📍Falu House, New York City
I had a late brunch reservation this past Sunday, and I had about an hour before it. In these situations, I usually opt for a coffee during the day or a drink in the evening. The weather was beautiful that day, with temperatures in the 70s and sunny skies. I searched for spots near brunch and I had Falu House saved.
It's on a corner near Caffè Panna but removed from that crowd. It looks like a warehouse, no doubt influenced by the construction and lots nearby. Falu House is a cafe, though they call themselves a Scandinavian deli and a furniture store. They have two doors. One door was like a garage door on the cafe side that was up, and tables were set up outside. The other door goes into the showroom. I walked in through the showroom door. The cafe area is on the left if you do the same. I didn't specifically spend time looking at the furniture, but it follows the model of Restoration Hardware by combining high-end furniture with a cafe or restaurant to get you in the door. The cafe itself was filled with furniture from the store. The tables, chairs, stools, and other pieces all had tags on them. A smart way to try before you buy, presumably not specifically the piece they use in the cafe.
The place was packed. A handful of people were looking at furniture, and every indoor seat was occupied at the cafe save for one or two stools on a bar-like area around the cafe counter. Not a laptop was to be seen, though it was a Sunday. Joyful conversations between friends and neighbors echoed through the place.
They list their food menu online, so I knew what was there but not the drink menu. I asked for a cardamom bun from the pastry counter, one of the last ones available. This one had a bit of a sticky glaze on the outside that amplified the exterior shell formed during the bake. Underneath that shell was a soft and buttery pull-apart bun. The cardamom on top was finely (mostly) crushed up and sprinkled, which made it easier to eat. I came away thinking it was pretty balanced between sweetness and cardamom, where neither overpowered the other.
A small placard next to the terminal showed a seasonal menu. There was a Pumpkin Spice Latte on it, so my decision was easy. If I see pumpkin spice, I'm going to get it. I asked for it iced and with oat milk. It came layered, so after I took this picture, I shook it up a bit and gave it a good stir. I first noticed it wasn't sweet; if anything, the spice muted some of the sweetness from the milk. The Pumpkin Spice was thankfully not cinnamon-forward; instead, I got strong notes of clove and maybe even a little cardamom. It's a Pumpkin Spice Latte that felt on-brand for a Scandinavian coffee shop.
TThis is the type of place that reminds me of what makes New York City so special. A cafe that doesn't need to be interesting but is. At one point, the person who made my latte came by and asked me what I thought of it. It's a café full of people enjoying their Sunday morning. Now, I'm off to brunch.
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