For a company that only arrived in Manhattan eight years ago, FIKA is doing a pretty good job of showing the coffee world how it’s done. It’s already the largest privately owned coffee company in New York and the fastest-growing coffee company in New York City history. In 2015, FIKA will open its flagship store in one of downtown’s most coveted locations: on the ground floor of Tower 4 in the new World Trade Center. Overlooking the memorial, the new location is expected to draw more than 55 million visitors a year—a far cry from the one-location company founded in 2006 by Swedish native Lars Åkerlund, whose sole goal was to bring to New York the Swedish concept of “a daily FIKA” (a coffee break, often accompanied by a sweet or savory snack).
Åkerlund’s coffee shop—FIKA 58th Street—remains in its original location at 41 W. 58th St., but the company has added eight more locations since 2006. It’s also added two more partners: Åkerlund’s wife, Lena Khoury, whose background includes five years with Hermés, and chocolatier Håkan Mårtensson, a Culinary Olympics Gold Medal winner. Mårtensson joined the FIKA family in 2009; today, you’ll find him behind glass windows that offer a view of the chocolate production process inside FIKA Tribeca & Chocolate Factory (450 Washington St.), where he supervises one full-time staff member and six interns while retaining his well-deserved status as a chocolate artist.
Mårtensson, born and raised in Sweden, knew from an early age that he “didn’t want to be sitting behind a computer all day,” and that he “liked to eat.” When it came time to pick a vocational training path, his creativity and facility with his hands led him to a pastry and baking-design course, which he took from ages 15–18. After graduation, he worked with leading Swedish pastry chefs (cue Muppets theme) and developed a love of all things chocolate, particularly chocolate carving and design. That remains his specialty today.
At FIKA Tribeca & Chocolate Factory on a Thursday morning, Mårtensson took me on a tour of the various sculptures in progress in the factory. There was the chocolate Yoda that my co-worker had urged me to steal when he discovered I’d be taking the tour (alas, it would have been too obvious); a giant chocolate dinosaur Mårtensson has been working on for weeks; and a dragon that Mårtensson considers his favorite kind of figure to carve. “Whatever you do, no one can ever say it’s wrong,” he says. “I can use my imagination completely.”
When asked if he’s bothered that his name isn’t on the door (like other chocolatiers around the city), Mårtensson doesn’t skip a beat. “FIKA is a much stronger word than my name,” he says, referring to the Swedish concept. (Mårtensson, Åkerlund, and Khoury are all Swedish, and all three deeply identify with the idea of “taking a FIKA.”) And when I asked him what he thought of the pastry chefs and dessert shops that have a habit of making a name for themselves by coming up with quirky, trendy products (cough, cough, cronut), he was similarly nonplussed (perhaps a Swedish trait).
“I have things people have never tried before, but it’s all part of a consistency of being innovative and creative, not to be different,” he says. “I could do a smoked-salmon truffle and make it taste good, but do I want to be known as the smoked-salmon truffle guy? No.”
As for the future, there are big plans for FIKA—even bigger than the flagship store at the World Trade Center. Next month, the company will open FIKA Tower, its largest location yet, at 55th Street and 10th Avenue. The three-story building will house a catering kitchen, a bakery and pastry factory, and an event space. They hope to open 5–10 more stores in Manhattan, then branch out to Brooklyn, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Seattle. No small dreamer, Mårtensson says the ultimate goal is 50 stores in the US within the next five years, and then to set their sights on the global market. “Chocolate is one of those things that knows no boundaries across the world,” he says.
But in the here and now, Mårtensson is simply doing what he does—though in a spectacular fashion that makes it quite obvious that he loves every second of it. Tall and quiet, his usual presentation is anything but showy. But watching him prepare chocolate and then finish truffles by hand in the factory, it’s impossible to miss the almost imperceptible smile on his face.
FIKA Tribeca & Chocolate Factory is located at 450 Washington St., New York, NY 10013. They are open Mon–Fri from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sat. from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sun. from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition to a full range of chocolate products, FIKA serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a full wine list. Visit http://www.fikanyc.com/ for more information.
Check Groupon for deals at more New York City coffee shops.
Read More
Coffee & Treats in Edgewater
Advertisement
They feel bad, so they found you these other deals to make up for it.
Select Local Merchants
Alice's Tea Cup is a self-described "dream come true" for sisters Hayley and Lauren Fox, Upper West Side natives and fervent believers in the magic of tea parties. Three Manhattan locations—nicknamed Chapters I, II, and III in homage to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland—welcome patrons into cozy, light-filled spaces for breakfast, brunch, lunch and light supper, in addition to traditional afternoon tea. Whimsical interior touches abound, from Chapter II's turquoise "Looking Glass Room", decorated with translucent butterflies, to Chapter III's giant wall mural depicting the great hall Alice encounters in the book. Tiered trays of homemade sandwiches, cookies, and scones with jam and clotted cream share the menu with more than 100 varieties of tea, all precisely steeped in 180-degree, double-filtered water for optimal flavor. After polishing off elevenses at Chapters I or III, patrons can also peruse funky clothing, tea accouterments, and eclectic gifts at the retail shops featured at those locations, taking care to avoid dashing rabbits frantically checking their watches.
102 West 73rd Street
New York,
NY
US
Every day at more than 770 locations, Jamba Juice proves that good nutrition can be both convenient and delicious. Since the beginning, the company has based its philosophy on choosing whole fruits and all-natural ingredients over artificial flavorings and preservatives. The menu is completely free of high-fructose corn syrup and artificial trans fats, and it makes additional accommodations for vegan and gluten-free diets.
Although Jamba Juice is serious about using wholesome ingredients, the company is a little more playful when it comes to the palate. Whole fruits and veggies can be blended into an extensive menu of great-tasting smoothies and freshly squeezed juices. But Jamba Juice?s commitment to keeping healthy eating simple informs its solid-food options, too. Customers can kick-start their morning with a steaming bowl of slow-cooked, steel-cut oatmeal, or stay energized throughout the day with six varieties of Energy Bowls: nutrient-rich blends of whole fruit, Greek yogurt or soymilk, and an assortment of dry toppings and fresh fruits.
In addition to nourishing and energizing the human body, Jamba Juice fights childhood obesity by sponsoring Team Up for a Healthy America. The initiative encourages fans to join the Team Up community of celebrities, athletes and other leaders committed to getting kids active?which they can do by visiting the main Jamba Juice website.
905 River Rd
Edgewater,
NJ
US
Now an international brand of premium ice cream, H?agen-Dazs began as a humble, family-owned business in the Bronx. In the 1920's, Reuben Mattus sold his mother's fruit ices and ice-cream pops out of a horse-drawn wagon. For decades, the family business thrived, and around 1960, Reuben officially founded H?agen-Dazs. He chose the name to evoke Old World traditions and quality craftsmanship, the bedrocks of the brand. Originally, the ice cream came in just three flavors?vanilla, chocolate, and coffee?made from fine ingredients gathered from around the world, such as Belgian dark chocolate, hand-picked vanilla beans from Madagascar, and ice shaved from lunar glaciers. The resulting confections so delighted sweet teeth that the brand grew exponentially, leading to the creation of dozens of flavors and forays into sorbets and frozen yogurts.
Though H?agen-Dazs ice cream was immensely popular in grocery shops, their first parlor didn't open until 1976. Not far from the Mattus family's original ice-cream beat, the Brooklyn store sold ice cream as well as treats such as sundaes, shakes, and cakes. Shops eventually dotted the country and globe, wherein friendly ice-cream scoopers fill waffle cones, blend frosty coffee and ice-cream drinks, and wrap ice-cream cakes in bright ribbons.
573 Grand Concourse
Bronx,
NY
US
Absolute Bagels’ green awning reads "Appetizing," "Baked On Premises," "Hand Roll Bagels." An eclectic assortment of potted greenery blooms in the window beneath. It might seem like an average sort of place—if it weren't for the dense line, which is replenished all morning long. The staff takes cash only and keeps the line moving, rewarding those who brave the crowd with fresh-from-the-oven treats, such as pumpernickel bagels piled with whitefish or whole-wheat everything bagels slathered with a garlic-and-herb spread. They also stock a full line of dairy-free Tofutti imitation cream cheeses. Absolute Bagels has garnered an almost legendary reputation about the city. _Time Out New York calls the spot a "neighborhood gem… serving freshly boiled bagels in their most perfect form." Eat This NY deemed them "truly spectacular," and Gayot gives them "high marks for flavor, especially the egg, cinnamon-raisin, and whole-wheat sesame."
2788 Broadway
New York,
NY
US
Lady M Confections’ signature mille crepes dessert is a study in contrast. The 20-layer cake is light and airy, thanks to the lacy crepes that form the structural foundation, yet packed with flavor due to doses of luscious cream that cement each layer together. When combined with its artful presentation, it’s no wonder the cake was named one of the best cakes in America by Bon Appétit magazine. The carefully constructed delicacy comes in flavors such as green tea, coconut, and chocolate banana. Lady M's bakers also practice devout attention to detail when creating French-style desserts such as glossy fruit tarts, frothy coffee mousse, and pumpkin nuage, which blends the textures of a pumpkin pie with cheesecake for a decadent autumnal dessert.
41 East 78th Street
New York,
NY
US
It doesn't matter if it's 3 a.m. or you’re hundreds of miles away—the staff at H&H Midtown Bagels East will fulfill your desire for a handcrafted bagel piled with cream cheese or smoked fish. The eatery remains open 24/7 to sate late-night or mid-afternoon cravings for a fresh bagel, black-and-white cookie, or challah bread. For out-of-state fans, the staff overnights their made-from-scratch bakery goods via FedEx or a moonlighting stork.
1551 2nd Ave
New York,
NY
US
