Now that the dreaded “tenta period” is encroaching and may fortunately already have passed by the time of this article’s publishing, it seemed fit to explore the prominent cafe culture that helps so many get their work done! Not only motivating my studies but further inspiring you the reader, I embarked on a journey of many fikas, draining my wallet whilst simultaneously feeding my caffeine addiction. Initially, the plan was to order a bryggkaffe and kanelbulle (filter coffee and cinnamon bun) at each establishment, but unfortunately, just like my study schedule, things weren’t so straightforward…
Saturday the 19th of October, 15:00: Love Coffee (Clemens Torget)
First, I must apologise for not adhering to the parameters I set for the reviews. However, seeing a flat white on the menu as an Australian and not ordering it would be reason enough to send me home, this time in chains and shackles fitting for a convict. With sincerity out of the way, Love Coffee seriously knows how to brew and at a reasonable price too! At 85sek I got away with my controversial flat white (50sek) and a croissant (35sek) as they didn’t have any kanelbullar. Unfortunately, this excluded the world-renowned refill which could easily be remedied by modifying the order as they offer this for bryggkaffe. The croissant, baked and delivered masterfully by Broder Jakob’s bakery, had a delicate crumble similar to that feeling of treading on the fallen autumn leaves that brushed across the street as I indulged, yet with an exceptional buttery core which my new friend (fittingly named Hubert) seemed to enjoy thoroughly.
Apart from great coffee and croissants, the atmosphere here is ambient with an amazingly selected playlist vibrating across the room, meaning you don’t have to kick yourself in the behind if the AirPods were left on charge at home. Typically filled with people, a tenor of voices paints the background meaning if you are there to discuss with a group there’s no need to be shy. It must be mentioned, however, that if you are lucky enough to find the right seats you can make yourself comfortable, but there are definitely those that are less desirable and prone to making your back hurt after a steady shift of study. Finding a seat here personally has never been a challenge unlike other popular cafes in Lund which seem to be on everyone else’s agenda. Furthermore, unlike other cafes, you feel welcome to engross yourself in work, with the wifi password written clearly across the wall they want you to stay a while. An inviting setting, whether you enjoy pumping your own tunes or letting the environment be the conductor this is the place for you to get in the zone and off the doom scroll.
Monday the 21st of October, 11:30: Inkognito Bistrocafe
Having struggled to stick to the plan on Saturday, and keen to get back on track, I decided to hit up Inkognito whose cozy upstairs seating area had caught my caffeine-hungry eye. This time around, I stuck to my guns and went for the classic bryggkaffe which set me back 38 sek, unfortunately, however, once again we stumbled across a cafe without kanelbullar. At this point, I’m beginning to sense kanelbulles dag (cinammon bun day) a couple of weeks ago seriously put a dent in the supply. In desperation, I settled for a chokladboll (chocolate ball), another Swedish classic, for 35sek. All in all, 73sek felt like a steal for my empty student wallet. Not as fancy as Love coffees order, a simple filter coffee did the trick as I settled into writing the review. One more – and yes they offer refills – did the trick and pushed me to complete this cafe’s section in record time. Smooth and strong enough to get the blood pumping, it’s hard to mess brygkaffe up. Accompanied by the chokladboll which, not too sweet, had a rich chocolate flavour I am satisfied with what Inkognito produced.
With a rustic interior and plenty of comfortable seating upstairs, Inkognito is kitted for a productive study session. Choosing my time wisely at 11:30 I was only one of two seated upstairs. However, I have previously noticed there is typically a crowd during the afternoon. As I sat over an hour and a half, people started to flow in steadily, presumably as batteries and the first impact of a morning coffee began to run low. Hence, a quiet spot in the morning may not be so serene as the hours pass, whereby conversation may convolute an otherwise peaceful cafe. Furthermore, there was no music playing despite a speaker clearly fixtured, so if quiet is what you are after this may just be your jazz. With large tables and seating, I can’t imagine group work would be an issue, although in saying so it did seem like a relatively quiet setting at the time I found myself sitting down. Unfortunately, there was no wifi available to connect to, which should be kept in mind if a longer study period is scheduled.
Friday 25th of October, 13:30: Grand Hotel
I had always found the idea of studying in the Grand Hotel a little intimidating, the name itself giving both my CSN and myself anxiety. However, this was not the case and ‘Grand’ may just be the perfect adjective for their outstanding service. Now here is where, again, I stray from the original plan having ordered a jug of coffee without a kanelbulle (please don’t blame me, I was incredibly nervous to see the total sum on the receipt). With a rather conservative order, I sat myself down planning to make a massive dent in an upcoming assignment (this regrettably did not happen) and was surprised it took over fifteen minutes for someone to come to my table. When, eventually, a waiter arrived with my precious coffee things took a delightful turn. Having thoroughly sweated through my shirt after refusing to ask for the price of the coffee acting like I was not a humble student, I was rewarded with the words “Sorry for the wait, this will be on the house.”. Outstanding! Now there is a saying my grandmother had on repeat “Gratis smakar bäst!” (What is free tastes the best) and I quintessentially agree. I left feeling energised and well looked after.
In itself not a cafe, it can be an amazing place to park your school work on the right day. I say so because there are frequent seminars taking place on the right side of the hotel, the ideal place to be seated, leaving one stranded in the middle of a restaurant. Of course, this is not exemplary and feels quite out of place as those around you wallow in a three-course menu with a glass of wine. That being said, the luxurious decor and exceedingly comfortable seating on the right side makes for the perfect setting to indulge in your work. Furthermore, with access to wifi and low noise levels locking in is not an issue.
Wednesday 30th of October 13:30: Broder Jakob
As the final cafe to be reviewed, you may be surprised to hear that this is the only cafe in which the criteria of bryggkaffe and kanelbulle were fulfilled! You may not be as impressed as I am but one is better than none. Broder Jakobs has built a name for itself due to its amazing array of baked goods and it did not disappoint. With a coffee (35sek) and a cinnamon bun (29sek) totalling 64sek, this visit was budget-friendly considering they offer refills! An infamous bakery that even supplies the first cafe I reviewed, the cinnamon bun was exquisite, literally melt in your mouth. Accompanied by the classic coffee, this pair deserves to be at the altar and I am glad it eventually came to be.
Walking in, an amazing aroma fills the air typical of a bakery so do not come on an empty stomach… your wallet won’t be thanking you. The atmosphere is incredibly cozy and if you get tired of your work they have a poster titled ‘Skåningens ABC’ which will help you relearn the alphabet as a true local. Aside from the coziness, the seats here are incredibly cramped and not ample for a spread of papers or books, more so one at a time, furthermore, it is typically impossible to find a seat at that. Additionally, there is no wifi available. However, I noticed other customers had opted for reading and one was even creating a crossword puzzle, so being productive is definitely possible!
Whether you are simply looking for a change of environment, or are an avid cafe visitor yourself, here is a guide to a few of the best. I can vouch that leaving the house or the sterile library can lead to a boost in productivity and energy (provided you order a coffee). Not only that, but as the cold months approach it is an amazing way to light yourself up when everything turns dark! There is no shortage of cafes in Lund and I strongly recommend you give one of these a try.
