Muffin Bakery — Specialty Store in Norrmalm, Stockholm

Muffin Bakery is an individual cafe and bakery on Drottninggatan in Norrmalm, and what you notice walking in is the room itself: high ceilings, crystal chandeliers and wall-to-wall mirrors in an old building that still carries the feel of past centuries. Tables suit couples, solo travelers and groups alike, and there is outdoor seating facing the street.

The blueberry muffin is the thing to order first, large and moist, and there is a cheesecake muffin in flavours such as chocolate and strawberry that is worth trying next. The cannoli come crisp in several flavours, and the gluten-free cakes rotate, which makes the dessert case more useful than most.

Beyond the sweet counter there is more substantial food: a salmon bagel with a green sauce and fresh rocket, quiche with a side salad, pie served warm, and poke bowls with a choice of protein. Coffee and cappuccino hold their own, and the place works equally for a light lunch and a sit-down break.

Prices sit at the higher end for what arrives: a salmon bagel is 79 kr and a quiche 139 kr, and cakes and muffins carry no price tags, so ask before you commit. Portions can run small against the bill.

The service is friendly and quick on a good day. Come for the muffins and the room rather than a full meal, and come on a weekday morning if you want the mirrors and chandeliers mostly to yourself.