Copenhagen is a great destination for foodies. The Danes are good at cooking delicious savoury meals, but they also have a high-standard love for coffee and know how to enjoy a good, cold beer in any circumstances!

Disclaimer: I have personally visited all these places. I am writing this post independently and without any compensation from anyone.

Farmers Choice – Boltens Food Court

If you’re not going there for the incredibly delicious burgers, go for the incredibly delicious AND weirdly shaped French fries. Farmers Choice is one of the many food stalls inside the Boltens Food Court in the centre of Copenhagen. You can take the time to walk around, maybe you’ll feel more attracted by Greek food or a super healthy vegetarian salad. But if it’s well cooked, tasty meat you’re after, then do not miss Farmers Choice. Enjoy their burger (there are several options) and the fries on the side for about 15€. You can grab a nice beer nearby.

Bolten Food Court is perfect all year long. It has all sorts of world food, a nice choice of drinks and a summer garden with live music. If it’s chilly, grab a bar stool inside and enjoy your meal!

Nemo – Christiania’s fast food

The alternative independent country of Christinia in the heart of Copenhagen is not only a paradise for weed lovers. Of course, you can buy and smoke weed and all weed-related accessories there, but you can also simply enjoy the walk around before sitting down at Nemo’s terrace for a local beer and a meal. Nemo offers regular but tasty fast-food dishes and also very interesting and delicious daily meals for about 12€ including the beer.

It is forbidden to take photos in this part of Christiania so you’ll have to be content with my word about it!

Café Kalaset – Brunchtime

Nordic healthy cuisine at its best. If you are as lucky as us to be in Copenhagen on a sunny Saturday, head over to café Kalaset for a Swedish-inspired brunch. Or breakfast, lunch, dinner… The menu is not big but the choice is wide enough. Order inside (and take a look at the place and the decoration) then sit outside in the sun for some people-watching.

I had the meaty brunch because I wanted to try the sausage. I am rarely a fan of sausages, except in France, but I’m always curious to try it everywhere I go if it is part of the local cuisine. Call me adventurous. I didn’t like it too much. But the rest of my plate and the plates my friends ordered (vegetarian and vegan brunch) were delicious! They had great bread and butter to add to the rest. On top of that, you can help yourself with the (vegan) Nutella and other sweet spreadings. The meal accompanied with a nice latte cost me around 15€.

Warpigs – Meatpacking district

You better love pork in Copenhagen! Of course, there are many alternatives to it if you don’t eat pork, but it’s a huge part of Danish cuisine. That was one of the many discoveries I made about Denmark in Copenhagen.

Warpigs is the name of a local mini-brewery. It is very successful and their offer is nothing “mini”! At their restaurants, you can choose between about 20 of their beers, all bearing funny names like House of Dongo, GiggleMaps, Czechs Balances… I had no idea what to order so I just asked the cashier what she thought I should have with my meat.

The meat is served fresh – you can see the people preparing it. The day’s offer is written on a chalkboard above the counter. Take a tray, wait in line and ask what you want and how much (you will see the prices per portion as well). You then get the food directly on cooking paper on the tray. You can also order side dishes like a salad so you can pretend you are eating healthy.

I had the smallest portion of pork, and it might look like it’s not much for the price if you come like me from a country like Serbia. But the meat was so incredibly tasty I felt satiated fast and I ate very slowly, savouring each bite. It’s not cheap but you obviously pay for the quality. The dish and the beer cost me about 20€.

The place itself is like a big cafeteria of industrial design with rock music and a big terrace for the good days. I loved the atmosphere! It’s a great place to start the evening before moving on to a bar or a club.

Hallernes Smørrebrød – Food hall Torvehallerne

Another special dish you need to try in Copenhagen is the open sandwich. Something I would simply call a toast, but with a lot of topping. Get the best ones at Hallernes Smørrebrød. Be ready to wait in line as the place is very popular. You can find them at the food hall Torvehallerne, a place that is no doubt on your to-do list.

Smørrebrød has lots of different open sandwiches and you can see them in the window so you know exactly what you will be getting. If you want to go full traditional, get the one with the herrings. Finally an opportunity to eat fish! I got myself one covered in shrimps, mayonnaise and eggs for a little under 10€.

Sømods Bolcher – Royal Candies

Danes are not only good with savoury dishes. People with a sweet tooth will find lots to enjoy there as well. Sømods Bolcher is a very special place among all, as it is the historical candy maker still working for the royal family. We went there on Sunday and no one but a cashier was there. However, during the week, you can see the people in the room beside the little shop area where workers still make the candies by hand!

Candies have all sorts of tastes, sizes and appearances. You can get a box of sweets with the Danish crown printed on them or just rainbow colours… It’s the perfect place to buy small gifts.

Meyers Bageri – sweet bakery

Denmark is not only known for beer and savoury cuisine. Danish pastries are a beautiful thing and unless you have extremely good health-related reasons, you can hardly spend any time in Copenhagen without trying some. Meyers bakery on Jaegersborggade street is a great place to check out what the fuss is all about! I had a wonderful snail-shaped pastry filled with a blueberry jam. You can find others filled with cinnamon (or cinnamon rolls) or poppy seeds.

You’ll find a Coffee Collective (see below) in the same street. Lots of people (like us) buy a pastry at Meyers’ then go and sit at Coffee Collective to get coffee.

Coffee Collective – crazy daily specials

I like a country that is serious about coffee. I converted to the Balkan coffee culture when I moved to Belgrade four years ago. Therefore, it is very important for me to make sure I know where to get good coffee everywhere I travel. The Coffee Collective is such a place in Copenhagen.

Although it is a chain, the coffee is delicious and every place has a different atmosphere so you can try them all and never be bored. We found shelter from the rain in the historical centre (Bernikow) where the super nice waitress patiently explained to us what were the specials and let us try them all for free before making a decision. It’s a small place with just about a dozen tables, but it has also a sheltered outdoor area and I loved the old paintings and geographical maps on the wall.

If you are looking for a cup of coffee to sip on while savouring your pastry from Meyers, you can head to the end of Jaegersborggade street. This Coffee Collective is also very popular but offers a bigger space and big tables on which people come to work in groups. A great place for a digital nomad to get some work done!

They have amazing blends from all over the world and knowledgeable baristas ready to help you choose. They also have daily specials like Nitro Coffee, Coffee Kombucha (yes, you read that right, and it’s good) or Iced Black Coffee. The Coffee Softice is a summer special that you shouldn’t miss, although it’s more of a coffee-flavoured dessert than a drink.

Vinstue 90 – Slow Carlsberg

A classic Danish bodega bar to enjoy the most classic Danish beer but slowly. Very slowly. A bodega is a bar in which you can find beers, usually for a cheap-ish price, and where you can also smoke most of the time. Smoking is otherwise forbidden in public space in Denmark, but you will find (unfortunately if you ask me) enough bodegas in Copenhagen to enjoy your beer without having to get up and out for a puff.

Vinstue 90 is a very special bodega. It was opened in 1916 and has retained its old-fashion, all-wooden design and atmosphere. The waiters were very nice as in every place we have visited.

The other very special thing about Vinstue 90 is that they serve a slow draught Carlsberg. What does it mean? The beer is poured on tap but it takes 15 minutes to fill a pint. The taste is not really different, but the experience is unique!

Hvide Lam – Jazz and beers

You have a lot of choices when it comes to finding a place for a cold beer in Copenhagen, particularly in the historical city centre. But if you happen to be on Kultorvet square in the evening, I strongly suggest you grab a seat at the White Lamb (Hvide Lam) for beers and live jazz. I was told the quality of the music varies, but the atmosphere is great! If you want to enjoy the music but still be able to talk and breathe, they have a few tables outside. The beer selection is big enough, with the usual Danish names and other European brands.

Bonus: picnic and drinking in public parks

My kind of people! There are many parks in Copenhagen and people make good use of them, meaning they bring food and drinks and sit on the grass with family and friends. So if you are looking for a cheap, local experience, this is what you need to do!

Although Denmark, unsurprisingly, does not produce wine, Danes love a good bottle. It’s not very cheap but you can find lots of wines from all over the world in the supermartket or in specialized shops like the one inside Torvehallerne. If the day is warm and sunny, you will see people playing or sitting on the grass everywhere in the city’s parks and probably enjoying a pack of beer or a bottle of red. One of my favourite things to do! It reminds me of my student years in Paris…

Have you been to Copenhagen? Which places did you go to? Share some tips!

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