WORDS & PICTURES: Abi Prowse
When seeking recommendations for a trip to Gothenburg, many locals will excitedly guide you directly to Café Husaren. Housed within one of the Haga neighbourhood’s typical light brick buildings, which dates back to the 19th century, the maroon awning of this coffee house proudly and boldly states the word with which it is most often associated: hagabullen. Unique to this particular area of Gothenburg, hagabullen are this café’s world-renowned take on the classic Swedish cinnamon bun, infamous mainly due to their enormous size and crystals of sweet, crunchy sugar.
The elegant, old-fashioned feel of Café Husaren’s interior is reminiscent of Swedish coffee house culture, the idea of fika – a cosy coffee break with friends – intrinsic to the lives of its locals. The high ceilings, chandeliers, and dark wood furnishings of Café Husaren seem to transport you back in time. As it typical of many Swedish coffee houses, its self-service system allows you time to gaze longingly at the pastry cabinet by the counter, row upon row of delicate, homemade treats winking suggestively at anyone who enters. Looking past the temptation of their hagabullen, this coffee house boasts also a range of biscuits, cakes, and other pastry types, all of which are proudly and freshly homemade.
Along with these pastries and desserts, Café Husaren boasts a savoury lunch menu, with a range of hot sandwiches to defrost their clients from the biting winter wind. Braves Swedes can occasionally be found perched at the outdoor seating, almost Parisian in its style. If you’re unable to finish your monstrously-sized hagabulle, then paper bags are available for you to take it away with you.
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