I want to move to Copenhagen. Some places, like Barcelona and Los Angeles, I absolutely love visiting on holidays but the prospect of making a home is more difficult to envisage. Copenhagen, on the other hand, is a place I daydream about. I picture myself hopping on a bike and peddling around the pastel-house lined streets with a picnic basket of smoked fish and still-warm cinnamon pastries. Of course, I love the food and coffee but, ultimately, it’s the (subtle) boho vibe of this city that is utterly contagious.
Coffee stops
Coffee Collective
Copenhagen’s artisan coffee scene is unusually strong for such a small city and leading the charge is Coffee Collective. Roasting their own beans, Coffee Collective now has three outposts; the original café is on Jægersborggade while their second venue is a busy espresso bar at Torvehallerne while the third is in a quiet municipal area not far from the other two shops on Godthåbsvej in Frederiksberg. My favourite is the original café; the understated Nordic aesthetic is worth a visit alone.
Jægersborggade 10, 2200 København N
www.coffeecollective.dk
Rist Kaffebar
We stumbled across Rist on our first day in Copenhagen. Located on one of Copenhagen’s most loved streets in Vesterbro ( Værnedamsvej: pronounced “yays-bor-gell”), we visited Rist almost every morning. They use Coffee Collective beans and there’s a concise food menu of pastries, boiled eggs and avocado toast. Make sure you have a wander along this gorgeous street and pop into Granola (across the road – read more below).
Værnedamsvej 4B
1619 København V
www.ristkaffebar.dk
Kent Kaffe Laboratorium
Just around the corner from Copenhagen’s famous street market, Torvehallerne, Kent Kaffe Laboratorium is worth a visit if you dig alternative brewing methods. I’m a flat white girl and prefer the coffee at Coffee Collective and Rist but they have free wifi (and even share their phone chargers if you’re lost and desperate!)
Nørre Farimagsgade 70
1364 København K
www.kentkaffelaboratorium.com
Food
Granola
We were straight off the plane and into Granola. There’s no Scandi chic vibe here, instead it’s a tribute to the yesteryear with 50’s music, a retro coffee mill in the centre of the restaurant, enamel signs and a seriously good food. This first meal set the eating standard for the next few days—and I still think about their salmon tartare (made with a mix of smoked and fresh salmon) with dollops of crème fraîche while AT devoured a croque madame.
Værnedamsvej 5
1819 Frederiksberg C
www.granola.dk
Manfreds
One of the baristas at Coffee Collective gave us the best tips for our stay in Copenhagen and Manfred’s was at the top of his list (and it’s now at the top of ours!). The concept of Manfreds is exactly how I like to eat; 7 small dishes of unpretentious, plant-based fare (with a small amount of raw meat/seafood), served with organic, natural wines. Expect to queue if you can’t get there before the doors open.
Jægersborggade 40
2200 København
www.manfreds.dk/en/restaurant/
Grød
Pronounced ‘Groll’, this is porridge on steroids. The first porridge-only cafe, Grød (which translates as porridge in Danish), reinvents this breakfast staple. Topped with goodies such as dulce de leche, chestnut purée, licorice sugar and cocoa crumble, this shoebox cafe (now with three outlets, one at the incredible torvehallerne markets) serves only sweet and savory porridge and refreshingly, you don’t need to mortgage your house for a bowl either.
Jægersborggade 50
2200 København N
www.groed.com
Meyers Bageri
This bakery is where you’ll get hooked on cinnamon rolls (“kanelsnurrer”) made with Valrhona chocolate. There are several outposts around the city but even still, you may have to queue.
Jægersborggade 9
2200 København N
www.meyersmad.dk
Copenhagen Street Food
The Danes seriously know how to do street food. Located in two huge warehouses on The Paper Island, just a short walk from Christianshavn metro station or a walk across the new bridge from Nyhavn, Copenhagen Street Food was one of my favourite places to visit. Wander the indoor stalls and feast on everything from Texan smoked meats, Israeli street fare to traditional Danish dishes. There’s also a place that serves sweet potato fries with dollops of hummus, served in a cone (see photo above). Get it!
Meatpacking district (Kødbyn)
As the name suggests, this area was formally where Copenhagen’s meat industry resided however today it’s one of the most popular areas to go out. We stayed nearby so embarked on a bar/restaurant crawl. Our favourites were:
Mother
In a nutshell: organic sourdough pizza, aperol spritz and queues
Høkerboderne 9
1712 København V
mother.dk
Restaurant Kul
In a nutshell: food cooked over coals (fine-dining ish)
Høkerboderne 16B-20
1712 København V
www.restaurantkul.dk
Wedofood
In a nutshell: healthy, takeaway salads (perfect to pick up on your way to the airport).
Halmtorvet 21
1700 København V
www.wedofood.dk
Noma
It goes without saying that if you can get a reservation, this is bucket-list stuff. Unfortunately, when we were there, Noma had moved to Sydney so the restaurant was closed. On the upside, that just means we have to go back!
The Foodhall – Torvehallerne
I would like to live in Copenhagen largely in part because of Torvehallerne Food Hall. There are two indoor static markets, where you can either grab lunch and a coffee or buy nibbles and groceries to take home.
Frederiksborggade 21
1360 København K
www.torvehallernekbh.dk
I’d love to hear if you visit any of these places or if you have any recommendations for me (as I’m sure I’ll be returning!)
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