OC Restaurant Quest: Svenska Cafe in Birmingham
(Crystal A. Proxmire, July 28, 2023)
Birmingham, MI – I feel truly lucky that someone recommended Svenska Cafe in Birmingham for me to try, because this simple and beautiful space is a great place for a writer to feel at home. Of course there is coffee in multiple forms like cappuccino, iced coffee, brewed coffee, and late. But there is also a nice selection of baked goods, lots of Swedish candies, and a few fresh sandwich options.
I ordered the egg salad croissant, which was a fluffy soft croissant with hearty scoops of egg salad, joined by lettuce and tomato. I picked out two of the fancy desserts – the lemon bite and the coconut tart.
The tart was like a little itty bitty pie, with a buttery crust, a sweet creamy filling with toasted coconut on top. And the lemon bite was a smooth lemony square topped with a layer of sugary white frosting. Both were indulgent and sweet. Keeping with the lemon theme, I enjoyed a nice cold lemon-flavored LeCruoix.
Other sandwich options include the turkey croissant, smoked salmon sandwich, chicken mango curry croissant and more.
Pastries also include raspberry cookies, cinnamon rolls, cardamom cookies, oatmeal cookies with a dark chocolate layer, and more. For example, the biskvi is an almond cookie topped with buttercream filling and a chocolate shell. There’s also daim cake, made with layers of almond cookie, golden cream, crunch almond caramel, and smooth milk chocolate (also, it’s gluten-fee!).
As if the plethora of baked goods were not enough, Svenska Cafe has a fascinating selection of imported Swedish candy. Of course there are delicious red gummy fishies, but there are also Icelandic chocolate bars, sour viking candies, pink Cadillacs, and salty licorice fish.
Svenska has seating inside and out, with bright open windows and yellow worked into the decor for a cheery, but not overwhelming, space. I sat outside and also enjoyed the view of an adorable blue building with a giant clock on the outside wall.
According to their website, Svenska Cafe was opened in 2016 by Christina Bakalis. “We have often been described as a social space, with relationships and people at its heart. Here you can drink, eat, converse, socialize. Hold parties sometimes. Hold talks, learn, brainstorm, enjoy, celebrate, and live life,” the website says.
Svenska Cafe is located at 930 E. Maple Road in Birmingham. Check out their website at https://www.svenska-cafe.com
Oakland County Times is on a QUEST to enjoy every local restaurant in Oakland County. This long-term project is a labor of love, supported by our friends at White Castle. White Castle is a family-owned company that is proud to be one of only 20 large employers to make the Fortune Best Places to work list in 2022. With steam-grilled sliders, crispy golden french fries, fantastic slides like onion chips or fried clams, and the best chocolate shakes, White Castle is a by far our top choice for a fast food meal. Check out their website at www.WhiteCastle.com.
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