Taking on a new country and opening up a place where people could come to enjoy a brief moment away from life’s everyday stress, had been a dream of Lars Akerlund, a Swedish entrepreneur with a taste for adventure, ever since he first saw the movie cocktail in 1989. A strange inspiration one might think, but it all began taking shape with what was intended to be a recreational trip to New York in 2001. Lars fell head over heels in love with the city that was about to become his new home. Lars felt the city’s pulse, vibrant energy and endless possibilities but also noticed a void when it came to one of his favorite things in the world……… - a truly satisfying cup of coffee. His entrepreneurial mind quickly got to work, and Lars saw the potential for a great business opportunity. After 4 years of extensive research and planning, Lars decided to gamble everything on his dream of opening up his own business in New York. He sold every single thing of value he owned and moved his entire life across the Atlantic to start doing the real work he knew was ahead. The following year was filled with busy days of looking for the right space, doing more research and networking. It was during this time that Lars crossed paths with David Johansson, who at the time was working as head chef at the Swedish consulate in New York. With a similar yearning to put his own stamp on the city of New York, the partnership was both instant and perfect. No less than 34.000 real estate ads later, with phone calls made to 297 of those ads and having physically seen 97 spaces, Lars and David finally found the perfect spot in number 98 and were able to begin their journey.

FIKA is a Swedish verb that roughly translates into taking a coffee break, usually accompanied by something sweet and delicious. While most Americans take their coffee to go, having a fika is an important daily ritual for Swedes who enjoy taking a moment to indulge in conversations with friends and colleagues. Keeping this in mind, it should not come as a huge surprise that Swedes happen to be among the top consumers of coffee in the world! This tradition and fine appreciation of a coffee-centric lifestyle served as inspiration for FIKA espresso bar. In 2006, FIKA opened it’s doors to it’s very first location at Central Park South, right next door to the Plaza Hotel. The concept proved successful, and in December 2008 a second location was opened in the Flatiron district, on Park Avenue South between 28^th and 29^th street. Next it was time to win over a new territory, and sights were set on the financial district. The latest and largest location to date saw the light of day in March 2010, on 66 Pearl street, located in the very heart and pulse of the busy financial district.

So what exactly is this concept that the New Yorker's have come to embrace with such enthusiasm? To sum it up in just two words, what sets FIKA apart is simple; quality and care. Sourcing only the finest 100% Arabica beans flown in every month directly from Löfbergs Lila, a century old roaster in Karlstad, Sweden, FIKA promises an experience that meets the standards of even the most discerning coffee connoisseur. FIKA also offers a creative breakfast and lunch menu created by Executive Chef and Co-founder David Johansson, which combines homemade Swedish flavors and ingredients with an artisanal and modern twist. FIKAs breakfast menu includes whole grain bread with eggs and caviar, fresh fruit, and homemade cinnamon buns and muffins. Lunch items include home-cured salmon, Swedish meatballs with lingonberries, various salad combinations, and a daily soup option. Johansson has also been instrumental in expanding the brands vision into their new out-of-house catering service Catering Bites, bringing FIKA’s innovative menu to special events and corporate functions around the city.

Of course, winning the hearts of the city without offering a little something sweet would be unthinkable…!  From the very beginning, Lars and David had a vision and dream to make FIKA known, not only for it’s high quality coffee, pastry and savory dishes, but also for the best chocolate truffles on earth. The dream stayed just that, until they came across Hakan Martensson, a man known as somewhat of a rockstar in the world of chocolate. Born and raised in the heart of the Swedish south, Håkan knew from an early age that he would devote much of himself to tickeling people’s taste buds.. Blessed with a very vivid imagination and a unique dedication to his art of choice, Håkan quickly established himself as one of Europe’s most respected and admired chocolatiers and has enjoyed a long and acclaimed career at Sweden’s top chocolate house. Often drawing inspiration from the world of fairy tales, fantasy and magical stories, his elaborate and unique chocolate sculptures were awarded with a gold medal at the 2008 Culinary Olympics and a silver medal in the world cup in Luxenbourg 2006. Having met a chocolatier with just as much passion as they had themselves, Lars and David knew they wanted Hakan onboard. With Hakan being equally excited to partner up with FIKA and showcase his talents in a new forum, they decided to join forces. In an exclusive collaboration with FIKA espresso bar, Håkan Mårtensson has developed an assortment of hand rolled truffles, pralines and chocolate bars. This new line combines passion for all things chocolate, exquisite craftsmanship and the highest quality ingredients possible, all to create an experience truly out of the ordinary.

The opening of 66 Pearl Street, with it’s vast space and fully equipped catering kitchen, has allowed FIKA to further grow in a new and exciting direction. Much focus during the past year has been on developing their line of chocolates and expanding their home made line of products to include such items as granola, jams, vinegars, etc. In an effort to keep their line exclusive, their products have thus far only been sold at the three FIKA locations throughout the city. The success of the line has led to an expansion and FIKA will this fall be partnering up with Whole Foods to distribute their line nationally.

Extending from the construction and design of both locations, to the preparation of the chocolates and dishes, the importance of starting from scratch is apparent in everything that they do. FIKA uses only the finest ingredients and sources local produce whenever possible and all dishes are prepared on site. FIKA acts as a window to Sweden for New Yorkers to learn more about Swedish culture and art. All three locations feature a rotating mini gallery that showcases the work of up-and-coming Swedish artists and Akerlund’s clean design aesthetic and appreciation for quintessential Swedish craftsmanship is clearly expressed through the interior design and service-ware.