Konditori: Sit, Sip, Swoon, Repeat.

What's in a name? Do we absorb the personality of the name we are given as a child or do we shape what that name means to other people by virtue of who we are? This is a pressure felt by many, if not all, parents. And the same can be said of new business owners.

But just as hip-hop's Sean Jean Combs has transformed himself over the years, embracing many different iterations of his original nickname "Puff Daddy," there is always the opportunity for reinvention.

When Konditori—a micro coffee chain that recently opened its third outpost at 240 Seventh Avenue—first opened its doors it bore a closer resemblance to Prince circa 1993. Which is to say, it had no name.

But what began as a nameless coffee shop on Fifth Avenue has been reborn. It now fully identifies as a Konditori: Swedish Espresso cafe, serving coffee drinks, fluffy pastries and chocolate-covered animal crackers. And, so far, it works.

Its owners, Stockholm-born Per Englander and business partner Ronny Kaj, keep the decor minimalist and rustic, with long wooden tables for leaning over, exposed brick and a chocolatey beige-brown paint as the only wall covering. There is no artwork. There are no books or games to be read and played. And while at first it might seem sterile, the lack of aesthetic impact forces one to focus on one of three things:

a) the coffee

b) the food

c) the person across from you

This is in fact the definition for the Swedish word Konditori: 1: Traditional Swedish gathering place to enjoy friends over great coffee, fine baked goods and confections. 2: Where one goes for a coffee break.

So let's talk about that espresso. It is a proprietary blend created for the Konditori cafes by a Brooklyn roaster. Upon first sip, my immediate impression was that it is incredibly smooth. There is none of the harsh, bitterness or acidity you often find in more mediocre pulls. Subsequent sips confirmed that the flavor is medium bodied and well-balanced. Not intense but not hiding in a corner either.

A jovial barista recommended I try the macchiato, so I did. It arrived with a flourish of artfully rendered foam—creamy, light, nutty. But I needed something to counter all of the caffeine I was consuming, and so I tucked in to a couple of the Swedish pastries on display.

While the selection of muffins, gluten-free cookies and other treats changes seasonally, two of the standard items on offer are Kanelbulle (a cinnamon bun by any other name) and Cardamom Bread (more traditionally known as Vertebröd), which can be most closely compared to a sweet Challah with a ribbon of chopped almond filling inside and a sugar glaze on top. That! That was very good, indeed.

I'll be returning for more thick slices of the Cardamom Bread and to try a cup of the dark roast, which actor Steve Buschemi discreetly ordered from under his baseball cap while I was taking my notes. "Would you like to sign up for a regular customer card?" asked the barista.

"No, that's alright," the actor said. Sometimes remaining nameless for a while is the right way to go.