Tiny but competent selection of Swedish pastries
Fika means coffee break in Swedish, or for some, a social ritual. That’s what FIKA Cafe in Toronto offers. Some coffee and sugary treats and a lazy afternoon lounge surrounded by Scandinavian designs. Well, at least that’s what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, FIKA does a brisk business with takeout coffee and pastries.
FIKA has less than four traditional Swedish foods but it does them well. For a proper Swedish restaurant, IKEA is the only option, unfortunately. FIKA sells Scandinavian-inspired sandwiches like ones with smoked salmon. However, their strength is with coffee and sweet pastries, the very essence of fika.
The food
Their pastries sell out as fast as they did before the pandemic. Get there before noon for the full selection.
The hotseller is the kanelbulle (cinnamon roll). If you’ve never had a Scandinavian cinnamon roll, you’re in for a surprise. The dough is infused with cardamom which gives a jolt to the senses. FIKA’s kanelbullar are one of the best in Toronto. The easy way to shape these pastries is by rolling a flat dough and cutting it into cross-sections. FIKA used a more complicated technique to slice and twist the dough into a pleasing knot. It was finished with a liberal amount of pearl sugar. Not only did it look good, it tasted amazing as well. The dough had risen well and was feathery, with just a hint of cardamom. Cinnamon and butter were also in perfect proportion. 8.5/10.
If you are visiting during winter (January to April), be sure to try their seasonal semlor. A semla (singular) is a cream bun with cardamom-spiced dough. Notice a trend with Swedish breads? A semla takes more effort to construct than a simple cream-filled bun and the aesthetics are rewarding. The top of the bun is cut off and the interior is filled with almond paste. A swirl of whipped cream goes on top and is crowned by the cut-off bun piece. A dusting of icing sugar completes this snowman of a pastry.
Regrettably, the semla cap fell off when I brought it home for takeout. You can see the pastry in its original glory in the picture above, taken from the cafe. The cream was neatly piped and the pastry top was cut with similar precision. It was a delight to uncover the different white layers: icing sugar, whipped cream, and almond paste. The paste reminded me of marzipan because of its consistency and flavour. The dough was denser than the kanelbullar and served to contrast with the lighter textures. Decadent. 8/10.
The place
FIKA Cafe is located in the indie enclave that is Kensington Market. It’s in a semi-detached house that blends in with residential properties in the neighbourhood. Before COVID-19, the interior was like someone’s Swedish apartment. Charmingly mismatched furniture. Cute illustrations. It was a cozy intellectual hangout.
With COVID-19, the front space has been converted to a mini showcase of its designer products like stationery and books. FIKA has always been a designer goods store, in addition to being a cafe. The pandemic simply pushed this aspect of their business more prominently.
Verdict
Precisely constructed Swedish pastries with Swedish prices and standards. 8/10.
Practical information
- Name
- FIKA Cafe
- Rating
- 8/10
- Recommended dishes
- Cinnamon bun (kanelbulle)
- Prices
- Cinnamon bun: $4.52 ($4.00 excluding tax)
Semla: $5.09 ($4.50 excluding tax) - Address
- 28 Kensington Avenue
- Hours
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 1100h – 1600h
Friday 1100h – 1800h
Saturday to Sunday 1100h – 1700h - Date of visit
- January 2020, January 2021