When it comes to a culinary adventure, it can be difficult to tell whether or not a feeling of…read morefamiliarity is a good sign. At times it suggests that a concept is overdone or unoriginal, and at other times that familiarity strikes us at a more profound level -- as if we've been there before in a past life, or as if there's something there that feels like home. I was lucky to find this feeling at a stunning café nestled into the greenery of Djurgården in southern Stockholm, a beacon of warmth and light amidst the afternoon chill.
My traveling companion and I had spent the morning perusing the vast collections at Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde, finding ourselves enchanted by the glorious staterooms and the expertly curated painting exhibitions. It's a known fact that museums always tend to make me hungry, and so after exploring the grounds I was just about ready for something to nibble on.
By this point in my Swedish adventure, fika had become the most cherished hour (or several) of the day. From cardamom buns to princess cake, I had become fully absorbed in this tradition and was fully committed to incorporating it into my life back in the States. While the simplest translation is "a coffee break," for my traveling companion and I had had become so much more -- an invitation to unwind, to take refuge from the Swedish cold, and perhaps most importantly, to indulge a little.
This stunning spot came at a recommendation of a friend of mine who had studied in Copenhagen for a semester and ended up here on a class trip. Luckily, this friend has impeccable taste.
Rooted in (pun intended) community, Rosendals Trädgård is a veritable jack-of-all trades. From producing many of their own ingredients on site to serving treats and hearty fare alike, there is so much that this place gets right. To get to the café you walk past a series of plots alive in the soil, wondering what grows there and who planted it. When you reach the café you find that it's a real greenhouse, steeped in sunlight and awash in a rich sea of blues. It's beautiful on the outside, and even more gorgeous on the inside. Something about the self-serve style setup made me feel like I was at a friend's house for tea, contributing to the delightfully homey feel that had seeped into every corner of the abode.
I sampled a couple of cookies from the buffet, and my dining companion did the same. When we took our seats, we found that each bite left us feeling warm and comforted despite the nip of Swedish spring beyond the walls of the greenhouse. It was a simple meal, an afternoon pick-me-up, yet it seemed to fill us up in spirit the same way a four-course meal would have filled our bellies.
For a plate full of something that feels like home even if you're thousands of miles away from your own, Rosendals Trädgård is an immaculate refuge. Just like the plants that grow on its grounds, you'll find yourself feeling cherished and tended to. What more can we ask of a meal?
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