Pre-Staycation Bonus: Lunching at Flax

Before we get into our staycation in earnest I want to share a little more about the first stop we make in the video which was to vegan cafe and farm stand Flax.

Flax is a vegan cafe run by two passionate urban gardeners and makers of wonderful food as well as what Rob says is delicious coffee. On the menu they offer simple but well composed dishes like seasonal salads and soups as well as sandwiches and a grilled croissant with cashew cheese that is something extra special. The kimchi sandwich is also a favourite made with their own kimchi.

If you’re after a fika they offer donuts and homemade snickers slices, in the past we’ve also had yummy cinnamon buns there. The produce they use in their dishes come from their own farm here in the city that goes by the name Los Perros Urban Farming. The other goods are sourced in the local area and the dining experience sings out Malmö, via Sydney. I say that because one of the owners hail from there and the plates he serves up reminds me of the gorgeous photos I see of food out of Australian cafes.

At Flax you can also purchase produce to cook up at home as well as their very own fermented goods like sauerkraut and kimchi. They also produce and sell their own hot sauces, Rob loves that. In addition they sell microgreen seeds, growing at home items like sprouting trays, fermentation items and books among other things. For the small space they inhabit they manage to offer a lot and at the same time maintain a really homey and welcoming atmosphere. I always leave Flax with a smile, having enjoyed the community spirit cultivated by the owners.

While Flax would be worth a visit just for the beautiful locally produced food you get so much more than that!

Day 1: Grabbing Snacks, Hotel Room Picnic and an Evening Stroll

On our first staycation day we started off by picking up some snacks at Malmö’s very own package-free shop Gram. It’s a place I’ve mentioned before on my channels because I love their concept to bits. Most of you will know how a package-free shop works but for those of you who don’t it’s a shop to where you bring your own containers and fill up with however much you want or need from a selection of goods. Gram has evolved a lot since the first time we visited and they keep upgrading their space and offering. You can get a wide variety of dried foods including yummy snacks like my favourite chocolate covered cranberries as well as nuts and sweets. In addition to the dried goods they offer locally produced kombucha on tap (wow!), oils and vinegars and plenty more food wise. Gram also offers a wide array of cleaning and personal hygiene products.

After our visit at Gram we headed to Malmö Saluhall where we planned to have lunch in the outside seating area. However, the skies opened and we decided to skip that and simply get some goodies to take with us to the hotel. At Malmö Saluhall, which means food court by the way, you can find various vendors. You can enjoy some really good food on site. For example we like the noodles at Pink Head Noodle Bar or the falafel at Falafel and Burgers and for dessert there is extremely creamy and delicious sorbet at Favvo Glass. Or you could get various items to take back home to make your own feast. We opted for some kombucha from Lanthandeln and vegan cheese from Mollans Ost. If you want some really delicious vegan cheese though we would more so recommend Casheury which you can buy at The Raw Kitchen where it is produced and at Flax.

Then it was time to bring all our goodies with us to Story Hotel Studio Malmö where we stayed for the next two nights. The hotel is located close to the central station sort of between the beach and the core of the city. Our room on the 11th floor had a great view of the city and a simple industrial feel to it. The concrete walls, crisp white sheets, minimal decor and fantastic view made it feel luxurious in a modern way. We were glad we’d planned to have a hotel room pic nic that evening and proceeded to make a delicious spread in front of the doorway sized window. If you ever do a staycation in your own hometown why not make sure you stay in a lovely room and enjoy by spending some time in it. During these times it felt like a great way to feel like we were on holiday without being among people.

We finished off the day with a nice stroll through the city as the sun set and all the light were lit. Those walks always feel like magic wherever you are.

Day 2: Eating well, Window Shopping and a Visit to the Art Gallery

On our first and only full day of the staycation we started with a simple but yummy breakfast at the hotel’s top floor restaurant Kasai in the Sky. By night it’s a Japanese restaurant with very limited vegan options but a great view and roof top bar. We enjoyed said view while enjoying our orange juice and scheming together a plan for the rest of the day.

It started with a walk through Gamla Väster, the old town part of Malmö. It’s beautiful with colourful houses and lots of hollyhocks or “stockrosor” as we call them in Swedish. Enjoy a walk through these old parts of Malmö and perhaps let them take you to Lilla Torg for a peruse at a lovely little square which also is probably the most touristy spot in Malmö.

After all the walking we were ready for a good old Swedish fika. We headed to AB Småland, an organic focused concept store and cafe. Before we ordered we did a whole lot of window shopping around their gorgeously laid out store. I cannot stress enough how beautiful this store is and it’s easy to have the feeling you want to take everything home. They offer clothing with a sustainability focus, ceramics and other home goods, plants, hygiene products and even have a children’s section. It is definitely worth a visit even if you are not out to have a fika. We were though and ordered a delicious vegan cinnamon bun and a raw chocolate cake that had the most velvet-y texture. Rob enjoyed another good oat milk capuccino and I had some golden turmeric milk.

With happy tummies we headed to Malmö Konsthall, a free to visit art space, to check out the Luca Frei exhibition. It was our first time there and we thouroughly enjoyed the experience. The beautifully light filled open space offers a great canvas for the art and the size of the exhibit is perfect. For someone like me who often fatigues at large museums and galleries I do love these smaller art spaces.

After the spin around the exhibition and some sun bathing at the square outside watching the world go by and a skater practicing his kick flips we had worked up an appetite. We took a short walk to vegan spot Farm2Table for a beautifully decorated smoothie bowl and a beetroot hummus and avocado toast. This little cafe is quite new to Malmö and offers a lovely atmosphere with a little backyard, some cosy indoor seating and street side seats for people watching. The food is simple and yummy and I hear there weekend brunch is delish. Next time we visit we’re going to try the Belgian waffle!

We had our lunch on the street-side-people-watching seats and then headed to Slottsparken where we had originally planned to enjoy it. The park is a great alternative to eating at the actual eatery during these times and we always had it as a back up if a spot felt a little crowded. The park of course has its own charm as well. We love Slottsparken because it’s a central green oasis that offers a variety of spaces to chill in. It feels like the person or persons who planned the park created different rooms and feels throughout. There are open spaces, cosy forest feel nooks and great canal side spots to sit down and let the city noise fall into the background. We especially enjoy walks through Slottsträdgården. A lovely garden, again, with a variety of plants that make up different rooms and feels. There are plenty of flowers and bees all around in the summer. So wonderful!

After a nap in the grass we went back to the hotel to put on some warmer clothes and to order a pizza from Fredo’s Pizzagastronomia. We headed over to the restaurant (they have to locations) to pick it up and went down to Ribersborg beach for another evening picnic. Rob and I always get the Giardiniera pizza with yummy vegan cheese from Fredo’s and I get it on a gluten free base that is really good. Ribersborg offers a wonderful back drop for any kind of picnic with Öresundsbron, the bridge connecting Malmö to Copenhagen, on one end and the Turning Torso on the other. If you’re brave enough you might take a swim but the water is pretty cold even in summer. Either way it’s a lovely spot for a walk and a sit down.

Day 3: A Good Fika and Market Shopping

On our final staycation morning, after our last hotel breakfast, we decided to have another fika at Bageri Leve. Leve is a cute bakery with a central location that offers plenty of vegan options, even things like croissants and donuts. My favourites are there sweet tartelettes that seem to change with the seasons. On our visit this time I had one with an elderflower and raspberry topping, yum! Rob loves the donuts and they make a good cinnamon or cardamom bun too. And bread of course. It’s a small space so there’s limited seating and at the moment they only offer a few seats outside. Not to fret though as it is not far from the park or you could stroll around the Davidshall area for a walking fika.

To finish off our mini holiday we took a walk to Möllevångstorget to stuck up on some fresh veggies. This square sees vendors sell fresh vegetables and fruit every Monday through Saturday. Not everything is always at tip top shape but you can find plenty of good produce at a very good price at this market. I especially enjoy buying herbs here as they come in big bundles, plastic free and at a much lower price tag than in the supermarket. On the perimeter of the park you can find a handful of Asian Supermarkets as well as Middle Eastern shops that offer great products as well. Items like light tahini, dates, spices, sauces and other condiments, tempeh, noodles and canned young jackfruit can all be found in a stone’s throw from the market. In addition to the great variety of foods in this multi-cultural neighbourhood I really enjoy the hustle and bustle of the market and surrounding shops. It feels alive and reminds me of my time living in London.

With that I will end this round up of our adventures. I hope you check out the video if you haven’t already and please let me know in the comments if I’ve missed one of your favourite spots in the city! x