From street food to smørrebrød, here are some great places for eating and drinking in Copenhagen…
Kødbyens Mad & Marked – Located in the Meatpacking District of the trendy Vesterbro neighbourhood, this street food market buzzes at the weekends throughout the summer (there are occasional winter markets too such as Christmas – check the website for details). Here you can pick up culinary treats such as Korean bourittos, meatball wraps, Scandi snacks, mac ‘n’ cheese, truffle fries, gourmet burgers, Brazilian barbecue, Spanish tapas and so much more! Inventive cocktails and craft beers are also on sale, alongside gift stalls – DJs provide the tunes.
Kødbyens Fiskebar – In the same area is this specialist fish restaurant and bistro serving some of Copenhagen’s best seafood (it’s been awarded a Bib Gourmand in the Nordic version of the Michelin Guide 2015). The industrial interior harks back to its old meat hall days. Pull up a stool at the bar, take a seat outside in the summer, or go the whole hog with a slap-up dinner.
To be honest, head to Kødbyens and you’ll encounter enough inviting bars, cafes and restaurants to keep you going for a whole week or more. Regular new openings and old favourites keep this trendy ‘K’ zone one of Copenhagen’s most vibrant areas.
Mikkeller Bar – Located on the cosy Jægergårdsgade in Vesterbro is the bar of the famous Mikkeller brewery. All exposed bricks and filliment lightbulbs, this cool bar is small (very busy in the evenings) but with plenty of outdoor seating in the warmer months. As expected, the beer list is extensive with 20 rotating taps of Mikkeller’s best beers and brews from some of the world’s most interesting craft breweries. Snacks from Warpigs Brewpub and artisanal cheeses from Arla Unika are also available to soak up the booze.
The district of Norrebro, another hip neighbourhood, is also a food and drink hotspot. Turn into the boutique-heavy street of Jaegersborggade and you’ll find yourself in a foodie oasis. At no.41 is Relae, a restaurant opened by a former soux chef of Demark’s famous Noma, which itself has a Michelin star and is no.75 on the ‘World’s Best’ list. But for a quick drink and bite to eat, we tried…
Crate – This teeny tiny record store is also a craft beer bottle shop. Browse the vinyl then buy a beer (bottles or a few guest beers on tap) to drink on the rickety bench outside (oh how Copenhagen-ish…).
Grød – This is (wait for it) the world’s first porridge cafe! Yes, you can eat porridge for breakfast, lunch and dinner here, but don’t assume that just means the classic breakfast staple. This place serves all manor of imaginative porridge-type dishes from around the world – we tried a delicious and fragrant Vietnamese congee, washed down with a local beer. A quick, tasty and (rare in Denmark) very cheap dinner.
Cafe Wilder – A trip to Copenhagen wouldn’t be complete without eating smørrebrød, Danish open sandwiches. We tried some traditional smørrebrød at Cafe Wilder in the old town of Christianshavn. Typical Nordic combos of creamy cod with cucumber and red onion, or beef brisket with pickled vegetables were presented beautifully (small but filling), and salads (a sizeable toasted goat’s cheese and walnut salad was good) make up the lunchtime menu.
The 17th century waterfront of Nyhavn is a pretty location for dinner. The fairylight-strewn cobbled street is lined with restaurants all with outdoor seating (and heating!). Grab a table and watch the old ships bob up and down in the water. It’s a much more traditional tourist hotspot than Vesterbro and Norrebro so the restaurants and bars aren’t as different or exciting as other potential choices. However, it’s a romantic spot with plenty of decent food choices.
