not bad either. A full English is priced at 119 kronor ($14.50)

Address: Tjärhovsgatan 19, Stockholm

Phone: 00 46 72 264 2097

Opening Times: Monday – Friday: 7.30am – 5pm, Saturday-Sunday: 9am – 5pm

Webpage: www.greasyspoon.se


Photo: @pouria_rez for Greasy Spoon

4. Café Blå Lotus

A student and hipster favourite for years, Café Blå Lotus – also situated on the island of Södermalm – is so old school it doesn't even have a website or open until 9am. But this is the place to taste organic, sweet, homemade pastries accompanied by a vast selections and teas. Breakfast starts at 55 kronor (a little under $7) for a healthy yoghurt served with nuts, honey and berries alongside a coffee and a juice. The sandwich menu is constantly updated and the unusual oriental décor and friendly staff here create a cosy atmosphere year-round. 

Address: Katarina Bangata 21, Stockholm

Phone: 00 46 8 644 50 43

Opening Times: Monday – Thursday: 9am – 8pm, Friday: 10am – 7pm, Saturday – Sunday: 10am – 7pm


Photo: Trini Testi

5. Café Pascal

Three siblings own Café Pascal and all treasure the art of making high quality coffee, served up in a beautifully designed environment characterised by exposed brickwork, high stools and minimalist white tiles. This is a peaceful haven just a block away from the bustling Odenplan district.

The menu here includes assorted breads topped with eggs, ham or mozzarella, priced between 40 and 100 kronor ($5 and $12). A full breakfast here, including assorted pastries as well as granola with yoghurt and jam, costs 150 kronor ($18).

Address: Norrtullsgatan 4, Odenplan

Phone: 00 46 8 31 61 10

Website: www.cafepascal.se

Opening Times: Monday – Thursday: 7am – 7pm, Friday: 7am – 6pm, Saturday – Sunday 9am – 6pm


Photo credit: Café Pascal

6. Oaxen Slip

If you want to splash out on a mouthwatering weekend treat, this is the place to come. Here you'll get a taste for classic Scandinavian bistro dishes with a modern twist, while enjoying stunning waterside views from the island of Djurgården. Brunch plates start at 135 kronor ($16.50), with diners encouraged to select three each and share them 'tapas style' with friends and family. Dishes range from grilled celeriac baked in cheese whey with bleak roe to cured salmon with poached eggs and pickles. If your group includes ten or more people you can deserve the private Club Room for your feast.

Address: Beckholmsvägen 26, Stockholm

Phone: 00 46 8 551 531 05

Opening Times: Brunch: Saturday – Sunday: 12pm – 4pm

Webpage: www.oaxen.com


Photo: Per Ranung

7. Pom and Flora

This small cafe in the hip Sofo area is always busy but has a casual vibe. The 'Helg frukost' (weekend breakfast) is extremely popular, and includes a wide variety of breads, scones, jams, cheese, meats and avocado plus yoghurt with berries and nuts, fresh juice and coffee, all for 120 kronor (less than $15). You can also pick and choose smaller plates from the menu. Plus don't miss the delicious freshly squeezed carrot juice here. The Monday to Friday menu here includes snacks priced between 28 and 55 kronor ($3.50 – $7).

Address: Bondegatan 64

Phone: 00 46 8 410 100 49

Webpage: www.pomochflora.se

Opening Times: Monday – Friday: 8am – 4pm, Saturday – Sunday: 9am – 3pm


Photo credit: Pom & Flora

By The Local's Editorial team with additional research by Trini Testi

FOOD AND DRINK

OPINION: Are tips in Sweden becoming the norm?

Should you tip in Sweden? Habits are changing fast thanks to new technology and a hard-pressed restaurant trade, writes James Savage.

Published: 5 April 2024 13:59 CEST
OPINION: Are tips in Sweden becoming the norm?

The Local’s guide to tipping in Sweden is clear: tip for good service if you want to, but don’t feel the pressure: where servers in the US, for instance, rely on tips to live, waiters in Sweden have collectively bargained salaries with long vacations and generous benefits. 

But there are signs that this is changing, and the change is being accelerated by card machines. Now, many machines offer three preset gratuity percentages, usually starting with five percent and going up to fifteen or twenty. Previously they just asked the customer to fill in the total amount they wanted to pay.

This subtle change to a user interface sends a not-so-subtle message to customers: that tipping is expected and that most people are probably doing it. The button for not tipping is either a large-lettered ‘No Tip’ or a more subtle ‘Fortsätt’ or ‘Continue’ (it turns out you can continue without selecting a tip amount, but it’s not immediately clear to the user). 

I’ll confess, when I was first presented with this I was mildly irked: I usually tip if I’ve had table service, but waiting staff are treated as professionals and paid properly, guaranteed by deals with unions; menu prices are correspondingly high. The tip was a genuine token of appreciation.

But when I tweeted something to this effect (a tweet that went strangely viral), the responses I got made me think. Many people pointed out that the restaurant trade in Sweden is under enormous pressure, with rising costs, the after-effects of Covid and difficulties recruiting. And as Sweden has become more cosmopolitain, adding ten percent to the bill comes naturally to many.

Boulebar, a restaurant and bar chain with branches around Sweden and Denmark, had a longstanding policy of not accepting tips at all, reasoning that they were outdated and put diners in an uncomfortable position. But in 2021 CEO Henrik Kruse decided to change tack:

“It was a purely financial decision. We were under pressure due to Covid, and we had to keep wages down, so bringing back tips was the solution,” he said, adding that he has a collective agreement and staff also get a union bargained salary, before tips.

Yet for Kruse the new machines, with their pre-set tipping percentages, take things too far:

“We don’t use it, because it makes it even clearer that you’re asking for money. The guest should feel free not to tip. It’s more important for us that the guest feels free to tell people they’re satisfied.”

But for those restaurants that have adopted the new interfaces, the effect has been dramatic. Card processing company Kassacentralen, which was one of the first to launch this feature in Sweden, told Svenska Dagbladet this week that the feature had led to tips for the average establishment doubling, with some places seeing them rise six-fold.

Even unions are relaxed about tipping these days, perhaps understanding that they’re a significant extra income for their members. Union representatives have often in the past spoken out against tipping, arguing that the practice is demeaning to staff and that tips were spread unevenly, with staff in cafés or fast food joints getting nothing at all. But when I called the Swedish Hotel and Restaurant Union (HRF), a spokesman said that the union had no view on the practice, and it was a matter for staff, business owners and customers to decide.

So is tipping now expected in Sweden? The old advice probably still stands; waiters are still not as reliant on tips as staff in many other countries, so a lavish tip is not necessary. But as Swedes start to tip more generously, you might stick out if you leave nothing at all.

SHOW COMMENTS