The best restaurants in Copenhagen
Think of Copenhagen restaurants and most people instantly think of Noma, which has recently reopened in a new location. Given the difficulty of bagging a table (not to mention the cost), most of us will never get to sample René Redzepi’s creations - but seeing as Noma alumni have gone on to open up their own places, and other talented young chefs have been inspired to follow suit, there’s never been a more exciting time to eat out in this city. From a six-course tasting menu that puts locally grown vegetables centre stage, to a trendy Mexican taco joint, Telegraph Travel expert Suzanne Kings shares her favourite places to eat.
City centre
La Glace
This old-school patisserie – a Copenhagen institution – has been pulling in sweet-toothed punters since the late 1800s and is still so popular there are days when the queues stretch back on to the street. Once you’ve secured a coveted table in one of its cosy rooms, gleaming with retro mahogany and brass, waitresses in green pinafore aprons will be happy to serve you layer cakes, homemade ice creams and the most decadently rich hot chocolate. On the mezzanine floor, you can buy takeaway goodies, such as the marzipan pigs that are a Danish Christmas tradition.
Contact: 00 45 33 14 46 46; laglace.dk
Prices: £
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 8.30am-6pm; Sat, 9am-6pm; Sun, 10am-6pm
Reservations: Walk-ins only
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Restaurant Kronborg
Smørrebrød is a Danish classic and everyone you ask will have their own view on where to find the best version of these artfully constructed open sandwiches. You can’t go far wrong, though, if you opt for this well-respected, traditional, lunchtime-only place tucked away on a side street off Strøget. Expect a few dozen topping options to choose from, including multiple takes on herring. If in doubt, make sure at least one of the dishes you order is the pan-fried fillet of plaice for perfectly cooked fish served with remoulade and lemon.
Contact: 00 45 33 13 07 08; restaurantkronborg.dk
Prices: ££
Opening times: Mon-Sun, 11am-5pm
Reservations: Recommended
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Admiralgade 26
A couple of years ago, the team behind excellent wine bar Ved Stranden 10 opened this restaurant just round the corner. Inside the high-ceilinged, big-windowed room, the look is simple but not stark, with mostly white walls, blocks of bold colour, and mismatched wooden furniture. The menu takes influences from Asia and the Mediterranean as well as Demark, so expect anything from a lunchtime dish of Iberian pork with cauliflower and kimchi to a dinner dish of potato noodles with lumpfish roe and mussel sauce. If you’re up to pickled fish first thing, they also do a Japanese breakfast tray on Saturdays.
Contact:00 45 33 33 79 73; admiralgade26.dk
Prices: ££
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 11.30am-12am; Sat, 10am-12am
Reservations: Recommended
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Vesterbro
Gemyse
Vegetables and grains take centre stage here, with a six-course tasting menu built around locally grown produce (though, if you must, you can get a side order of meat or fish to go with). Wooden tables, potted plants, and the odd decorative gardening implement lend a suitably rustic feel to the surroundings and the daily-changing dishes might include anything from crispy beetroot crackers and edamame falafel to kohlrabi ravioli and black sesame ice cream. You can also have drinks in the greenhouse next door, or order bread twists or marshmallows to grill over the firepits in the garden.
Contact: 00 45 88 70 00 00; nimb.dk
Prices: ££
Opening times: Mon-Sun, 11am-11pm
Reservations: Recommended (and essential at weekends)
Need to know: It's found within Tivoli, so you will need an admission ticket to access the restaurant. Also, it's only open when Tivoli is open, and so it closes between seasons
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Sanchez
Since leaving her pastry chef job at Noma a few years back, Rosio Sanchez has been introducing Copenhagen diners to the delights of top-notch tacos, with her Hija de Sanchez taquerias in Torvehallerne and Kødbyen. The first, though, is only open in summer, and the second is so tiny it can be hard to get a seat inside or out. Hurrah, then, for this, her first 'proper' restaurant, which opened in November 2017. The interiors are classically Nordic but the menu is all Mexican, ranging from huevos rancheros to octopus stew. 'It’s so amazing,' tweeted former boss René Redzepi, 'Just go.'
Contact: 00 45 31 11 66 40; lovesanchez.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: See website
Reservations: Recommended
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Nørrebro
Café Taxa
If you’re in Nørrebro checking out Jægersborggade (a trendy street), nip round the corner to Café Taxa – a laidback neighbourhood bistro that’s a popular place for locals to hang out over a leisurely brunch, lunch or dinner. There are plenty of outside tables that catch the sunshine, while inside is all candlelit and cosy, with nice little nooks and crannies to hide out in. The menu isn’t huge but includes good burgers and possibly the best chips in town; the moment you see a perfectly cooked batch being delivered to the table next to you, you’ll want to order a portion for yourself.
Contact: 00 45 35 83 22 00; cafe-taxa.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: See website
Reservations: Mainly walk-ins only, but inside tables can sometimes be reserved
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Bæst
There are days when all you really fancy is a fantastic pizza. Cue a trip to Christian Puglisi’s organic restaurant in Nørrebro, where they make their own mozzarella, cure their own meats, grow vegetables on their own farm, and make the best pizza dough. From the restaurant (all bare brick walls, wood-topped tables and stylish white lamps) you can see through to the open kitchen, where the wood-fired oven turns out thin-crusted and slightly charred pizzas that are invariably delicious, from the basic tomato, garlic and oregano version to the one topped with anchovies, mozzarella, salsa verde and onion.
Contact: 00 45 35 35 04 63; baest.dk
Prices: ££
Opening times: Daily, 5pm-10.30pm
Reservations: Recommended but they always have walk-in tables too
Østerbro
Geranium
Football grounds and high-end dining don’t generally go hand in hand – but here, in Denmark’s national stadium, is a notable exception. Step out of the lift on the eighth floor and you will find yourself in bright, light, Scandi-chic surroundings, where chef Rasmus Kofoed shows off the skills that have won him three Bocuse d’Or trophies and made this Denmark’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant. There’s no dithering about what to choose – you just go for the multi-course set menu, and 'ooh' and 'ah' with every exquisitely plated dish of food that’s set before you.
Contact: 00 45 6996 0020; geranium.dk
Prices: £££
Opening times: Wed-Sat, 12pm-4pm, 6.30pm-12am
Reservations: Essential
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Amager
Wulff & Konstali
With its designer lighting, cool colour palette and artistically arranged flowers, Wulff & Konstali could easily pass for an interiors showroom. Instead, it’s a bakery and restaurant, and a hugely popular brunch spot – especially in summer when they fold the windows back and have trestle tables outside. You're given a menu of 20-odd brunch components (ranging from avocado with hemp seeds to organic scrambled eggs and fried sausages), and you tick the five or seven you fancy; soon a procession of dishes starts arriving at the table. Suitably fuelled, you can then walk from here to the beach at Amager Strandpark 10-15 minutes away.
Contact: 00 45 32 54 81 81; wogk.dk
Prices: ££
Opening times: 7am-7pm Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm Sat-Sun (brunch served 9am-3pm)
Reservations: Walk-ins only
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Refshaleøen
Amass
Across the harbour from the Little Mermaid is a very different kettle of fish: the old shipyards of Refshaleøen, a dilapidated urban area that gets more interesting by the day as cool new places open up. Among the forerunners was Amass, where organic, sustainable produce (much of it grown on site in big wooden planters) is transformed into deceptively simple but flavour-packed dishes such as salsify with smoked fish and hazelnut, roasted parsnip, chocolate and liquorice oil, and their famously delicious potato bread. The look is industrial, the vibe relaxed and they light bonfires outside where you can sit and chill after dinner.
Contact: 00 45 4358 4330; amassrestaurant.com
Prices: £££
Opening times: Tues-Sat, 6pm-12am; Fri-Sat, 12pm-3.30pm
Reservations: Recommended
