A key takeaway from our stay in Copenhagen (besides the delicious food) was just how resourceful the Danish are when it comes to dining. The majority of their foods are locally sourced, using only the best organic and seasonal ingredients. Interestingly, fast food restaurants are often boycotted and, whilst you'll find the odd Burger King or McDonalds in the city centre for the tourists, locals tend to stick to small businesses and food markets. So if you're looking for authentic, delicious Copenhagen cuisine, I'd have to recommend the following.
Cafe Flottenheimer
Our hearty brunch at Cafe Flottenheimer was the perfect start to set us up for a full day of sightseeing and walking around Copenhagen. Cafe Flottenheimer is a friendly, small but beautifully decorated cafe in København, Copenhagen. As well as their famous brunch tray, they also serve an array of home-made cakes, simple lunches and dinner all made from locally sourced vendors - with plenty of choices for vegans and vegetarians.
Having found this one on Instagram, we took a fairly big walk from our hotel and through the city centre to give this place a go but it was well worth it. As you can see from the above, their brunch consists of scrambled eggs, natural yogurt with muesli, pancakes with the option of syrup, tortilla with spinach and feta, cheese and butter, homemade bread and seasonal fresh fruit. My recommendation would be to go with an empty stomach because this was a lot of food and very reasonably priced at around £15pp.
Aamanns Deli and Takeaway
For one of our days in Copenhagen, we were treated to a foodie walking tour of the city with Tinggly*. This was an excellent opportunity to try as many places as possible. One of the most famous and memorable stops on our tour was Aamanns Deli & Takeaway. Aamanns are famed for their traditional smørrebrød; a Scandinavian open-faced sandwich that usually consists of a piece of buttered rye bread, a dense, dark brown bread, topped with commercial or homemade cold cuts, pieces of meat or fish, cheese or spreads, and garnishes.
I was particularly excited for this place having seen it on an episode of Travel Man with Richard Ayoade and Noel Fielding. It's no surprise that Aamanns are so well known through-out Scandinavia as their chef hard to create unique flavourings and textures - all from locally sourced produce. I'll admit I am a particularly fussy eater but, being on the tour, I told myself I was going to give everything a go and I'm so glad I did. I probably would not have thought to have ordered the above but this sample platter was perfect. The sample platter offers a selection of each smørrebrød available that day (the menu changes regularly) and each was amazing and unexpected. If you get to visit, I'd say this is a must-see of Copenhagen and the best way of sampling the best that Aamanns has to offer.
A Hereford Beefstouw
For the third evening of our stay, we celebrated our anniversary at A Hereford Beefstouw in Tivoli. Located right next to Tivoli's entrance and offering a beautiful view of the park, the bistro serves an array of high-end steak dishes, lobster and salad bar. As you can see, we opted for the fillet steak, served rare and perfectly pink, which was bought to our table and sliced by our server. For sides, we decided to add a lobster tail and potatoes - all of which were just wonderful after a long day of sight-seeing.
Offering higher-end dishes, A Hereford Beefstouw does come with a bit of a price tag but is very reasonably priced for the quality of the food, atmosphere and table service. I believe our bill came to just over £120 and we went away with very full bellies. Once we'd finished our meal, we took a stroll round Tivoli Gardens to let our food go down (if you've visited during the day you can re-enter the park after your meal if you got your hand stamped before leaving). Just be sure to get your hand stamped before exiting and keep hold of your ticket.
Torvehallerne
Torvehallerne, Frederiksborggade 21, 1362 København, Denmark
Also part of our foodie walking tour was Copenhagen's famous food hall, Torvehallerne. This marketplace is known for showcasing some of the finest foods and ingredients that Copenhagen has to offer and is made up of many stalls with local produce, gourmet foods, beverages and desserts. The food market includes a fish mongers, several butchers, bakers and green grocers, as well as sit-down dining or takeaways; with plenty of options available for vegan and vegetarians. Besides being a hot spot for locals to get their weekly shops, it's also a fantastic place to get souvenirs and sample some incredible culinary delights.
I was really pleased to have started our tour here. This market truly embodies what amazing foods and talents Copenhagen has to offer and we were able to try some delicious samples. Some of our tasters included local cheeses and liquors, chocolates and sweets. If you're looking to grab a quick bite, some bits to take home or even just a slice of cake - please make sure you stop off at Torvehallerne.
CakenHagen
CakenHagen, Tivoli Gardens, Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København, Denmark
If, like me, you have a sweet tooth, CakenHagen is an absolute must when visiting Copenhagen. Famed throughout Scandinavia, Cakenhagen is a traditional Danish pastry shop with a modern, french-inspired twist and lead by Head Pastry Chef, Torben Bang. Located in the Tivoli Gardens, they serve a selection of high-end decorative cakes, pastries and sparkly champagne. Cakes can be taken away or served with tea, coffee or hot chocolate if you're feeling fancy.
We were lucky enough to visit Cakenhagen during the Autumn which meant some truly beautiful Halloween inspired cream cakes, macarons, pies, biscuits and petit fours. A particular favourite of ours was the traditional Danish flødeboller (cream puffs), decorated to be an adorable little ghost.
Pølsevogn (Hot Dog Street Vendors)
If you fancy grabbing a quick bite on the go, the hotdog is a much-loved Danish culinary tradition. Thankfully, there are hotdog stalls located all over the city, particularly on key intersections and transit points across all of Copenhagen. A traditional Danish hotdog (which can also be vegetarian or vegan) is served with apple ketchup, mustard, remoulade, chopped onions, fried onions, and crisp, sweet pickles. Normally, I wouldn't ever opt to have any of that on my hotdog (I'm a mustard and ketchup kinda gal) but I urge you all to try it the traditional way just the once - you won't regret it.
Put all your presumptions of a hot dog aside. Unlike other hotdogs you might buy on the street - say a New York hotdog - the hotdogs around Copenhagen are an entirely different quality in terms of their ingredients and freshness, despite being quick and affordable. The buns are usually wholemeal and toppings are usually locally sourced and organic. So, if you're in need of a quick, guilt-free bite, I wholeheartedly recommend you grab a traditional Danish hotdog at least once during your time in Copenhagen.
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Well, that's it for my quick foodie guide to Copenhagen and should more than tide you over a weekend getaway. Some honourable mentions also go out to Hooked, a fabulous seafood place offering some incredible lobster rolls and burgers; as well as Nyhavn 17 if you're after some traditional Danish dishes. But tell me, have you ever visited Copenhagen? What were some of your favourite places to eat? As always, I love reading your comments so please do share your thoughts with me below.
I'd like to share, also, that having gone back through my old photos of Copenhagen and with lockdown right now, it's made me all the more desperate to get back out and travel once it's safe to do so. I loved this trip so much and can't wait to hopefully go again one day soon. And don't forget, you can check out more of my Travel diaries here.
Until next time,
*Disclaimer - The Culinary Walking Tour featured in this post was a gifted experience by Tinggly. As always, all opinions are my own and do not reflect that of the brand.
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