Fettisdagen (Shrove Tuesday) is coming soon so we decided to try top3 cafes in Malmö that you recommended on our Instagram and record a video with a brief comparison.
Still don’t know what semla is? Read this article to find out more! View the full video
Top 3 semla in Malmö in 2024 by LikeSweden.com
Bageri Leve – Östra Rönneholmsvägen 6, Malmö
This was absolutely Top1 and the most recommended place for semla on my Instagram. I was flooded with messages saying this is the best cafe to try traditional semla.
This was also the first semla of this season for my and I was missing this taste for the whole year. Semla in Leve is sweet but still well-balanced, with soft cardamom bun and a little bit of almond paste.
Price: SEK 56
Website: https://www.bagerileve.se
Pâtisserie David – Östergatan 7b, Malmö
The second recommended place for the best semla in Malmö. The owner uses traditional recipe, the bun is a bit smaller than in Leve however the amount of almond paste is bigger and more noticeable. This is also a good place to try your first semla if you haven’t tried it before.
Price: SEK 46
Website: https://www.patisseriedavid.se
St. Jakobs Stenugnsbageri – Södra Förstadsgatan 11, Malmö
The third cafe we visited that unfortunately served the worst semla in today’s ranking. The bun was indeed the biggest however in our opinion whipped cream was whipped for too long that gave it buttery aftertaste. Sweet and savoury flavours were not balanced because there was too much almond paste filling which is much sweeter than in other places. Overall, sweetness was overwhelming and even the cardamom in this bun wasn’t that noticeable.
The main advantage is addition of roasted almonds as a topping that made the texture and flavour a bit more interesting.
If you’re a fan of very sweet pastries, this semla will win your ranking. Our taste is a bit different and we prefer more balanced flavours.
Price: SEK 48
Website: https://www.instagram.com/st.jakobs/
Bonus semla variations
To add a bit more fun, we tested also two places that serve semla variations. Many Swedes would say it’s an abomination and shouldn’t be included in this video. Do we agree? Watch the video or read more to find out!
Cråffla at ChopChop Asian Express
Dessert inspired by semla at ChopChop fast-food chain restaurants. Croissant and waffle mix with semla filling of almond paste and whipped cream.
The waffle itself was quite tasty – crunchy and sweet, a bit warm as it was toasted right before serving. The biggest problem we have with the almond paste which is not almondy at all. It seems to have some artificial marzipan flavour that leaves strange aftertaste and the whipped cream feels to be cheap supermarket one.
Price: SEK 39
Semmelburger at Burger King
Semmelburger from Burger King comes back also this year. It’s semla served in a form of burger with one small difference – it contains also chocolate brownie inside. This year it’s sold also in version with strawberry jam inside.
We tried the classic option and it was our second time. The almond paste taste is missing, the most dominant flavour is definitely the chocolate brownie – very sweet and chewy. Whipped cream is very similar to the one from ChopChop.
As a dessert after meal in Burger King semmelburger works fine but it’s definitely missing the essence of semla and shouldn’t be its substitute for sure.
Price: SEK 39
We were prepared to rank 3 best of the best cafes for semla in Malmö. Unfortunately only two of three places met our expectations and even exceeded it. St. Jakobs Stenugnsbageri was definitely not our taste but we still encourage you to try as it was recommended to us by many people and we’re sure their semlas have their fans.
Write your recommendations in Malmö or other cities in the comments. Let us know if you tried any of our options!
