Copenhagen is my favourite food city in the world. Ever since moving here years ago, I have been exploring its myriad of exciting places to eat and drink – and I am happy to share my favourites.
You can find all my recommendations below, and in this curated Google Maps list.
Bakery/Brunch/Coffee
Indre By
- Kong Hans Bakery – 2-Michelin-starred restaurant Kong Hans Kælder opened its own bakery recently; here you find Copenhagen’s best cakes – and its best smoked salmon sandwich
- Maison d’Angleterre – In the corner of Copenhagen’s most renowned 5-star hotel (Hôtel d’Angleterre) you find its pastry shop that sells godly patisserie and airy macaroons
- Seks – cosy little café in the old town with fantastic sourdough buns and a changing offer of cakes and creative brunch dishes; expect a queue
Vesterbro/Frederiksberg
- Hart bageri – Noma’s bakery; world famous for their cardamom croissant, which is definitely worth a try; take-away only (more locations, also with seating options, now opened all over Copenhagen, eg, in Nørrebro, Kødbyen, and on Refshaleøen)
- Prolog – excellent coffee place within Kødbyen with great coffee and affogato; outside seating or take away
Nørrebro
- Coffee Collective – several locations, Jægersborggade is my favourite. The guys are determined to serve the best coffee in KBH and I think they succeed (their coffee soft ice is worth a try, too)
- Darcy’s – great coffee (weekly changing filter coffee roasts), good breakfast, and nice neighbourhood vibes
- Flere Fugle – up in Nordvest lies KBH’s hippest new bakery that turns into a pizza place at night; great pastries and breakfasts
- Meyers Bageri – Noma founder Claus Meyer also initiated Copenhagen’s sourdough bread trend some years ago; still one of the best sourdoughs in town, and I also love the kanelsnurre; small take-away bakery on Jægersborggade
Østerbro
- Amator – small place for perfect omelettes and seasonal brunch dishes; book ahead
- Juno the bakery – if you only visit one bakery in Copenhagen, make it this one! Grab one of the widely praised cardamom buns; they always come fresh from the oven and are fluffy, buttery pieces sent from heaven; their seasonal pastries are just as good, too; expect long queues on weekends
- Prolog – need a perfect coffee to go with your Juno pastry? Head a few metere over to Prolog‘s Østerbro location
Christianshavn/Refshaleøen/Amager
- Alice – small café in north Amager, just south of Christiania; creative home-made ice cream, delicious pastries, and famous fastelavnsboller when in season (Feb.)
- Lille bakery – “bohemian” bakery out on Refshaleøen with delicious pastries and great lunch offers; come in the morning to get the best pieces
Casual Food/Wine Bar
Indre By
- Bar’Vin – Wine bar with an extensive selection of wines by the glass: here’s your chance to spend 300€ for a glass of a legendary Burgundy Grand Cru; there are more reasonable options, too, of course
- Den Vandrette – very convenient location next to Nyhavn and really good food and (natural) wine selection
- Gasoline Grill – voted best burger in the world and located in an old gas station, this is the perfect place for a quick bite (unless the queue is too long); several outposts have opened over the city, including at the airport
- Torvehallerne – KBH’s most beautiful daily farmer’s market and food hall
- Ved Stranden 10 – Great selection of natural and more classic wines; beautiful location at the canal
Nørrebro
- Pompette – natural wine bar with nice outside seating; experimental wines; small selection by the glass, large selection of bottles; good, freshly made snacks
Christianshavn/Refshaleøen
- Broens Gadekøkken – Diverse range of street food just over the bridge from Nyhavn. Gasoline Grill and Poulette have a stall here, among others
- La Banchina – the best place to enjoy a hot summer day: order a bottle of natural wine and enjoy it on the pier or go for a swim as most locals do (or, in Winter, use the sauna)
- POPL Burger – During Covid lockdown, the guys at Noma ventured into grilling burgers. It was such a success that they set up a permanent burger restaurant; some say quality has dropped since, but it’s still a damn good burger; take-away or sit down (book in advance for the latter)
- Reffen – great street food from all over the world out on Refshaleøen; perfect setting to enjoy a sunset by the water; only open in summer
Restaurant
Indre By
- Admiralgade 26 – a wonderful small restaurant combining a cosy setting with an exquisite vegetarian tasting menu
- Barabba – buzzing Italian place with great food, open until late at night; signature dish: spaghetti with caviar and butter
- Esmée – a buzzing, posh place serving French classics (e.g., fantastic Gougères); amazing selection of exclusive wines by the glass (expect astronomic prices, though)
- Frank – delicious oysters to start with, creative dishes, great desserts, and one of the city’s most impressive wine list: Frank ticks all the boxes for a great night out
- Goldfinch – authentic Cantonese cuisine in a modern venue hidden in a courtyard next to touristy Kongens Nytorv; sharing plates; my favourites: scallop toast, steamed pork buns, extremely rich Hong-Kong style French Toast for dessert
- Høst – beautiful location and nice Nordic food; not one for the locals, but as a visitor you get a great taste of New Nordic cuisine for good value; part of Cofoco group
- Iluka – some of the best seafood in KBH; order the set menu or many small sharing plates
- Levi – one of the hottest new places in town; a tad chicer than your usual Copenhagen restaurant, attracting an international crowd; food (especially seafood) is delicious. Try the risotto!
- Møntergade – one of the best places in town to get a fancy Smørrebrød and snaps in a traditional setting; huge selection and daily changing specials
- Nr. 30 – small cosy place with great food and wine – my favourite wine bar in KBH; proper dinner location if you go for the set menu they introduced recently
- Palægade – another great choice for traditional Danish food and Smørrebrød; great for Lunch on weekends
- Pastis – a lively French bistro, loved by both tourists and the locals for well executed classics like oysters, steak frites, or moules
- Selma – best place to go for modern and creative Smørrebrød
Vesterbro/Frederiksberg
- Alf – a new, small, cosy, and innovative New Nordic place; great representative of the typical Copenhagen restaurant that you just can’t find anywhere else in the world
- Kødbyens Fiskebar – great oysters and daily selection of fresh fish in the upbeat, outgoing Kødbyen setting
- Mangia – my favourite Italian place in Copenhagen; delicious seasonal home-made pasta dishes; make sure to end the meal with the heavenly Tiramisu
- Resto Bar – a new opening in Vesterbro offering fresh, on-point Italian-inspired food in a laid-back setting; the tasting menu is good value for money, especially at lunchtime
- Sanchez – another ex-Noma chef turned restaurant owner, this one serving high-end super delicious Mexican food; great brunch on Sat/Sun
- Surt – Great Napolitan Pizza in Carlsberg Byen
Nørrebro
- Botschaft – A new place serving German (and Austrian and Swiss) food: expect Käsespätzle, Rösti Kaiserschmarrn, and – on Schnitzel Sundays only – a really good Wiener Schnitzel; small wine menu focusing on German and Austrian natural wines
- Bæst – Best pizza in town, and, according to some rankings, among the best in the world. Great Italian starters (hand-streched Mozarella) and desserts (pistachio or hazelnut ice cream), too
- Graziano – authentic Tuscan trattoria serving Tuscan antipasti and pasta on really good level
- Jatak – currently my favourite restaurant in KBH! New Nordic meets Chinese cuisine. Delicious set menu, wonderful team; just got awarded a Michelin star a mere 5 months after opening (unfortunately, menu prices went up accordingly)
- Osteria 16 – creative Italian food in a Nordic setting; set menu; other locations in Vesterbro
- Silberbauer’s Bistro – fabulous French bistro food, daily changing menu; my go-to place for great seafood and indulgent desserts; natural wines only
Østerbro/Nordhavn
- Geranium – rated best restaurant in the world in 2022, a meal at this place is an experience that you will not forget (neither will your credit card). The food is light and New-Nordic inspired, the wine menu is 300 pages long, and the atmosphere in the restaurant is as enjoyable as it can possibly be; book 3 months in advance
- Koan – Korean-inspired dishes with local ingredients; a Michelin-critics favourite, getting awarded 2 stars immediately after opening; expect the painful Copenhagen-Michelin-restaurant price level, but also incredibly good food and hospitality
- Sushi Anaba – Yes, Copenhagen also offers an authentic Japanese Sushi Omakase that can easily live up to the standards of high-end sushi places in Tokio’s Ginza district. At Sushi Anaba’s 8-seat counter you can expect the best of the best of Nordic seafood prepared by a Danish (Japan-trained) sushi master. Exceptional!
Christianshavn/Refshaleøen
- Barr – casual restaurant by Noma owners; small, changing menu, very rich food (signature dish: Bistecca Milanese with butter sauce and truffle); great beer selection
- Noma – obviously the ultimate experience for any fine-dining lover, the birthplace of New Nordic Cuisine, and without a doubt the main reason why KBH has developed into the most exciting food city in the world. Fight for a booking with foodies from all over the world months in advance and expect to spend 700€+ per person as prices just keep going up; Noma announced to close end of 2024
Drinks & Nightlife
Indre By
- Balderdash – very creative cocktail “lab” with international and very fun staff
- Ruby – cocktail bar in great central location with two separate rooms: the modern, Nordic-inspired bar counter, and the more old-school vibes elegant sit-down area
Vesterbro/Frederiksberg
- Bird – small, neatly designed bar with excellent negronis
- Duck and Cover – creative cocktails in a very comfy setting; great place for a drink before or after dinner
- Kødbyen (area) – The former meatpacking district is great for a night out; you’ll find plenty of restaurants (eg. Camino, Fiskebar; Gaza Grill; Gorilla), bars, and clubs there
- 1656 – Small and usually crowded, but delicious cocktails! Next to Kødbyen
- Lidkoeb – Large selection of gins and other spirits. Nice outdoor area in a backyard on busy Vesterbrogade
Nørrebro
- Brus – large and buzzing beer bar with great food, too
- Kølsters Tolv Haner – taste locally brewed beer in this bar that is very popular by locals. Very relaxed vibes every evening of the week.
- Mikkeler – very popular Danish micro-brewery; 20 beers on tap (other locations on Refshaleøen and in Vesterbro)
A Gourmet Journey 