A pink neon sign spelling “Mahalo” glows against the building’s yellow brick facade. Inside, weekend brunchers are filling the lively café. It smells of freshly brewed coffee and toasted grains. We already know this will be a good experience.
Mahalo is a plant-based café serving breakfast and lunch. They serve breakfast until 11 am on weekdays and all day on weekends, and they close at 7 pm. It’s drop-in only.
We arrive just before noon on a Saturday. The place is starting to fill up with groups of friends, families with kids, and a few solo diners. Music is playing in the background and the chatter rises as more people arrive. Colorful pendants hang from the ceiling, casting warm light over the room.
The café is located in the chic area of Södermalm, close to Mariartorget square and the waterside promenade at Söder Mälarstrand. The walls are covered in neon signs spelling out “Eat Vegan” and “Vegan is the new black” – underlining the concept. They also have two other cafés in Vasastan and Kungsholmen with a similar vibe and the same menu.
The experience
The café breathes Scandinavian aesthetics with bohemian and industrial touches. The playful theme shows up in the neon on the walls and in menu items with intentionally misspelled, rhyming names like “Less Hate More Sweet Potate” or “I Love U So matcha Juice”.
We tried the Golden Glow fruit bowl. It was fresh and bright, nothing syrupy, just ripe fruit adding the flavors. The sweet potato stew came with black rice and red lentils; with soft and caramel-leaning chunks of sweet potato against the nutty chew of the rice and the creaminess of the lentils. Everything is vegan, and many ingredients are organic.
On weekends, get there before noon, when it starts to get crowded. We found a table upstairs, so check there if the ground floor looks full. There is also a larger communal table on the entrance level that you can share with other guests.
The bottom line
We’d come back to Mahalo in a heartbeat. The vegan food was really tasty and the atmosphere left us with a good feeling. The café does deliver on plant-based weekend brunch. Both the breakfast bowl and the heartier stew left us wanting to try more. The Hornsgatan location puts you close to shops and cafés for exploring Södermalm. It gets busy early and there are no reservations, so get there early to be sure to get a table.
Getting there
The nearest metro stop is Mariatorget (the red line). Take the Torkel Knutssonsgatan exit. You’ll come out by Ringvägen/Hornsgatan—turn right onto Hornsgatan and walk about 4 minutes; Mahalo is on your right..
From T-Centralen, it’s roughly a 5-minute ride to Mariatorget, then a 4-minute walk (about 9 minutes total).
Alternatively, get off at Zinkensdamm station, from where it’s also a 4-minute walk to Mahalo.
Practical information
Address: Hornsgatan 61
Website: https://mahalosthlm.se/cafeer/sodermalm
Reservations: No reservations,drop in and grab a table.
Average cost: 180-300 SEK ($19-31 / €16-27 / £14-24) per person, including drinks.
Best for: Weekend brunch with friends.
