You often take for granted how great it feels to put on clean clothes. That is until you think you’ll have to wash your current clothes in your hotel shower to wear again the next day.

Trust me, it’s not a pleasant thought.

However I thought about doing that when I was unsure if I would see my luggage again during my first, and difficult, day in Stockholm. Thankfully my missing suitcase was returned to me 24-hours after arriving in Stockholm and my heart rate could decrease to its normal level. It was officially my second day in Stockholm and the happiness of changing into a new set of clothes had me smiling from ear to ear like the women in the original “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” number of the musical Annie. Now looking, smelling, and ultimately feeling good I stepped out the door of the Elite Hotel Carolina Tower ready for breakfast.

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The original plan of the day was to go to a coffee shop, but which shop was the question. I expected to get closer to the central part of the city and explore a few options, but I was lucky enough to stumble upon one closer to the hotel. A walk of a few short blocks and my eyes darted to a deep brown door covered by a beige and a rust colored orange paint. The subtle yet eye-catching entryway was to Haga Bageri. There were a couple of benches near the front door and I wanted to do nothing more than sit there with a latte and something to eat.

That’s when the word, ‘fika’ came to mind. Prior to coming to Stockholm, I was researching all parts of the Visit Stockholm website to find the best places to eat and visit. In my search, I came onto the word, ‘fika’ which is a Swedish term to describe meeting up for coffee and a pastry—ideally with friends. Considering this was a solo trip, my fika was an independent one, but that didn’t damper it whatsoever.

Opening the door to Haga Bageri and walking down the stairs, the small shop felt quaint and cozy. Standing at the bottom of the stairs and taking a look to the right was a seating area that encouraged one to stay around and engage in conversation. A look to the left and there were pastries and desserts all piquing the taste buds. In between it all was a shelf of oils, sugar, salt, and lavender.

Ordering at the counter, I grabbed two items and made my way to the outdoor benches to take my photos and enjoy the food. I started with a simple Latte (38 SEK, $4.50) and Smørrebrød (50 SEK, $5.65). If there was the slightest notion in your mind that made you wonder if a latte tasted different in Sweden than in the states, you can stop thinking because it doesn’t. Your average latte carries the same flavor nationwide and internationally and with that this one tasted familiar to those I’ve had on many occasions. Since the shop doesn’t insert flavors like caramel or hazelnut to their lattes, I could take my “spoiled by Starbucks” way of life and appreciate the drink in its original form. It was light and robust with a gentle deepness from the espresso.

To compliment the latte was the smørrebrød. The open faced sandwich took a buttery rye bread and topped it with brie and marmalade. Not to sound like those were the only aspects I cared about, but biting into it, they were clearly my favorite. While I’m not the biggest fan of rye bread, I loved the way the sweet and juicy marmalade lightened up the bread. The velvety cheese became such an effortless way to enhance what I feel can be an overly dense bread.

Side by side, the latte and smørrebrød were a pleasant way to start my first actual day in Stockholm. Sitting at the shop in clean clothes was the way I wanted to start my day in the capital of Sweden, but to add the simple breakfast only made it better. Sure it wasn’t a ‘fika’ in the traditional sense with a friend, but quality time with myself wasn’t a bad way to kick off my first international adventure.

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