For a lot of people, the biggest Swedish cultural experience imaginable is taking a trip to IKEA. And while it can be fun getting caught up in the maze of display rooms and floor-to-ceiling aisles inside the home of the flat pack, it’s not exactly authentic. Not even the meatballs! And this isn’t just me saying this! It’s coming right from the Swedes’ mouth. Specifically, the mouths of Linda Stanes, Diana Chirilas, and Sophie Curl! The founders of Fika!

Fika, a Swedish specialty cafe, has been proudly serving up meatballs, pastries, and even Swedish snacks and lollies for 10 years now. In fact, it’s gone so well that Linda, Diana, and Sophie have managed to open a bakery elsewhere in Manly and a “little sister” cafe in Bondi! And with Swedes flocking in every day for a taste of home, it’s easy to see why it’s become such a success. As I go on and on about in this review, there’s a genuine sense of community here that can be hard to find. Fika gets it and I want in!

Initially, there were doubts over whether or not Fika would do so well. The three founders (and friends) wondered whether they could attract enough business just from expats and travelers. But to their surprise, it turned out that Sydney siders quickly developed a taste for Scandinavian cuisine as well! Go inside today and you’ll find an even split of Swedes and Australians taking the time to enjoy a “fika”. And if you want to know what that involves, you’ll have to head on over to one of their locations and find out for yourself.

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