Gimme smørre(brød): a guide to eating out in Copenhagen

The design-obsessed Danish capital is a unique city — a place where the bicycles outnumber its inhabitants, the fashion is effortlessly cool, and even the public bins look chic. All that polished minimalism might make you think the food scene would be stuffy, but don’t be fooled. While they’ve certainly mastered the art of a perfectly presented plate (because of course they have), Copenhagen‘s best eats are as diverse as they are delicious; and after all that cycling, it’s no wonder those trendy Københavnere have appetites as big as their Ganni platforms. They do their sandwiches open-faced, their pastries swirled to perfection, and the humble hot-dog is a national institution. So, put down the Michelin guide – here’s where to wine and dine like an oh-so-stylish local.

FOR BREAKFAST

Let’s clear something up: the famous ‘Danish’ pastry was actually invented in Vienna. The Danes’ beloved, native delicacy is kanelsnegle (cinnamon rolls, or as the literal translation would have it: ‘snails’). You can find a killer selection of these sugary swirls — alongside pillow-y focaccia and buttery croissants — at Brød by Vesterbro’s convivial Enghave Plads square. Expect a queue, and be sure to nab a brownie too; they’re small but so rich you’ll dream about it for months.

If you prefer savoury bites, you’ll find one item at the top of every breakfast menu: the humble bolle med ost: a simple, though satisfying, bun with butter and cheese. Port-side neighbourhood Nordhavn’s Atelier September does one of the best, with 24-month-aged Comté cheese and a freshly baked bun. Top tip: eat the two halves separately if you don’t want to be marked out as a tourist. For something more universal, head to Ø12. The signature breakfast dish covers all the bases with smashed avocado, chia pudding, bacon, scrambled eggs, chili-cheese sausage, actual cheese, salmon, whipped butter, sourdough and rye bread. Phew. For your caffeine fix, Prolog Coffee is rightly talk of the town thanks to its homemade roasts and ethically sourced beans.

BEST FOR LUNCH

Lunch in Copenhagen is a masterclass in casual cool, where you’ll find laidback eateries that deliver food that’s every bit as impressive as their interiors. Not least at Aller Tiders, on the periphery of the meatpacking district, where minimal, Japanese-style decor sets the scene for impossibly chic lunch trays. Yes, lunch trays, but thanks to the Fragmnt stylish steel wares, there’s little association with school dinners. The menu changes every week, but is mostly plant-based and comes with one main and two or three sides. That could be a risotto with tomato-heaped bruschetta and a cucumber, mint and edamame salad; or a creamy leek pasta with a fresh beet salad, baked aubergine and gazpacho. Don’t miss the delightfully fluffy chocolate mousse (topped with olive oil and salt). In the warmer months, the organic urban farm Øens Have is buzzing with bees, wild birds and chickens. It does a farm-to-table lunch in a beautiful yurt, where every dish is crafted from seasonal ingredients with a strong focus on fresh vegetables. Sonny, meanwhile, is where you’ll find the city’s brunch brigade catching up over frothy flat whites, apple-tossed salads and slices of Earl Grey and blackberry cake.

FOR STREET FOOD

The Danes love being outside, so it makes sense they’d enjoy eating outside, too. As such, Copenhagen’s street-food scene is strong, with bites aplenty to fuel urban jaunts. Reffen is the largest, set on a former industrial island, once home to one of Europe’s biggest shipyards. Today, it retains some of that industrial character, with engine-room-turned-bar Werkstatt, and traders selling vintage clothes and records out of old shipping containers. With around 40 international food stalls (cooking up everything from sticky Korean burgers and Greek gyros to Canadian poutine and Mexican empanadas) the choice can be overwhelming, but you can’t go wrong with the samosa chaat from Indian Bites or the Silêmanî kebab from Kurdish spot, Gosht. To trim down your choices, cycle 15 minutes south to Paper Island, a remarkable new development that has seen rapid transformation in the last decade. Here, you’ll find similar offerings on a smaller scale. Though if you really want to get down with the Danes, a hot-dog is a must. Small pølser kiosks are ubiquitous in the city, but Harry’s Place is an institution, having sold sauce-slathered sausages since 1965. Ask for the Danish-style ‘ristet med det hele’ which comes with ketchup, mustard, remoulade, pickles, and both fresh and crispy onions.

FOR TRADITIONAL SMØRREBRØD

Out in the city’s leafy northern suburbs you’ll find Sankt Peder, a charming spot that takes godliness seriously, with its dark-wood interiors, gothic lettering and crucifix-lined walls (there are even hymns playing in the bathroom). But before you reach for your rosaries, that’s where the piousness ends, as everyone here is at least two beers deep, in jolly spirits, and loading up on very traditional smørrebrød. So traditional — such as the egg with shrimps, mayo and trout roe — that they’re pleasing in a hearty, nostalgic way. For a contemporary twist on the classics, head to Restaurant Palægade in Indre By. It’s a tad fancier, having been recognised by Michelin as one of the best smørrebrød spots in the city. Go for one with the fried-plaice fillet from Kystfisken, remoulade and lemon; or the plant-based ‘fuglekvidder’ made from stir-fried rehydrated celery on toasted rye bread with mayonnaise, horseradish and cress.

FOR A RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW

There’s no view quite like the one from Nimb Hotel’s Nimb Brasserie, which surveys the fairy-lit magic of historic fairground Tivoli Gardens. Depending on the time of year, your table might gaze across a sculptural floral display, sprawl of giant pumpkins, or towering, twinkling Christmas tree, all foregrounding the rides. There’s nothing like it to reignite a sense of childlike wonder. As for the menu, prepare to loosen your belt. Like the view, it changes with the seasons, but you can expect hearty dishes, like lobster linguini served with Danish squid, simmered tomatoes, lobster sauce, and caviar; or rich vol-au-vents with sautéed morels, chanterelles and truffle velouté. The Valrhona chocolate mousse (with pear sorbet, white chocolate and organic Madagascan vanilla) makes a fitting finale to such a rich experience. For a post-dinner tipple, head upstairs to Nimb Bar, a decadent ballroom where the cocktail menu takes inspiration from well-loved fairy tales. If the weather is good, Soho House Copenhagen has the perfect perch, overlooking the water across to the historic Christianshavn district. People-watching with pizza and Picantes? Count us in.

FOR SMALL PLATES AND WINE

Copenhagen’s status as the coolest European city could be quantified by its sheer number of wine bars alone — super-hip hangouts that like their vin natural and their plates small. Ancestrale, on impossible-to-pronounce street of Oehlenschlægersgade, is one such spot; intimate and low-lit with a menu of natural wines and light bites that focus on Danish ingredients. Another is Laban (a stone’s throw from Dybbølsbro station), where the walls are draped in funky tapestries by local artists and tipples are poured to a soundtrack of vintage disco tracks. Newcomer Rascal, meanwhile, has a distinctly younger vibe, and feels like it’s been plucked straight from Melbourne. Order the burrata with smoked kimchi, and the yoghurt-topped Levantine meatballs, washed down with a glass of orange wine.

FOR DATE NIGHT

Newcomer Restaurant 2900 at Park Lane Copenhagen pays homage to the hotel’s postcode in the wealthy northern borough of Hellerup (known by locals as the ‘Beverly Hills’ of Copenhagen). Helmed by Tom Fransson (former chef at iconic eateries Marchal and Geranium), the menu here trots merrily round the globe, but remains grounded in Nordic ingredients and techniques. We love the rigatoni alla vodka and the cod a la plancha served with cauliflower purée, lettuce and bisque. Time your romantic evening for a Friday to enjoy a live jazz band shaking things up. A beloved Copenhagen institution dating back to the 1970s, Café Sommersko recently re-opened with a brand-new look. Back in its early days, it was a meeting point for artists, writers and creatives in the city, a legacy honoured through its eye-catching interiors — think zebra-print sofas and checkerboard floors, adorned with contemporary art and iconic Danish Modernist works. The signature fried redfish serves two, making it an ideal centrepiece for date night.

FOR A NIGHTCAP

The City of Spires prefers low-lit hangouts to all-night revelry — and so do we. Ruby is a relaxed cocktail bar housed in an 18th-century townhouse on the cobbles of Gammel Strand in the city’s historic centre. Inside, cosy sofas and Afghan-style rugs make for a hygge atmosphere, but it’s the inventive menu of impeccably balanced pours that give this place its edge. Keep it classy with a Fjord Martini (Altamura vodka, dill-caviar, Akvavit, cucumber, vermouth and brine) or go bold with a Deep Purple (Michter’s bourbon, beetroot salted-caramel, white miso, sherry and almond). In Frederiksberg, music-lovers should make a beeline for Bird, a listening bar self-described as ‘highballs with hi-fidelity’. From Thursday to Sunday, local audiophiles curate the soundtrack, which ranges from Lebanese new wave to bouncy Afro-beats. But no matter the genre, great cocktails are a constant.

Still hungry? See our edible guides to Amsterdam, Istanbul and the Basque Country, or get stuck into our Yes, Chef series