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Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 18 / Coffee Tour #18: Stockfleths, Oslo

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With 10 locations scattered all over the city, Stockfleths is a bit of an Oslo institution. While my niece was here in June, we stopped by their largest location on Prinsensgate for a morning coffee.

Once we managed our way around the construction outside, we walked into a clean and well-lit cafe. Not especially unique in its design, but appealing and comfortable all the same.

 

Stockfleths has been around since 1895. They are easy to find throughout the city. With a nice selection of coffee, as well as tea, pastries and sandwiches, it it a good choice for breakfast, lunch, or a coffee break.

We were on our way to the airport and a bit short on time, so we opted for their daily coffee. It was a nice medium roast with a good, smooth flavor, although I felt it was served too hot. That’s the drawback of getting the daily coffee, I guess!

The Prinsensgate location is two stories, and the downstairs also has a room for holding coffee classes.

www.stockfleths.as
Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 17 / Coffee Tour #17: Fábrica Coffee Roasters

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It’s always nice when we can work a quick vacation around a business trip – and particularly when it’s to a place we’ve never visited before. Our recent trip to Portugal started with a couple of days in Lisbon, visiting friends and checking out a really cool city.And of course checking out a really cool coffee shop!

Fábrica Coffee Roasters is a newbie. Our barista told us they opened about two months ago.

But with high quality locally roasted coffee, a menu that includes great drinks and a nice selection of food, and an atmosphere that makes you want to sit and relax, we feel it’s safe to say Fábrica has the potential to become a favorite for locals and tourists alike.

The boys had an ice coffee. It was as delicious as it was cute.

Zack and I tried an affogato (espresso shot and ice cream – wow!!) and a V60, as well as an espresso.

From the staff, to the drinks, to the presentation: everything was fantastic. Located just a block behind Hard Rock, the location is close to all the action, yet one street makes a big difference in setting up a quieter and less touristy locale.

Most of Lisbon’s cafes seemed quite similar to each other. But Fábrica has created a place and space all its own. It’s a must if you find yourself in Lisbon.

Check out Fábrica Coffee Roasters on Facebook here.
Portugal, R. das Portas de Santo Antão 136
1150-265 Lisboa, Portugal
And be sure to check out our Tastemade video for this cafe:
Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Coffee Tour: Coffee Break …. Kaffetur: Kaffepause

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Due to travel, we are taking a coffee break this week.

Don’t worry: we’re out drinking plenty of coffee. And we’ll be back next week with another installment of the weekly Coffee Tour!

In the meantime, enjoy a coffee at a locally owned and operated shop near you!

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Growing our Bean Knowledge

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Recently we were talking coffee with friends, and I realized how quickly both our passion and knowledge have grown. Okay, probably Zack more than me. But we are married, so we share everything!

Moving to Norway two and a half years ago, coffee was a nice drink, one that we liked to make a pot of fairly often. We had already come to the point where we drank it black. But our world had not yet opened up to the wonderful world of hand brews, pour overs, and slow coffee.

Terms like V60 and Aeropress were not yet in our vocabularies, and we knew little of the importance of things like water temperature, filter color, blooming, and pouring techniques.

We still have a long way to go. We are learning more about the types of beans and the roasts that were prefer. We are discovering more about roasting methods.
Have you ever had unwashed beans? Quite unique.
We have not begun roasting at home, although I would not be shocked to see Zack go that direction one day.
And to be perfectly honest, I am not sure I will personally ever be at the level where I can identify the specific notes as I sip a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
Perhaps a proper cupping course is in order.
But we really do enjoy coffee. Finding just the right beans. Learning new techniques. Trying new things.
The process of preparing a Hario or Aeropress is a large part of the overall experience. It really has become more than just drinking the coffee. And the gear is cool. And meeting people with a similar passion is fun. Exploring new shops has become a part of every vacation, day trip or business travel.

We really do enjoy the coffee culture.Are you a coffee lover? Do you enjoy a particular drink or a special brewing method?

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 16 / Coffee Tour #16: Prufrock, London

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First impressions are important. And having an espresso tamper for a door handle gave me a great first impression of Prufrock, in London.

 

Prufrock is known for fine coffee, as well as barista training courses and coffee lectures. I would love to see something like this in our area. I know a certain husband of mine who would be there in a heartbeat!

Once inside, I once again saw many of the elements common to today’s trends in coffee bars. High ceilings and wooden floors, well-lit, and a chalkboard menu. Yes, all the usuals. And yet, it still has its own look and feel. It is a nice size space, with lots of seating and room to move around.

Their coffee was great. We had the Suko Quto Ethiopia, from Barn in Berlin, served as a V60.

For those close to London and Prufrock, you might want to check out their upcoming event. Tim Wendelboe (yes, from Oslo!) will be the next guest speaker in their lecture series, on 17 August. (more info HERE)

 

Prufrock Coffee
23-25 Leather Lane
Greater London
EC1N 7TE
free wifi ~ Open 7 days a week

 

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 15 / Coffee Tour #15: Coffeeberry, Stavanger

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We just returned from a long weekend in Stavanger, on the southwest coast of Norway.And before I go any further, I have to say thanks to our friends for letting us stay in their home while they were traveling!

I wasn’t having a lot of luck when I did my usual pre-travel coffee research. I did read a bit about a few shops, but nothing much. So I called out to Facebook friends, and got some great advice.

The best tip was to try Coffeeberry. And we were so glad we did!

Coffeeberry has two locations, in Sandnes and Stavanger. We visited their downtown Stavanger cafe.

The decor is done well. Brightly colored walls on each end reflect the whimsical nature of both Coffeeberry’s logo and their packaging. One end of the shop is painted a bright turquoise, while the other boasts Coffeeberry’s signature bright red.

The furniture is retro and fun. A plethora of teakwood furniture fills the shop, and the walls are adorned with what I would consider throwback Norwegian art. Maybe the kind of work you’d see on the walls of your family’s hytta/cabin.

As you step in, the focal point is the copper coffee bar. And their wall menus are a playful touch, reminiscent of a diner or sandwich shop from years ago.

We visited Coffeeberry twice over the weekend. On the first day, we tried a hand brewed Colombian coffee, and an espresso. Both were excellent. While there we picked up a couple of bags of beans, from Colombia and Ethiopia.

On our second visit, we had their daily coffee. This particular day was from Burundi, and was another  top-notch choice. We also ordered a con panna (our current go-to specialty drink), a shakerato and a caramel ice latte.

Everything we tried was delicious.

Coffeeberry also offers a selection of pastries, salads, sodas, and juices.

For those of you with small children, you’ll be happy to know that they have a kids’ corner with some toys to occupy your little one while you enjoy your drink.

Coffeeberry: another superb offering from the world of Nordic coffee. Definitely worth a stop-in!

You can also check out our Tastemade review of Coffeeberry!

Coffeeberry
Klubbgata 3, 4013 Stavanger
Våsgate 34, 4306 Sandnes

 

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 14 / Coffee Tour #14: Drop Coffee, Stockholm

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On the very top of my must-see/must-do list for Stockholm is Drop Coffee.
If you like coffee, start your day here.
Would it be to cliche to say you must Drop by? Yeah, I thought so.

Drop is a fairly NKOTB.

That’s new kid on the block for those of you who didn’t have the privilege of growing up in the 80’s.

It’s been around since 2009. But don’t let its age fool you. It is legit.

The space is clean and simple. The food is art. And the baristas really know what they’re doing.

And the coffee? Excellent.

On my most recent trip, I ordered a pour-over from Ethiopia. Anna tried their São Judas from Brazil. Both were delicious.

Scandinavia knows their coffee, and Stockholm has some great offerings. In my opinion, Drop is right on top of the list for this fantastic city.

While it is not in the heart of the most touristy part of the city, its location in Södermalm is well worth the visit.

And Södermalm is a pretty cool area anyway!

http://www.dropcoffee.com

 

Travel

A 36 hour Stockholm tour

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Anna and I had a little more time in Stockholm than we did in Oslo (see One Day in Oslo). I have been to Sweden’s capital twice before, but each visit was with a local. Navigating the trip myself proved a challenge, but we managed to see a lot.We had about 48 hours in Sweden’s capital. We opted for the 72 hour transit pass. They offer a 24 hour pass as well. The 72 hour pass is double the price of the 24, and covers the majority of Stockholm’s public transport. It does not include the Arlanda express train. But if you aren’t in a significant hurry, you can use your pass to get to the city center. Simply buy the passes at the visitor center just before exiting there airport, take the red 583 bus from Arlanda to the Märsta station (a commuter train station). Then take a commuter train to Stockholm Central.

Once we dropped out bags off, our first stop was Gamla Stan, the old town. The winding streets and colorful architecture are quite charming.

A couple of streets are especially geared towards tourists, so it’s easy to find a souvenir or a bite to eat. We enjoyed a meal at Burrito Bar.

 

 

We also walked down the river and over to the city hall. There are beautiful views to be seen from there!

 

After travel and a lot of walking, we were tired. So we headed in for the evening.

We didn’t have perfect weather on our full day in Stockholm, but it was definitely bearable.

Our first stop was, of course, for coffee! We started out at Drop Coffee, my favorite in Stockholm.

 

 

Then we made our way to the Wasa museum. If you have time and money for only one museum, this should be the one. (read more here)

We spent a good bit of time exploring the Wasa. Then we headed back into the main part of the city for lunch at Kungshallen. I love this place because it’s kind of like a food court, so everyone can pick what they want to eat. And I love that they have great Indian food (yeah, I might have a bit of an addiction to all things curry…)

After lunch, it was back to Gamla Stan. We found the narrowest street (photo op!),

went in the German Church,

and walked to the palace.

 

Then we headed for my other favorite coffee spot, Johan och Nyström.

 

At that point, the rain arrived. We had seen most of things we wanted to see, so it wasn’t the worst timing. But one thing we had not done was explore the underground stations.

Stockholm is known for having interesting stations, very random and artistic. So we made several stops before heading home for the night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 13 / Coffee Tour #13: Fuglen, Oslo

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Kaffekos. (Kaffe = coffee. Kos comes from the Norwegian word koselig. You can read about it HERE)
For me, kaffekos is a critical factor, and a single word that describes the whole coffee experience.
It’s the perfect combination of excellent coffee and an atmosphere where you’re able to sit, relax, and really enjoy your drink. No feeling of being rushed, but plenty to see while you sit and sip.

 

A couple of years ago, a friend introduced us to his favorite shop in Oslo. And so began our courtship with Fuglen (The Bird) in Oslo.
Seriously, the place looks like a set straight from Mad Men. And if you like what you see, you can do more than just envy its retro-chic styling. Everything from the furniture to the lamps is available for purchase.
After having an amazing cup of coffee, stop by their shop a couple of doors down and tell them what you’d like. And if you’re tight on luggage space, order online and have it shipped.

Fuglen has kaffekos. It is kaffekos.

 

The shop got its start back in 1963. And taking a look around the place, one might notice that the decor pays homage to the cafe’s 60’s roots. In fact, I always half expect to find  Don Draper lounging on one of the sofas.
Yes, the styling of Fuglen is cool. But that isn’t what keeps us coming back.
As you would expect, Fuglen’s baristas typically hit the hipster image on all cylinders. And yet, while their plaid shirts, wayfarer frames and perfectly tailored beards are iconic, they aren’t so overpowering that you miss out on their exceptional coffee knowledge.
Yeah, these folks know their stuff.
And it’s not just their knowledge and friendliness that makes this a frequent stop for us. It all comes down to the coffee they serve. Excellent equipment, proven expertise, and only the best beans.
If you see it on the shelf, you can try it in your cup. We typically choose something from Tim Wendelboe or Drop Coffee. On my last visit, I enjoyed Tim’s Nano Challa Heirloom. Incredible.
Don’t let the light color fool you. This was not at all weak. It was one of the smoothest and most flavorful cups I’ve had in quite a while.
But no matter what you order – pour over, espresso, coffee drink, or cocktail – you can expect a memorable drink and a memorable experience.
Yes, when we first stepped into Fuglen, we definitely found our Oslo dose of kaffekos.
Fuglen has cafe locations in Oslo, Tokyo, and New York.
For more info, check out Fuglen online. If you are in Oslo, this is our number one recommendation for the perfect combination of cool atmosphere and quality coffee.
Cafes: http://www.fuglen.com
Furniture and Decor: http://www.fuglen.com/lifestyle/vintage-design/
Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 12 / Coffee Tour #12: Vespa, Warsaw

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Another stop in Warsaw, this time at a shop called Vespa.

Vespa’s decor definitely gives off a 1960’s vibe. The palette has a heavy emphasis on orange, with fun lighting hanging from very high ceilings.

 

The service area was well organized and quite typical of the going cafe trends. Chalkboard menu, a selection of baked good, and the other usual paraphernalia.

 

The service itself was not spectacular. But the barista’s English was limited and I only know a handful of words in Polish, so that is probably the reason why. I was disappointed when I tried to order an advertised drink, and was told they didn’t serve it anymore. But the coffee we did order was a pour-over, and it was a good cup of coffee. Definitely better than a typical coffee chain cup of coffee.

The location was a bit odd – not really close to any other places we were visiting, but also not terribly far from an underground station.

 

For more info on Vespa, visit https://m.facebook.com/vespacaffe?refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fpl-pl.facebook.com%2Fvespacaffe