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Friday, November 14, 2008

Eating Out - Sturekatten

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Sture is a Swedish male name and "katten" means "the cat", however the Sturekatten this post will be about is not a cat but a café, namely a classic among Stockholm's cafés. One of my favourites ever since high school, back then our visits were rather more frequent than nowadays. Since back then, a long long time ago, the café competition wasn't as fierce as it is today. And I suppose, fierce of not, this place is truly one of a kind and very personal.

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The premises are a three storey building from the 18th century and in order to reach the café you have to climb steep stairs - hence not a place for the infamous pram mafia -, first floor is the bakery, second floor is the main café and top floor seems nowadays to be open only when the place is very busy. But up there you'll find the best and cosiest seats. In the summers there's also a small outdoor seating area at the inner courtyard.

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What makes Sturekatten extra special is that it's interior and furniture makes it appears like you've stepped into someones private bourgeois home, turn of the 19th century. In here the time has seize to exist. It's a cosy misch-masch of different styles and more or less worn out chairs and sofas, trinkets, lamps and a plethora of crocheted tablecloths.

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Admittedly everything edible that's served isn't amazing and lack that little extra something - although the apple pie with custard has been a favourite of mine ever since those high school days -, some of the elder staff really lacks in polite manner and behaviour towards guests - also something that has been surprisingly consistent since the 80ies - but the unique ambiance, well that is truly difficult to compete with. And the main reason for returning for tea and cakes since nearly forever. Every foreign visitor I've brought there have been delighted and talk about it still.

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Part of the kitchen

The other classic Stockholm "cat" café - not nearly as cosy but with better breads and cakes - Vetekatten was founded in 1928 and one of its employees later opened her own café and named it Sturekatten, since it's situated at the street Sturegatan (gatan = the street).

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One of the best things about Sturekatten, apart from the ambiance, the unpretentiousness and the apple pie, is their style of teacups. During a period some time back these cute, personalized cups were replaced by some horrid, plain white IKEA mugs, I was so glad when I found every cup was back in working order again...

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The guests at Sturekatten are really a most pleasant mix of old ladies in hats, teenagers, middle aged couples, business folks of different kinds, people having a cup of coffee and a good read on their own, and of course, now and then, one snazzy undersigned with equally zingy friends in the prime of life.

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Café Sturekatten, Riddargatan 4, close to subway station Östermalmstorg ~ is the place to go meows one Sture the cat ~

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11 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:57 am

    From one katt to another - great post! :) Sturekatten seems like a fab place to enjoy a 'kaffe' and 'kaka'.
    Happy weekend!

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  2. Thank You for this good explain with nice photos...

    Have a good day !

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  3. Så bra och trevligt du skriver. Varifrån har du fått din goda engelska?
    Jag går på Vetekatten med mamma idag, det är så långt hon kan gå, från pendeln och dit. Vi ser fram emot fikat båda två!

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  4. Indeed it is, pixiekatten, thanks for stopping by leaving a nice comment:)

    Thanks, webradio.

    Lena, tack! Jag har alltid varit språkintresserad, pluggat mycket språk och tja, engelskan är väl den som legat närmast att använda sig av och hålla levande.
    Hoppas ni fick en trevlig Vetekattsfika! Har du provat deras afternoon tea? Om inte, gör det någon vardagseftermiddag, prisvärt och gott:)

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  5. Tack för tipset, jag ska gå på afternoon-tea vid tillfälle. Mamma följer gärna med :-).
    Passar mig dessutom utmärkt, jag dricker hellre te än kaffe på em.
    På fm gärna en kopp kaffe dock. Min man säger att jag är en blandmissbrukare från Botkyrka vilket inte låter så smickrande.
    Lena

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  6. Att ge namn åt en katt, det är knepigt som katten.
    Det finns inte många som duger till de´!
    Man grubblar sig tokig av grubbel om natten.
    ETT namn är för lite. En katt vill ha TRE!

    Först har det namnet som används därhemma,
    det enkla, rejäla, som Peter och Tom
    och Viktor och Jonatan, Hugo och Emma
    -förnuftiga namn, som envar tycker om.

    Och om man vill undvika banaliteter
    så kan man väl flottare namn hitta på
    som Plato, Admetus, Elektra, Demeter
    -förnämliga namn men rejäla ändå.

    Och sen skaa man hitta nåt säreget åt´e,
    nåt ovanligt kattnamn med resning och glans
    så katten kan känna sig stolt och belåten
    och snurra mustaschen och svänga sin svans.

    Och sådana namn har jag några på lager
    som Munkustrap, Quaxo och Korikopatt
    och Bombalurina och Fille Podager.
    Det är namn som blott bärs av en endaste katt.

    Till sist ska ni veta att misse och missa
    har något som inte för människor är,
    det namnet som ingen i världen kan gissa,
    som katten om natten i hemlighet bär.

    Och ser ni en kisse som tyst mediterar
    och grubblar, försjunken i länstolens famn
    då vet ni mesamma på vad han funderar.

    Han grunda och blundar - begrundar sitt namn,
    sitt nattliga, kattliga,
    evigt ofattliga,
    allra förtegnaste, egnaste namn.

    av T S Eliot
    översatt av Britt G Hallqvist

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  7. Ha, ha, det var en roligt dubbeltydig benämning du fått från din man, Lena:) För min del slår te kaffe alla gånger, men en välgjord latte då och då slinker förstås ned.

    Ja visst är, TS Eliots "De knepiga katternas bok" mysig!

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  8. A beautiful cafe. You made me chuckle again, when I see the infamous pram mafia arriving, stopped in their endavours by steep steps and no way getting up there! The last picture is enchanting, the kitten is so adorable. Is it or was it one of yours?

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  9. Ha, ha, the infamous pram mafia make-room-for-us taking everything for granted arriving and me and my likes feeling a *slight* case of schadefreude at Sturekatten...;)

    Oh little adorable Sture is actually the litter brother of sweet Siri showing her tummy in the post above. A really lovely litter that was...:)

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  10. Hej Pia,

    a friend had recommended me that café, so I was there at Riddargatan 4 during my stay in SHLM...but I was too late and it was closed :/. And now after seeing your photos and reading your great and intriguing description :), I regret the more that it was closed. Maybe next time... :).
    Regards,
    Lucas.

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  11. Hi Lucas,
    Oh that's too bad, I do hope you get another chance! Soon.

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