First come the cool-kid neighborhoods, then the cool-kid coffee shops. Nowhere is that truer than in Stockholm, where the age-old fika tradition—in which Swedes take regular caffeine and conversation breaks—is not just a way of life but also a way to show off their distinctly stylish tastes. Unlike the at-home, fine-china coffee klatches of previous generations, the new guard sheds that formality. They're going for Scandinavian beans—roasted lightly so the drip coffee is less bitter and a bit "green"—and they're enjoying them in neon-lit spots that tout proprietary blends. Wanna join in? Here are five ways to get the experience right.
Stockholm can be tricky to traverse since it includes 14 islands. For the best food and fika, these are the areas to know.
Vasastan
Quiet, upscale, residential, where you share wide sidewalks with stroller-pushing 30-somethings.
Fika at: Kafé Orion, a tiny emerald-green espresso bar that brings in swanky da Matteo beans from Gothenburg.
Dine at: Babette, an eclectic wine bar that serves the city's best pizza—in an updated historic pizzeria.
Gamla Stan
A picturesque island of narrow alleys, pointy spires, and pastel facades that's launched a thousand Instagrams.
Fika at: Inside the cozy room at Chokladkoppen—especially now that winter is coming. Skip the coffee and try the rich hot chocolate.
Dine at: Omakase Köttslöjd, which serves a 15+-course menu dedicated to meat in all its glory, in a Japanese-inspired setting.
Södermalm
The Official Hipsterhood: slouchy beanies, oversize scarves, fussy coffee, unfussy food.
Fika at: Either Johan & Nyström, which jump-started the Swedish coffee scene by focusing on sourcing, or Drop Coffee, which wins major international pour-over medals.
Dine at: The vegetarian hole-in-the-wall Falafelbaren, where you'll happily overdose on falafel and bottled kombucha.
Östermalm
Stockholm's central heart, brimming with smart architecture and high-end restaurants.
Fika at: The Platonic ideal of a modern Stockholm café, Snickarbacken 7. It rotates through a half-dozen Swedish roasts and has a menu with items like avocado toast.
Dine at: Speceriet, a casual café with three long communal tables. The tarte flambée might inspire repeat visits.
Djurgården
A bucolic garden island, best reached by tram, ferry, or a quick promenade over the bridge.
Fika at: Blå Porten, a somewhat touristy but still totally beautiful terrace café that's near the ABBA museum.
Dine at: Oaxen Slip, a casual bistro with unobstructed views of the harbor. In back, at Oaxen Krog, chef Magnus Ek is using traditional Scando ingredients like reindeer and lingonberry in radical ways.
Stay Here
Oaxen Krog chef Magnus Ek converted a 1930s Dutch ship into a six-room boatel—the Prince Van Orangiën—that floats near his restaurant.
You know what goes great with a hot cup of Swedish coffee? A Swedish pastry. Or four. Learn the classics.
Kanelbulle
A cinnamon-cardamom bun dotted with pearl sugar; it never sogs because each snail bakes up until chewy.
Kardemummabulle
Similar to the kanelbulle but with a slightly different flavor profile: It's cardamom forward and often intricately woven.
Semla
A favorite of bakers, it's a seasoned cardamom bun sliced in half, piped inside with almond paste and whipped cream.
Prinsesstårta
This delicate tart has layers of sponge cake, pastry cream, and whipped cream shrouded in thin pale-green marzipan.
Coffee breaks are guaranteed by law for all locals, but where people go falls into two distinct camps. Choose accordingly.
Old-School
Go to: Vete-Katten is the gold standard of Stockholm's traditional cafés, open since 1928 and still looking awesomely retro.
Try the: Drip coffee and precious classic Swedish breads, jams and cordials, cakes, and, yes, pastries—covered in sugar.
'Gram the: Painted wooden tables, golden chandeliers, and to-go pastry boxes that come tied with cute branded bows.
New-School
Go to: Café Pascal, opened in 2014, draws regulars daily with free Wi-Fi, natural light, and lots and lots of blond wood.
Try the: Drip coffee...and more pastries! These use alt-flours (some made with coffee hulls) and riff on the basics.
'Gram the: Colorful walls (a perfect teal!), massive windows, and all the model-DJ customers lit by mod swing-arm lamps.
In the summer months, when the sun shines for close to 20 hours, it feels like an outdoor festival all the time in Stockholm. By fall, when the temperature drops to the 40s, everyone puts on sweaters and hikes to Rosendals Trädgård on the Djurgården island. They spread out on the farm's sprawling orchards or in the greenhouse to enjoy garden greens, salads, and sandwiches on bread by baker Jacques Forest—many made using items grown on-site. It's absurdly pretty, but it's the lazy lunch that makes it worth the trek.
Swedes are known for their clean aesthetics, so it's no shock that shopping in Stockholm is some of the best—hit up these four stores:
Grandpa
Grandpa is the place for high-concept knits by brands like Rodebjer. Look for chic housewares and kitchen items, too, like a Sandqvist apron ($100) made from heavy cotton canvas.
Brandstationen
A vintage buyer pairs antiques with modern beauty products at Brandstationen. Stock up on lemony dishwashing liquid ($11) from L:A Bruket, Sweden's all-natural answer to Aēsop.
Nordiska Kompaniet
Ship home polished Gustavsberg porcelain (plates from $48) from the city's famed department store, NK.
Designtorget
With an Ikea feel but less ubiquitous, go to Designtorget for staples that aren't boring. Our pick a Skeppshult cast-iron skillet with its own lid ($235).
Bring Something Back
Swedish kids (and their parents) look forward to the weekend to shop for Lördagsgodis, or "Saturday Sweets" at grocery stores. Bag up salty licorice by the kilo.