Stockholm’s Kanelbullar Guide

Kanelbullensdag, the Day of the Cinnamon Bun, is celebrated in Sweden every 4th of October. If you ever been to Sweden you know here cinnamon is taken very seriously. After four years living in Stockholm I can tell you at I got already my master degree on Stockholm's Kanelbullar -- I also got a full master in fika (the Swedish coffee break).

Apparently, I'm not the only one crazy about buns. Researches says at the average Swede eats cakes and pastry equivalent to 316 cinnamon buns per year! In Sweden, fika is an essential part of the day. Fun fact: the fika culture is even built into many employee contracts. If you are a bit skeptical about this fika and buns things, I'm sure this might be because you haven't tried the best ones yet.

So here it's my Stockholm's Kanelbullar Guide from the best buns (and places) I have been in the city.

1. Älskade Traditioner

Södermalm

You can't leave Sweden before a coffee break here. Because any another experience can be more Swedish than this one - with their crazy milkshakes and pastries you will for sure love this place. I never heard anyone who went home unsatisfied after a visit. Take the cinnamon milkshake, it comes with a whole bun. Seriously, it's the best invention ever! (If you are a salty kind of person, I recommend their savoury waffles!). If you are a foodie like me, take both.

2. Café Fix

Kungsholmen

One of Stockholm oldest coffee shops, from the beginner 19th century. This is one of my favourite brunch café on weekends. If you are lucky you can match your visit with their live jazz. They have really good quality of bread, you will never regret to get a bun there!

3. Kaffeverket

Vasastan

I used to say this is one of my secret fika places. It's cozy, great buns and always good coffee. Not so many people knows about it (maybe now not anymore) and I love to sit here in any time of the year. During summer you can sit outside, during winter also perfect cozy place to study/work/ready a book or just meet a friend for a fika.

4. Vete-Katten

Norrmalm

This place it's always crowed, I never ever saw this place empty. 1920s-style cafe for self-serve lunches & pastries, snacks, coffee & afternoon tea. I always bring friends and families who are visiting Stockholm for the first time. It's the perfect coffee break place after a long day sight-seeing. Also super cozy during winter, when there is snow outside and you sit here to get a warm cup of coffee.

5. Mr Cake

Vasastan

It's more a sweet kind of destination for me, if I'm craving for pancakes or something very sweet. I had cinnamon buns a couple of times there - it never disappoints!

6. Café Saturnus

Östermalm

It feels like a small piece of Paris close to Humlegården park, I used to have fika meetings there. Yes - I do book my meetings during fika time. What's better than a bun and coffee? If you haven't been in Café Saturnus, make sure to write it down on your list.

Trying It's Pleat Cinnamon menu with my favourite Swedish Instagrammer, Emma Jennie. <3

7. It's pleat

Norrmalm

Inside H&M in Drottninggatan there is a coffee shop called It's Pleat. You need to go inside the shop and take the elevator, or stairs up to the first floor. They just launched a whole cinnamon collection - so if you are a cinnamon lover make sure you visit them before the collection is over!

8. Hotel Diplomat

Östermalm

One of my favourite afternoon tea destinations - you can never be tired to grab a coffee or tea at Diplomat. If you like tea, they have their own bland and it's delicious! It's always a good time for a stop here for a bun and tea. They even have afternoon tea, if you would like to get the full experience. You need to book it first and it costs around 300 sek.

9. Thelins

Different parts of the city as Kungsholmen, Östermalm, Solna.. (check their website here).

My favourite Thelins is in Kungsholmen, just outside Fridhemsplan metro station. It's always crowed and very cozy. This is the type of place you can spend hours to decide what you want, because everything looks delicious. Their coffee it's super good and the buns just one of the best in the city!

10. Les Petits Boudins

Kungsholmen

Sometimes I get so sad to share my secret tips because I wanted to keep them to myself as my own treasure... But as sharing is caring, at the same time I love to share about my favourite places and I hope it will turn someone else favourite too. Boudins it's hard to find if you don't live in Fridhemsplan, as it's the type of local café. I love their buns more than everything and I had to choose one place to eat buns until the end of my life in Sweden, I will probably choose Boudins! They have the best cinnamon bun I ever tried.

Do you have a favourite place in the city? Share it with me as I'm always seeking for new places in Stockholm. I hope you eat very delicious cinnamon buns on 4th October and if you want to bake it yourself at home, you can buy the box from Fika Mix. They had the best idea ever, to make something called "fika box" where you can bring with you during your travels, visit to friends or to make it easier to bake at home. They have all traditional Swedish pastries, you can check out their website here.

With love,

Lulu.