Oslo is not exactly one of those cities packed with Cheers-like places where everybody knows your name. Supreme Roastworks—with its laid-back attitude and friendly atmosphere—is slowly changing that tradition. A few nights a week their daytime coffee shop turns into a nighttime hangout, where the wine is natural, the beer is micro, and the music is vinyl.
Back in early 2013, the three owners of Supreme Roastworks—Joar Christoffersen, Magnus Lindskog, and Odd Steinar Tøllefsen—opened up shop in the trendy area of Grünerløkka, not far from where they’d been quietly roasting for years. In only two years, Supreme has established itself as a major player on the Oslo coffee scene, loved by locals and tourists alike, having managed to create a cool space—part cafe, part roastery—in a former bland, run-of-the-mill Bagel & Juice store. While you’ll find both Lindskog and Tøllefsen doing their thing behind the bar, Christoffersen is in charge of roasting those beans on the gang’s new 12-kilo Diedrich. Single origin, of course.
Supreme Roastworks is a local hangout for coffee connoisseurs, local pop stars, maternity-leave strollers, and knitting men well into their fifties—the Supreme clientele comes from all walks of life. What makes it stand apart, however, is the feeling of entering a private conversation between a group of friends when stepping through the front door. Still, and quite impressively so, there’s no sense of exclusion, everyone is welcome, and everyone is greeted with a “What’s up?” and a smile on the side.
Behind the counter, a large blackboard tells you which coffees are on offer at the moment, and you have the choice of your regular espressos or some of the best pour-overs in town. V60 or Chemex, Colombia or Ethiopia—take your pick. Perhaps a slice of banana bread on the side?
After deciding on your coffee and your treat, continue the conversation by the brew bar, open your laptop, carve your name into the once green table, or grab a window seat—watching pedestrians going about their day. This is a cool part of town, and it’s not hard to spot.
When Wednesday afternoon comes around, Supreme Roastworks stays open for a few precious extra hours as they pop the cork on a few bottles of natural wine. Natural wines fit perfectly into their no-fuzz philosophy where an honest approach to winemaking is valued. Customers seem to love it too.
You are likely to greet Kevin Jo Hansen behind the counter, and he’ll be happy to guide you through that evening’s offerings. The wines are carefully chosen, with a bottle selection that usually differs from week to week. If you are lucky, there might even be an orange gem resting in the wine cooler behind the counter. If beer is more your thing, he’s got you covered there too. Think small batch breweries from across the world; chances are you’ll discover a brew you’ve never tasted before with a label made for Instagram.
The corks are left open until Friday at 9 p.m. This is not meant to be your regular weekend watering hole, but rather a local meeting point for a few after-work drinks shared over good conversations between neighbors and friends.
In summer, the baristas can also tempt you with their own specialty iced coffee, “Satans god iskaffe”. It’s topped with rose lemonade and is just as refreshing as a glass of bubbles. And unlike bubbles, you can drink it all day long. Otherwise, you can always opt for a cup of their daily brew, a cup as good as any. After all, their slogan does read: No fuzz. Just great coffee. And Supreme delivers on that promise.
Lene Haugerud (@lenehaugerud) is the editor at Brygg Magasin, a coffee culture publication based in Oslo, Norway. Read more Lene Haugerud on Sprudge.
