Nordica 31 grew out of the travels of its founder, Lisa, who spent two years crossing Europe in a campervan and found the Nordic kitchen on her trips to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Canada. She grew up in her parents’ restaurant and studied at LUCA School of Arts in Brussels, and Nordica 31 brings the two together: Nordic street food, coffee and tea, and house-baked sourdough, in a timeless, minimalist room meant to feel like home, the Danish “hygge”.
The coffee comes from UNCOMMON and from Scandinavian guest roasters such as La Cabra, Koppi, April, Coffee Collective and Drop, with a filter of the day from the guest roaster of the month. The bar also pours ceremonial matcha from Matchaeologist and cocoa from Reclaem.
The kitchen cooks with local and Scandinavian produce in season. Breakfast runs from Icelandic skyr and blueberry pancakes to a brioche bun with scrambled egg and cold-smoked salmon, and the smørrebrød come on home-made Danish rye bread. Cinnamon, cardamom, blueberry and hazelnut buns come from the café’s own oven, Wednesday brings a Nordic hot dog and Thursday sourdough pizzette. Smørrebrød, buns and salads can be ordered to take away, and Nordica 31 caters private and company events. There are no reservations, and at busy times it is not a place for laptops or meetings.
Coffee on the shelf
- Uncommon house coffee
- La Cabra Scandinavian guest roaster
- Koppi Roasters Scandinavian guest roaster
- April Coffee Roasters Scandinavian guest roaster
- Coffee Collective Scandinavian guest roaster
- Drop Coffee Roasters Scandinavian guest roaster
Photograph: Nordica 31