The Nordic Cafe opens on North Street

The latest venture to join North Street’s novel food and drink scene is The Nordic Café, a Scandinavian style coffee shop sporting a traditional Nordic menu.

Husband and wife owners, Benjamin and Alexandra Mitrofan-Norris, have long been inspired by European café culture whilst living in countries such as Finland, Transylvania, Hungary and Germany.

Having settled in Ashton five years ago, and with Benjamin growing up here, their new café brings a touch of Scandi-chic to one of south Bristol’s most exciting streets.

The Nordic Cafe serves up Clifton Coffee

Formerly Margot May, which only closed on January 26, it didn’t take long for the space to be taken up by its current owners.

“We had our eye on this property for ages, waiting for and hoping it would come on the market,” explains Benjamin. “When it did, we snapped it up straight away. As soon as we walked in, we felt like our whole idea fitted here.”

After just three weeks of work, the couple successfully transformed a previously twee tearoom into an airy and stylish café.

Citing the paired back aesthetic and a focus on wholesome food as the premise for their café, Benjamin explains, “Scandi café’s tend to be a lot cleaner and sharper than most, which makes them really lovely spaces to have a coffee, eat and socialise.”

Fresh soup is made daily and served with a hunk of sourdough

On a recent mid-week morning, it’s the funky light fixtures illuminating a counter full of fresh food that lures you in.

A daily selection of open sandwiches on dark rye bread (3.75 for one or £6.95 for two) sits to the right of an array of cakes, themselves fluffy and colourfully decorated. From Swedish carrot cake (2.95) and Nordic fruit loaf (£2.55) to apple & cinnamon cake (2.95), the fresh lime wedges, petals and a dusting of icing sugar make for a mouth-watering touch.

But if you fancy something warming, then a generous vat of homemade soup is situated in front of the counter, channelling that ‘make yourself at home’ vibe that imparts some cosiness into the minimal interior. At £3.45 a bowl and served with toasted sourdough bread, we know where we’ll be heading if the sun continues to evade Bristol.

Other options from the all-day menu include a homemade tart of the day with salad (£5.45), a fresh herring plate (£2.90), toasties with cheese and/or ham and tomato (£3.75), a bacon sandwich (£3.75) and weekend specials displayed on the board.

A new go-to destination for coffee and cake

Breakfast is also served until 11 am, a simple choice of two slices of sourdough toast with homemade jam and marmalade (£2.65) or Skyr yoghurt with homemade granola and berry compote (3.75).

“It’s fresh, clean, healthy and hopefully delicious,” says Benjamin about his decision to devise a menu made up of traditional Nordic ingredients.

Behind the counter, shelves are stacked high with bags of Clifton Coffee, a welcome sight for Bristol’s independent coffee-lovers. For anyone looking for a new place to order a tasty flat white (£2.35), a latte (£2.65) or a mocha (£2.95), The Nordic Café promises to deliver.

A selection of loose leaf teas (£2), soft drinks (£1.85) and oat or soya milk alternatives provide the final components needed for a new North Street favourite.

Sandwiches served the Scandi way

With talk of live music events, supper clubs and quarterly exhibitions of upcoming artists (the walls currently display paintings by Spike Island-based artist Andrew Clarke), The Nordic Café might just be settling in, but we already have a feeling it could become a staple destination this side of the river.

The Nordic Cafe is the latest opening on North Street

The Nordic Cafe is closed on Wednesdays and Sundays.

36 North St, Bristol BS3 1HW

www.thenordiccafe.co.uk