Blanch's Café, Historical café in Hamngatan, Stockholm, Sweden
Blanch's Café was an elegant establishment on Hamngatan with soaring ceilings, sparkling crystal chandeliers, and expansive windows overlooking Kungsträdgården. The interior featured luxurious carpets and white tablecloths that created a refined setting.
Theodor Blanch (1835–1911), former head of Operakällaren, opened the café in July 1868 on the ground floor of the Ateljébyggnaden, built in 1866 to designs by Albert Törnqvist. In 1879 Blanch built the Blancheteatern behind the café, named after author August Blanche. The building was replaced by Sverigehuset as part of the Norrmalm redevelopment.
The café took its name from restaurateur Theodor Blanch, while the theatre he built behind it in 1879 was named after the writer August Blanche. During World War I, from 1914 to 1918, the café staged a French-style cabaret called Svarta katten (The Black Cat).
The café occupied the ground floor of the Ateljébyggnaden on Hamngatan, facing Kungsträdgården. The building was demolished in the 1960s and replaced by Sverigehuset, so no trace of the café remains. The site is now marked only by the modern Sverigehuset at the same address.
On 1 March 1879, Blanch's café hosted Stockholm's premiere of electric light, according to the Swedish Wikipedia article. The building itself was designed by architect Albert Törnqvist and originally meant for exhibition and studio space, with large windows on the upper floors. It was replaced by Sverigehuset during the Norrmalm redevelopment.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,705 contributors worldwide.