Spring seems to be creeping in finally and Stockholmers all over the city are finally emerging from hibernation, bleary-eyed and looking for something to do. With that in mind, why not begin by checking out some of the coffee shops that Stockholm is rightly famous for. We’ll be bringing you some of our favorites in this new column, starting today with the Tasman Café in Vasastan.
In recent years Australia and New Zealand have quietly – and maybe a little surprisingly – become world leaders in café culture. After spending some time over there, Tasman owner Ed decided to import some of that laid-back, yet high-quality antipodean atmosphere back to Sweden. After closing for a couple of months for building work this much-loved establishment on Torsgatan has reopened for business in time for spring. With its clean lines and washed out wooden planks making up the walls, it’s not hard at all to imagine yourself in a beachfront hut overlooking the sea that is the café’s namesake.
Tasman has long been a favorite with the workers and commuters around St. Eriksgatan, and with this redesign the interior has been opened up and streamlined to make it even easier for those pushed for time while grabbing something tasty for breakfast or lunch. It’s not all about take-away though, and with an enlarged interior and an outdoor area opening in April there’s plenty of opportunity to kick back at a table. With Vasaparken literally over the road, it’s also the perfect place to grab something for a picnic, with Tasman always being happy to lend you a blanket.
More than just the aesthetics though, Tasman has succeeded in reproducing that Aussie café knowhow. When speaking about his experience of these cafés, Ed says that he loved how, despite how much attention to detail and quality went even into the simplest of things, everything was still great value. With this in mind, nothing on Tasman’s lunch menu is priced over 100SEK – be it a salad, a homemade doorstep sandwich, or the famous Tasman Chilli. Almost all of this is homemade in Tasman’s kitchen with the few items sourced from quality local suppliers – fresh bread comes from organic bakers Bakery & Spice less than 100 metres away and coffee is roasted locally by Stockholm Roast.
Speaking of coffee, Ed has a real passion for sharing the different ways of preparing coffee that the Southern Hemisphere has been championing in recent years. While commonplace in the big Australian and Kiwi cities, the piccolos and flat whites that Tasman serves are largely unknown in northern Europe. If you go for no other reason, it should be to try out one of these exotic little coffees alongside a homemade pastry. For those wanting a more regular caffeine hit, Tasman has now also started serving a weekly-changing brewed coffee alongside its espresso-based drinks.
Tasman Cafe
Torsgatan 31
113 21
S:t Eriksplan T-Bana
Tasman offers a 49SEK breakfast and a 99SEK lunch deal and is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 – 17:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 – 16:00.
Words by Denny Way
