Garage rörstrandsgatan
Rörstrandsgatan cuts straight through the hub of Birkastan, beginning at S:t Eriksplan and extending on to Karlberg Station, where it curves up the hill, eventually merging with Karlbergsvägen. Most of the action takes place on the first couple of blocks, before it turns into a peaceful residential area with a lovely view over Lake Karlberg and Karlberg Castle.
Birkastans Dag has been celebrated on Rörstrandsgatan on the first Sunday of September for three years running; on this day, Birkastan devotees get together for live concerts, dance lessons, art exhibitions, tasting samples, and various other culture pursuits, all topped off with a cup of coffee of course. The oldest citation of the name comes from a couple of letters written by Magnus Ladulås in the late 13th century.
Rörstrandsgatan 7
Rörstrand Castle was built in the 17th century and was the main building of the Rörstrand Estate, then owned by nobleman Mårten Wewitzers, who presented the castle to his wife as a wedding present. The castle building is today incorporated with the Filadelfia Church on Rörstrandsgatan. The Rörstrand porcelain factory began manufacturing goods in the 18th century, and quickly became one of the best-known porcelain producers in Sweden, as well as one of the largest industries in the country.
The factory was closed and torn down in when the business moved to Lidköping. Getting to Rörstrandsgatan is as easy as blueberry pie. Either take the tunnelbana to S:t Eriksplan, or hop on one of the many buses that pass through here, such as routes 3 or 4. The area is also very biker-friendly, with bike lanes running up and down all major streets. And if traveling by pendeltåg, Karlberg Station is just around the corner.
The interior is simple but tasteful and, as suits a true espresso bar, the focus is on the beverage rather than fancy framework. The relationship amongst us business owners is very good, as a small-town mentality should be.
Rörstrandsgatan 7 - Parking Meter (Pay & Display)
The street is like a large living room. The sitting area is one long row of brown benches and black chairs, keeping with the tones of the burgundy and cream checked floor. The Cuban photo exhibition adds bright hues to the coffee-coloured locale, not to mention the purple cheesecake that looks like something that might give you super powers. The street is always busy with various people passing by — stressed, happy, or chilled.
It reminds me a lot of my favourite city, New York. In past years more restaurants have opened up and the quality has gone up everywhere because of the competition. We have a good relationship with our next-door neighbour Mellqvist. The funny thing is that they are our biggest competitor and our biggest asset, both at the same time. We compete with each other to make the best coffee in town.
And I would say that our area is the most crowded in Rörstrandsgatan. The orange and teal chairs look dazzling in the sun and those pasta lunches go well with a glass of white wine. The lounge music is as chilled as the wine, and the selection of freshly-made desserts is unscrupulously tempting.
The Goddess of freedom in Karlberg
A typical day at the café consists of a lot of running and many satisfied guests. This trend definitely attracts a lot of people here. The walls are adorned with big circles that function either as lights, mirrors, or bottle holders, and the funky red lighting fits well with the lemon-yellow furniture. A print of the Eiffel Tower takes up a whole wall and good-quality cookbooks are to be found on a display shelf, amongst copies of hipster cuisine magazine Lucky Peach.
But despite fancy pizzas and pastries, Xoko is not afraid to put traditional courses such as blood pudding on their lunch menu. The fire-red door beckons and opens up into a warm space of hunter-green leather booths, wooden tables, and a collection of deep-brown books. The tartan motif is naturally predominant and blends well with old ads for Scottish trademarks such as whisky and golf, and antique brass horns and bagpipes dangle from walls decked with paintings of gentlemen on a foxhunt.
The blues music soothes those lone football fans scattered around the bar, perusing the sports pages over a pint. The bar has a unique atmosphere that our guests seem to appreciate. And as we are the bar that stays open the latest during the week we are usually the place that all the other workers on the street drop by for an after-work drink.