Bjork Cafe & Bistro

Wonderful food in a beautiful, a little IKEA-like setting. Mimosas (rhubarb and lingonberry) were pleasant, potato waffle with gravlax flavorful and not heavy on the stomach, rakmacka (toast with mixed greens, boiled egg and cold water shrimp) delicious and refreshing. Will definitely try the desserts next time.

provides atmosphere that makes dining better. Servers provided individual attention and the location couldn't be better. Worker care was notably superior. keeps costs fair while serving healthy vegetable amounts. Excellent meals and remarkably kind staff.

Absolutely delightful experience at Bjork for lunch. My meal was fresh and the flavors were wonderful. The presentation is beautiful. Tea and dessert was also fabulous. Service is friendly and excellent. Super.

The restaurant clearly aims for excellence and achieves it. The establishment isn't spacious but stays tidy and pleasant with city atmosphere. The taste shows they use better ingredients than most places. Their employees balanced speed with personal connection. The restaurant delivers consistently good experiences.

I had a lovely lunch here! Very peaceful Scandinavian experience. If you don’t like pickled fish, would just suggest getting the Swedish meatballs. The princess cake was also lovely. I liked the fish pie part of the smorgasbord plate.

A quiet little place with delicious Swedish treats and coffees. Laptop-friendly, which is always a plus.

As a life-long vegetarian and one who is allergic to tofu and soy, it is a constant battle for me to find any sort of dish that is hearty, delicious and doesn’t make me feel sick to my stomach. However, let me just say now that I have discovered this gem I can whole-heartedly state to others in the same predicament, look no further than Bjork Cafe and Bistro at the Scandinavian Center right in the heart of NYC. My Mother has been raving about the place for years, Swedish by decent she often attends concerts there then follows by having a meal of meatballs at the Cafe. Also, side beat here, this isn’t just for vegetarians, my Mom who has been consuming Swedish food since she was a child eats the traditional meat ones and professes her love just as much as I do at their flavorful-savory balls of joy. But, I digress back to the message at hand and my experience- despite my lineage it must be noted that I never really understood the whole meatball thing. That was until I tried these vegetarian meatballs and now let me just say they are on my “death row” food list. Balls of mixed veg that feel hearty, but with the right consistency of what a meatball should be. A bit chewy, yet with a toothsome-tasty bite that comes in a hot skillet bathing in a sea of mushroom gravy. Two heaping sides of mashed potatoes, lingonberry and a small heap of cucumber salad make this the Swedish dish of the year. So warm and comforting, yet you don’t leave with a belly bomb rather a feeling of satisfaction that your satiated your hunger and body with great, healthy ingredients that are not only delicious but good for you too. Not to be missed either, is their infamous princess cake. Another Swedish delicacy I ordered one specifically for my sister’s birthday with many a friend asking me, “why on EARTH would you get your sister a green cake for her birthday?!?!” All were immediately silenced once they sampled the light as air confectionary at her birthday party. My phone continuing to beep more than a drug dealer’s pager on New Year’s Eve for days later with friends raving about it and still does to this day. Ulrika (the head chef) and her team just know how to do it right. This wondrous establishment isn’t just for those from Scandinavia, it’s for anyone looking for great quality food at a reasonable price all throughout the day. Lastly, they are perhaps the kindest kitchen team I have ever come across. As a former food blogger and culinary consultant and marketer, never have I experienced such gracious generosity as I did recently with Bjork Cafe. I sent them an off-handed emailing thinking nothing of it, describing how my family and I were holed up in Long Island during the holidays which was a difficult time for us and how we so missed having their traditional food. Meant more as a compliment then anything else, yet no sooner had I sent the email did my inbox ping with a reply that they would only be more than happy to find a way to deliver us a meal. Keeping in mind that this is at the height of their busiest time of year, with yule boards and the Santa Lucia festival. Even still, they made and took the time to carefully wrap, package and send three orders of their vegetarian meatball meals to me and my family in Long Island. I have never in my life been so touched by the gesture or the food. At a relatively painful time for us, the savory aromas and fond memory-inducing fare brought sweet moments of joy and reflection. It is true what they say, “"Food, in the end, in our own tradition, is something holy. It's not about nutrients and calories. It's about sharing. It's about honesty. It's about identity." - Louise Fresco. This could not be truer for Bjork Cafe, head chef Ulrika and her wondrous staff. If you ever find yourself in the area, right on Park Ave. in NYC stop in for a meal that will not only leave you gastronomically satisfied but with a true sense of hygge like a warm hug from a long-lost Norsemen gnome of a grandparent.

First time trying Scandinavian cuisine and it was spectacular. Didn’t know what to order so I got the herring platter which is a staple in Scandinavian cuisine. Interesting contrast of flavors and the apple cake was also great . Good service