It would never have occurred to us that Wavetree was crying out for a Scandi-themed cafe. Luckily for Liverpool we’re not restauranteurs; luckily for Liverpool the people who run Fika knew better.
That Swedish theme is evident in the exterior and interior decor – but it becomes most evident on the menu. We’ve only been in for coffee and snacks, but we’ve eyed up the breakfast platters – which come in meat, fish and vegetable flavours – and especially the Hemlagad gourmet roll (a homemade sausage roll) with local chutney. It’s already been sold out whenever we’ve been!
There’s also meatballs – what else? – and a variety of sandwiches that are rather more recognisable. We can absolutely vouch for the Scandi Hot Dog, which comes with senap (mustard), ketchup, crunchy onions and dressed lettuce. Filling, delicious… for three quid it’s almost farcical – the menu is unusual in Liverpool both for its provenance and for how affordable it is.
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Stick Fika in the centre of Liverpool and we reckon you’d pay double. But then you wouldn’t get the gentle ambiance of the bit of Wavertree that’s close to Woolton, nor the outdoor seating that catches the sun in the morning.
Dessert? There’s brownies, kanelbullar (cinammon buns), shortbread and cakes homebaked every day – we’ve never got that far as the hot chocolate is a meal in itself. The enorumous cheescakes that use the likes of Ferrero Rocher and Biscoff are also on the ‘to-do’ list. And there’s a Fika-blend of coffee from Crosby Coffee you can drink in the cafe or take home with you.
The name? To ‘Fika’ is to enjoy coffee and cake with friends. So best take someone with you.
One of Fika’s best-known features is its notice board, sending interesting, amusing and positive vibes to the denizens of south Liverpool – at least until the typically tin-eared council told them to remove it or pay up. Luckily the board survives to spread a little sunshine – or advertise free tea and toast for elderly customers.
There’s even more to suggest that Fika, which is independently owned, is different from other cafes. Owner Anthony Grice took to social media (Fika’s social game is hard to match in Liverpool) to explain why he had stopped using Just Eat, suggesting the takeaway app “does not support independent food businesses in our city” and take a 30% commission from sales. Better head down in person then – all the better to sample the excellent service and stick some well-deserved cash into the local economy.
Oh, the name? To ‘Fika’ is to enjoy coffee and cake with friends. So best take someone with you too.
