Swedes are among the biggest coffee lovers in the world and the options of cafés in Stockholm are vast and varied. We took upon us to do some digging to find the 10 best coffee-serving pearls in the city’s coolest area, Södermalm.
We have listed a bit of everything from Rasta to American, to French, to Swedish, vego and beyond. What we found leaves no doubt as to why Södermalm is one of Europe’s coolest neighbourhoods.
Marley Coffee, Åsögatan 144
This tiny oasis has a warm, chill and almost tropical vibe to it. Music and specially reggae are naturally in focus here. Marley Coffee has delicious coffee blends to choose from, with beans grown in Latin America, Ethiopia and Jamaica. We tried a coffee blend called Get Up, Stand Up – a little sour but with some sweet aftertaste. Another cool thing about this place is that if you liked the coffee you drank ,you can also buy the beans to take home and prepare that delicious cup of coffee for yourself anytime you need an extra kick.
Gildas Rum, Skånegatan 79
With its dimmed lights, Gildas Rum is perhaps the most cozy coffee place on Söder. We love the decor, it makes you feel like being lost-in-time in a Parisian café. Their salads are delicious and very well served. Their home-made pastries and cakes are a must, and their chai latte is to die for. They’re also open for breakfast from 8:30am. Dogs are welcomed here, so bring your furry friend along, sit down and spend a cozy little while sipping on your favourite coffee or tea. Weather permitting, outdoor sitting is also available.
Gunnarssons Specialkonditori, Götgatan 92
You’ve got to love Gunnarssons… They have the widest and tastiest selection of traditional Swedish pastries, cakes, bread and even chocolate to go with your coffee or tea. They use the best and freshest ingredients and everything is baked daily in-house, which is probably the reason they’re a bit pricey. Another thing we like about this place is its spacious second floor with huge windows overlooking the busy life around Götgatan. The atmosphere is charming with very classic Swedish decor, with a slight air of Art Deco. Gunnarssons also offers a lunch menu and on an average weekday is open until 9pm, a little bit later than your typical coffee place, which is good for those who don’t have trouble sleeping after one or two cups of coffee.
Älskade Traditioner, Södermannagatan 42
Imagine American diner meets coffee meets Södermalm – and you get Älskade Traditioner. This is a very cool coffee place that looks and feels like taken out of 1950’s USA. There are posters of classic rock’n roll stars and old American adverts, vintage toys and clothes and even motorcycles decorating its walls and windows. The music and the furniture will do the rest of the job in taking you to those good old days. Älskade Traditioner means “beloved traditions” and in the tradition of making coffee, they have the usual warm beverage options, plus milkshakes. In their food menu you’ll find their famous waffles, sweet and salty, with numerous fillings and toppings. We can highly recommend their vego-toasted waffle. But don’t stop there, do try some of their pastries! They’re just as good as they look. Make sure you visit them during off-peak hours, which are 11:30-12:30 and after 4pm as it tends to get super busy, regardless the day.
Mårds Café, Kvarngatan 20
This is a cute café located in an old food market built in 1893, so the whole building situated next to the Södra Latin school, is part of Södermalm’s history. In fact entering Mårds Café feels like traveling back in time. It’s modest and filled with bright red furniture and decorations. It’s walls, windows and part of the counter have colourful diamond shapes created by a local artist some 50 years ago. They offer delicious coffee in Italian style and made-in-the-moment sandwiches, as well as home baked sweet cookies and cakes. Prices here are perhaps the fairest in town!
Café String, Nytorgsgatan 38
In the corner of Bondegatam and Nytorsgatan you will find String, with its funky decoration consisting of old and very mixed furniture and colourful paintings in a bit kitschy style and we love that! The staff is very friendly and are happy to talk you through their menu of drinks and sandwiches, salads and sweet tempting treats. Another plus point for String is that they have two floors with plenty of room to sit and enjoy their typical Södermalm-cool atmosphere.
Mahalo, Health Café, Hornsgatan 61
Their slogan is “Vegan for the voiceless¨ and this is the only completely vegan café on our list. Mahalo offers a wide selection of drinks such as juices, shakes, warm drinks and very popular smoothies, which are so good they tend to run out pretty quick.
In their food menu you will find very inventive and healthy smoothie bowls in which they mix exotic fruits, granola, nuts and other greens in big amounts – plus wraps, burgers, salads and stews, all super tasty, healthy, vegan and pretty well served.
The place feels very alive with lots of plants and greenery with a bit of a rustic decor and furniture which we kind of like, it’s different, but some might find it not so cozy although we do enjoy its colourful ambience.
So if you want to be healthy and do good respecting animal rights, go to Mahalo!
Fru Bellmans Café, Bellmansgatan 26
Fru Bellman (ie. Mrs. Bellman) was established in 1938 and it’s the oldest café on Södermalm. Their extra good but also extra nutritious lunches are their specialty. They use more vegetables and grains, using less meat and avoiding preserved food products, thinking environmentally friendly. Therefore they offer good energy and sourced dishes prepared with care. It’s a well loved place by the locals and it’s not weird to find them at Fru Bellmans Café meeting friends, reading, knitting or working on their laptops over lunches and coffee. Prices are good and you definitely get value for money in the tastiness and healthiness of their food and drinks.
Cykelcafé Le Mond, Folkungagatan 67
Imagine an early morning bicycle tour around Södermalm that ends with a healthy and very generous breakfast… In that case your place of choice has got to be Cykelcafé, a café for cyclists that opens from 7 am serving different breakfast packages and even a breakfast buffet. And guess what, they allow bicycles inside! In their menu there are also waffles, sandwiches, salads and even Asian dishes to have together with your warm drink of choice. Or why not something more refreshing like a juice or maybe even a beer.
The place is quite spacious and has two levels and an outdoor sitting area for when the weather is pleasant. So it is not hard to find seating here even during peak hours.
Coffice, Tjärhovsgatan 5
Coffice may not be the cosiest café on this list, but it’s the preferred place by locals to go to and meet work colleagues or hang out on their own to work and have a coffee at a friendly and public environment. Freelancers and creatives who don’t have a fixed office and rather choose to work outside of their home, sit here with their laptops and their warm drinks or fruity beverages as they work the day away. They also have some sandwiches and muffins to help you get through your workday.
Another cool thing about Coffice is that they have meeting rooms one can rent, perfect for entrepreneurs who want to meet clients and talk business right in the heart of town.
