Alexis Wells
Fika co-owners Samuel Wiese and Kristina Alving.
July 28, 2023
Friday Food Insider: It's time for a Scandinavian coffee break
Alexis Wells
Fika is open Thursday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to noon.
The smell of pastry goodness has washed over my senses and I will be dreaming about pastries for the rest of the day because a new takeout Scandinavian bakery launched in downtown Saco.
Fika, located in a 250-square-foot space at 17 Storer St., serves simple Scandi-style breakfast and lunch.
According to co-owners Samuel Wiese and Kristina Alving, the word Fika, a Swedish concept, is often translated as “coffee break,” meaning to take a break and enjoy a pastry and a cup of tea or coffee. It is a time to slow down and treat yourself.
Fikas serves specialty coffee — particularly the style of light-roast, single-origin coffee popular in Scandinavia — sourced from George Howell Coffee, which is based in Acton, Mass.
The shop’s extensive selection of pastries includes financiers, tarts and galettes, as well as Scandinavian specialties like cardamom buns, lingonberry buns and Swedish caramel cookies. If you are looking for something more savory try one of the specialty toast or breakfast sando.
Fika social media
Pictured here is a variety of pastries from Fika.
Let’s just say your pal the Friday Food Insider will be there often and for my gluten-free friends, there are some great options like the sesame honey financier, raspberry pistachio-olive oil cake and chocolate buckwheat cookies.
Wiese and Alving designed and did the build-out with the help of some family. The bakers also hired a local artist in Portland to help with the logo.
“I had always wanted to own a bakery and cafe for a long time,” said Alving. “This was a great place at the right time and for the right price."
Fika will be open Thursday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon. Be sure to stop in early; Wiese told Mainebiz yesterday that the bakery usually sells out quickly.
Other Scandinavian spots
Maine has a number of signature bakeries, including Standard Baking Co., Scratch Baking Co, Two Fat Cats and many more. We could spend the day talking about bakeries, but maybe next time.
There aren’t many Scandinavian restaurants or bakeries in the area. But, here is a list of two Scandinavian spots to check out.
Jackrabbit Cafe, at 14 Main St. in Biddeford, focuses on Scandinavian-inspired brunch and pastries, breads and cakes. The cafe was opened in 2021 by Bowman Brown, who also owns Elda in Biddeford. The brunch menu consists of sourdough buns served with cheese, butter and jam, a smorrebrod (open-faced sandwich) served on Danish rye bread and a spring salad. There is also a variety of teas, coffee and other beverages. This spot is cozy and perfect for a fun brunch day or just to relax on a rainy day.
Trudy Bird's Ølbar, at 424 Walnut Hill Road in North Yarmouth, is a Scandinavian-inspired restaurant and bar. Brothers Alan and Jonathan Hines opened the spot in December 2022. As they’ve shared on their website, the inspiration was a trip to Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Copenhagen. The menu consists of Danish open-faced sandwiches, or smorrebrod, snacks, Danish donuts and more. The bar features nearly 20 beers on tap and different types of the Scandinavian spirit aquavit. The Norden Aquavit strawberry cocktail sounds amazing.
What is your favorite Scandinavian dish or pastry? The Mainebiz Food Insider wants to know! Contact Alexis Wells at awells@mainebiz.biz
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