Sweden

Sweden is one of the world's biggest coffee consumers, and coffee is deeply ingrained in their culture, particularly through the tradition of fika. Fika is more than just a coffee break; it's a social ritual of slowing down, enjoying coffee (and often pastries or other treats) with friends, family, or colleagues.

While Swedes have a strong preference for filter coffee (bryggkaffe), often consumed black and strong, the urban areas also embrace a thriving specialty coffee scene with espresso-based drinks.

Here are the different ways to order coffee in Sweden and what's typically in them:

Traditional Swedish Coffee (The Fika Staples):

• Bryggkaffe (BRYG-kah-feh): "Brewed coffee" or "Drip coffee." This is the most common and beloved type of coffee in Sweden.

• Ingredients: Ground coffee (often medium to dark roast, but sometimes light roasts in specialty cafes) and hot water, brewed in a standard drip coffee maker.

• Taste: Typically smooth, clean, and often strong. Swedes usually enjoy it black, but milk and sugar are always available. This is the quintessential "fika coffee."

• Ordering: Simply asking for "En kaffe, tack" (En KAF-feh, tack - A coffee, please) will most likely get you a bryggkaffe.

• Kokkaffe (KOO-kah-feh): "Boiled coffee." This is an older, more rustic method, still popular in rural areas, during outdoor activities (like turkaffe - hiking coffee brewed over an open fire), or at home.

• Ingredients: Coarsely ground coffee and water.

• Preparation: Water is boiled in a pot, the coffee grounds are added, and the mixture is allowed to steep (and often briefly re-boiled). The grounds then settle to the bottom, and the coffee is poured directly into cups without a filter.

• Taste: Very full-bodied, robust, and sometimes with more sediment.

• Äggkaffe (EHGG-kah-feh): "Egg coffee." While the name suggests Swedish origin, it's actually more commonly found in Norwegian communities.

• Ingredients: Coffee grounds, a raw egg (sometimes including the crushed shell), and water.

• Preparation: The egg is mixed with the coffee grounds to form a slurry, which is then added to boiling water. The egg is said to clarify the coffee, binding to bitter compounds and grounds, resulting in a remarkably smooth and clear brew.

• Taste: Unusually smooth, very low in bitterness and acidity.

Standard Espresso-Based Drinks (Widely Available in Modern Cafes):

These are found in almost all contemporary cafes, especially in urban areas, and reflect global coffee trends.

• Espresso: A small, concentrated shot of coffee, the base for many milk drinks.

• Dubbel Espresso: A double espresso.

• Americano: Espresso diluted with hot water.

• Cappuccino: Espresso with equal parts steamed milk and a generous layer of foamed milk.

• Caffè Latte: Espresso with a larger amount of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Often served in a tall glass.

• Flat White: A double shot of espresso with velvety microfoam (finely textured steamed milk with minimal visible foam). It has a stronger coffee taste than a latte. This is a very popular choice.

• Macchiato: An espresso "stained" with a tiny dollop of foamed milk.

• Mocca: Espresso, chocolate (syrup or powder), steamed milk, and usually topped with whipped cream or foam.

• Cortado: An espresso "cut" with a small amount of warm milk, typically a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio. Less foamy than a cappuccino or latte.

Filter and Brewed Coffees (Specialty Coffee Scene):

Sweden has a highly regarded specialty coffee scene, with many roasters and cafes focusing on single-origin beans and precise brewing.

• Filterkaffe (again): While general bryggkaffe is common, specialty cafes will often offer carefully brewed filter coffee, highlighting the specific characteristics of light-roasted, high-quality beans using various methods.

• Pour-Over (e.g., V60, Chemex, Aeropress): These manual brewing methods are popular in specialty shops. You'll likely be offered a choice of beans and might even see the brewing process.

• French Press (Kanna med press / Presso-kaffe): Coffee steeped in hot water and pressed. Less common in cafes but found in some.

Cold Coffee Options (Increasingly Popular):

• Iced Coffee (Iskaffe): This can vary, but typically means brewed coffee or an espresso-based drink (like an iced Americano or latte) served over ice.

• Iced Latte (Is-latte): Espresso and cold milk served over ice.

• Cold Brew: Coffee steeped in cold water for an extended period, resulting in a smooth, less acidic concentrate. Served chilled, often over ice, and can be customized with milk or syrups.

• Blended Iced Coffee: Blended iced coffee drinks with milk, ice, and syrup, often topped with whipped cream.

Other & Customizations:

• Kaffe med mjölk (KAF-feh med MYOLLK): "Coffee with milk." A general request if you want milk in your bryggkaffe.

• Kaffe svart (KAF-feh SVART): "Black coffee." If you want your bryggkaffe or Americano without milk.

• Koffeinfri kaffe (KOF-fay-een-free KAF-feh): "Decaffeinated coffee."

• Med socker / Utan socker: "With sugar / Without sugar."

• Växtbaserad mjölk (VEXT-bas-eh-rad MYOLLK): Plant-based milk. Oat milk (havremjölk) is extremely popular (Oatly is a Swedish brand) and widely available, along with almond (mandelmjölk) and soy (sojamjölk) milk.

• Sirap (SEE-rap): Syrups (vanilla, caramel, etc.) are available for flavoring.

• Kaffeost (KAF-feh-oost): "Coffee cheese." A traditional northern Swedish and Finnish custom (often called kaffeost in Swedish).

• Ingredients: Small cubes of a mild, squeaky cheese (kaffeost or leipäjuusto in Finnish) are placed in the coffee cup.

• Preparation: Hot coffee is poured over the cheese.

• Taste: The cheese softens and absorbs the coffee flavor, adding a unique savory-creamy element. It's often eaten with a spoon after drinking the coffee.

How to Order (Basic Swedish Phrases):

While English is widely understood in most Swedish cafes, especially in larger cities, knowing a few Swedish phrases will be appreciated and enhance your experience, especially during fika.

• "En kaffe, tack." (En KAF-feh, tack.) - "A coffee, please." (This will usually get you bryggkaffe).

• "En espresso, tack." (En espresso, tack.) - "An espresso, please."

• "En latte, tack." (En latte, tack.) - "A latte, please."

• "En cappuccino, tack." (En cappuccino, tack.) - "A cappuccino, please."

• "En flat white, tack." (En flat white, tack.) - "A flat white, please."

• "Med mjölk." (Med MYOLLK.) - "With milk."

• "Utan socker." (OO-tan SOK-ker.) - "Without sugar."

• "Tack så mycket!" (Tack soh MYK-ket!) - "Thank you very much!"

*The content in this document was generated using artificial intelligence, drawing from various online sources, and subsequently refined for accuracy and conciseness in 2025. Users are advised to consult multiple sources to corroborate information and should not rely solely on this document for comprehensive research.