"Bite-Sized Indulgence One of my favorite little spots in town, Cupcake STHLM, continually tantalizes me with decadent, bite-sized mini cupcakes that keep me craving more. You'll find flavors like lingonberry, passion fruit, almond, dark chocolate, raspberry, and gingersnap—and some spectacular flavor combinations. Though it’s definitely much cheaper for me to bake my own darn cupcakes, once in a while I love indulging in this shop's red velvet and berry-loaded cupcakes. Så läckra!"

"Semlor at Vete-Katten There's a strong coffee culture in Stockholm coupled with a tradition called "fika," where one shares multiple daily coffee-and-pastry breaks with family, friends, and colleagues. Head over to award-winning Vete-Katten on Kungsgatan to dig into Swedish pastries such as kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), appelkaka (light apple pie) served with vaniljsås (vanilla sauce), and kladdkaka (rich chocolate brownie-like cake). During the winter months of December through March, bakeries offer semlor , oval buns filled with marzipan and whipped cream."

"Classic Cakes at Thelins Thelins is an iconic Stockholm bakery that has been around since the early 1900s. Its first store opened on St. Eriksgatan in Stockholm's Kungsholmen district, and today Thelins has six storefronts and a bakery where all its cakes are baked from scratch. At any Thelins, you'll find an array of classic Swedish cakes—from Prinsesstårta (princess cake) with green marzipan coating and sponge cake layered with jam and cream to a variety of fruit and chocolate cakes."

"Coffee Break at Fjällgatans Kaffestuga I stopped by Fjällgatans kaffestuga with a girlfriend, and we dug into blueberry-raspberry pie topped with vanilla ice cream, and some hot chocolate. Located on Fjällgatan and tucked away in a corner, this little outdoor coffee cottage (kaffestuga) offers impressive views overlooking Stockholm Harbor toward Djurgården. It has been around for over 40 years, serving ice cream and other tasty food items such as pies, cakes, and small sandwiches."

"Stockholm Sips and Snacks To take a break, or to fika, is an integral part of Swedish culture, and many locals escape to cafés at least once a day. The word fika was once slang for kaffi (coffee). But fika is more than a cup of joe. The ritual often involves pastries, or fikabröd , such as kanelbullar (cinnamon rolls) and mazarin (marzipan tarts). Café String serves thin pancakes topped with lingonberries and ice cream—a classic Swedish meal, not dessert. Café String,Nytorgsgatan 38, 46/(0) 8-714-85-14, cafestring.com This story appeared in the September/October 2011 issue."

"The Cutest Café in Stockholm Let's face it, Stockholm is three things for travelers: It's cold. It's expensive. And it's home to some of the most gorgeous human specimens on this dear planet of ours. I may have found the perfect place to remedy these issues, should they be considered as such—Gilda's Café. Set in the heart of the boho district of Södermalm in south Stockholm, Gilda's is the perfect place to shelter from the cold with a warm cup of coffee in hand, inexpensive pastries (fika, anyone?), and some good old people watching. Trust me when I say that people watching does not get any better than in Stockholm. Locals are very fond of hipster ways. They are relaxed, friendly, and could all be on the front cover of a fashion magazine. Beautiful people aside, Gilda's is a little slice of heaven on its own. Think unmatched tableware, indie music, eclectic furniture, and delicious homemade dishes. Worlds away from the compartmentalism and practicality of Ikea. The change of scenery is most welcome and enjoyable. Save your precious kronors, daydream about a handsome Swedish Viking while sipping a comforting latte, and go to Gilda's. It's the ultimate south Stockholm thing to do, and you won't regret it."

"Kafé and Bageri It really doesn’t get more eco-friendly and organic than dining on freshly baked bread and pastries at Rosendals Trädgård Kafé and Bageri. Their breads are baked with biodynamic flour from the Saltå Kvarn mill in nearby Järna, and their dishes are cooked using seasonal ingredients and organic produce from KRAV-certified farms and growers. Don’t be surprised by long lunch queues. It’s extremely popular with locals who wait in line to dig into its minimal yet tasty rotating menu such as pan-seared Pike perch or Arctic char with roasted root vegetables or couscous. The café itself is inside an ambient glass greenhouse surrounded by flower gardens and fruit orchards."