A Quick Food Guide to Copenhagen

Copenhagen was on the top of my travel bucketlist for a while, and because many other places are still on it, I annoyingly tend to always postpone some trips for time or money related reasons. When we saw the flight prices for Easter with my boyfriend, we didn’t hesitate one second and booked a trip for a few days. The worst that could happen was a higher amount of tourists for the holidays, but it was definitely the perfect time to go there. I really loved the city for its atmosphere, which in many ways reminded me Berlin – including all those hip coffee places and the love for everything design.

The pace of life really seemed to be enjoyable as well, and I got positively surprised by the richness of the gastronomic scene. From quality coffee all around to fine food, everyone should find what fits their expectations – except the bank account, eventually. For those who are not aware about this detail, plan a small budget for a weekend in Copenhagen if you want to enjoy it at the fullest. After traveling or living in other nordic countries, I believe Copenhagen still remains the most expensive spot I’ve been to in the area. On our side, let’s admit that we enjoyed it 100% but it was totally worth it –  love handles and emptied bank account included.

Restaurants

・Manfreds

This place belongs to Christian Puglisi’s gastronomic empire, who’s famous for his stared restaurant Relae. Go to Manfreds if you’re looking for a natural wine bar or a great deal, quality & price-wise.  The restaurant mostly focus on vegetarian cuisine – even though it’s also famous for its beef tartare -, which is also locally-sourced and organic. Apart from amazing wines and a flawless service, the seasoning of each dish and the work made on each ingredient were mastered to perfection, turning the dish in something simple but unique.

・Ramen To Bíiru

Ramen To Bíiru ramen shop was recommended to us by our Airbnb host. It belongs to Mikkeller micro-brewery chain ans is located in Nørrebro area. Prices are correct (about 13-14€ for a big bowl), portion size is very satisfying, broth is tasty and nourishing, which is always a sign of quality when it comes to ramen. I liked the atmosphere of the place, traditional and a bit kitschy.

・Bæst

Still in Nørrebro area, the italian restaurant is victim of its success and I recommend you to book a table if you’re planning to go there. We luckily managed to get a table after waiting for a while. All the dishes are made with locally-sourced and organic products, pizzas are good and generous, the Neapolitan way, while the atmosphere is friendly.

Brunch & Breakfast

・Mirabelle

Mirabelle is without any doubt our big crush of the weekend. We went there right after we arrived as it was right around the corner of our Airbnb – and also attached to Bæst, as they are both belonging to Christian Puglisi too – , motivated by what I’ve heard about their sourdough bread. The brunch plates are very simple and go to the essential: tasty ham like I haven’t had in a while, bread, butter, jam… Their rye bread is delicious and their croissants are worth to stop by. It’s definitely not a low budget option, but we’d go back the eyes closed!

・GRØD

GRØD is clearly a must for everyone who loves porridge! But no sad porridge here, rather super comforting ones that will fill you for at least half a day. We went to the shop in Torvehallerne, which is sometimes a bit busy.

・Atelier September

Atelier September is also a must that is pretty famous in Copenhagen; luckily we went there quiet early, just before the late morning rush. Everything we had was super fresh and nicely  dressed. I tried the yogurt granola, mostly out of curiosity to try the matcha zucchini jam topping. Except the place that was a bit crowded, the atmosphere is cozy and ideal to kick-off the day right.

Coffee shops & Backeries

・The Coffee Collective

This coffee shop is pretty famous in Copenhagen and serves one of the best coffees. We stopped in two of their shops and the quality was constant.

・Prolog Coffee Bar

It’s gonna be hard for me to compare all the coffee places we went to, as they were all very good – and the fact that I’m finishing to wrap this article together almost one year later doesn’t help. Prolog belong to them and that was clear from the beginning when we saw people queuing to get their coffee fix. That’s also a good opportunity to grab a juicy burger at Tommi’s, right in front of Prolog!

・Democratic Coffee

Another quality place that enabled us to relax for a bit. Democratic Coffee is way calmer than the previous places, which is enjoyable. The decoration is minimalistic and soothing.

・CUB Coffee Bar

CUB is located right in the city center in the middle of all the effervescence, but the atmosphere of the place located i a basement is very relaxing. Beyond coffee, the croissants that are served there were as delicious as the ones tried at Mirabelle.

・Brød

A small bakery in Vesterbro area that does really good bread – I brought back some rye bread to Berlin, which was delicious! For the sweet tooth people, go for a Vaniljebulle.

・Det Rene Brød

A small chain of bakeries with a wide choice of good products, including lots of traditional Danish baked goods. It was the right opportunity for me to try one of the most famous ones, called “Tebirkes”. Some sort of frangipane cream is stuffed inside meanwhile the crust is covered with poppy seeds.

・Paludan Bog & Café

Central and a bit busy, Paludan café is also a bookstore. The place is ideal to take a break, read, or meet with some friends. The food is simple and fresh, prices are quite moderate.

・Conditori La Glace

It’s touristy, it’s kitschy, it’s expensive, but you guys their hot chocolate is one of the best I’ve ever tried. Old fashioned style!

Shopping

・HAY House

Definitely a must for all the design people out there who are looking for rather affordable prices, minimalist and nice interior decoration!

・Yonobi Keramik

I managed to not buy anything even though I was extremely tempted, but that’s the shop to visit for all ceramic lovers. The store owner is very nice and the shop gathers a wide range of ceramics from all over the world.

・Posterland

Right in front of Atelier September, ideal if you’re looking for specific posters to decorate your interior or just to wander among the hundreds of pieces. For my part, I brought back a vintage Perrier poster for my new kitchen!

Walking around

・Christiania

To see the alternative part of Copenhagen. The area is very famous for its independence toward the rest of Danemark, where the hippie community lives following its own rules and in total autonomy.

・Nyhavn

The famous harbour with colourful houses. The area is very picturesque but thereby very touristic.

・Torvehallerne

For all the foodies out there. The covered market gathers loads of small coffee shops and bakeries, restaurants, stalls full of fresh and quality products. A day market is also held outside right next to it.

・Tivoli gardens

This fair is the perfect place to escape for a few hours, especially if you’re with kids. For people who’re not so much into roller coasters, just the decoration and set-ups are worth it.

・Malmö, Sweden

Right on the other side of the bridge between Danemark and Sweden, Malmö is only 30 minutes away from Copenhagen city center. That’s a pretty good alternative if you are staying for a few days and want to explore Copenhagen surroundings.