Café Blá

Stephanie Bjarnason, who grew up outside Paris to a French mother and Icelandic father, opened Café Blá in 2016, the name simply Icelandic for blue, the color that still runs through the branding and the room. She eventually decided to sell, and Jacob Henry-Foord, who had already been roasting the shop's coffee on the side, brought in his boss at Vits der Kaffee, Alexander Vits, as a partner to take it over together. The shop now runs under the line 'Powered by Vits.coffee,' a nod that keeps regulars from the Stephanie era from being caught off guard by the shift.

The room stays small and calm, a low counter and a handful of tight tables built for a short, focused visit rather than a long one, outdoor seating taking the overflow when the weather allows. Coffee still comes from Vits' own roastery under Jacob's direction rather than a machine on site here, sold both by the cup and in bags carrying playful, illustrated labels. Icelandic touches remain in the pastry case, cinnamon rolls and skyr cake alongside the espresso list.