The Best Restaurants In Copenhagen, According To 5 Tastemakers
The culinary scene in Copenhagen is globally renowned, but where do those in the know go to eat? Here, five insiders reveal their favorite restaurants in Copenhagen, sharing everything from the Michelin-starred must-dos to the neighborhood spots you won’t want to miss. By KATIE BERRINGTON
Nnenna Echem, digital creator
“I have many favourite restaurants in Copenhagen, but I always make time to visit Delphine whenever I am in the city. I love the food and the vibe there. I always go for everything seafood on the menu. Esmée has the best ice cream dessert in the city, and I also love Beau Marche’s Café à Vins for a good breakfast platter. I enjoy sitting outside while drinking my morning coffee and watching people rush off to work.”
Signe Bindslev Henriksen, interior designer
“One of my favorite restaurants in Copenhagen is the new French Mediterranean-inspired restaurant Esmée, which we recently designed. I love to sit outside in the buzz from the big square or in the surrounding green courtyards – having the genius ceviche of halibut or perfectly grilled turbot. It is a cozy but luxurious experience that reminds me of traveling away from the everyday rhythms. The interior design offers a nostalgic nod to southern-European dining and is echoed throughout the light, green and airy interiors.
“A very different restaurant is Noma, which will always be a special place for me: it was one of the first restaurants I designed almost 20 years back – and it is, without comparison, the best restaurant I have ever been to. René [Redzepi] and his team are incredibly talented and warm-hearted people. They keep surprising and challenge me in the way they refine their approach to nature, taste, values, philosophy and aesthetics. It is far from an everyday experience, so is the place to go for a very special occasion.
“Famo is my go-to local Italian – unpretentious and simply the best place for a great pasta with a glass of wine. We live just around the corner and come at least once a week with our kids and friends.”
Sophie Bille Brahe, designer
“Apollo Bar & Kantine is one of my favorite places in Copenhagen. It is my brother’s restaurant, situated in the courtyard of the Charlottenborg art museum. I love everything on the menu but I’m especially fond of the spaghetti al vongole – or the lobster spaghetti that my brother Frederik cooks for me. I will usually sit at the bar and enjoy a glass of bubbly, while my children play in the yard. It’s a sophisticated place, yet very inclusive, with people of all ages. Evenings there usually end up in a party where everyone is dancing on the bar. It’s just one of those places where you know you’re going to have a good time.
Simone Noa Hedal, artist
“My all-time favorite place is Jah Izakaya & Sake Bar, a Japanese restaurant located in Vesterbro. I love the atmosphere and, most importantly, everything on the menu. They play funk and reggae, and the staff are always super-friendly. The concept is all about small dishes for sharing, which I’m a huge fan of because I always want to try a lot of different things. I usually order the gyoza, grilled squid, silk tofu, sashimi, fried chicken and potato salada. I’m not a big drinker, but I like to order the Jah juice with yuzusake as a pre-dinner cocktail. It’s very refreshing and I‘ve never had anything like it before – I wish I could order it everywhere I went.”
Chrystelle Eriksberger, entrepreneur
“Copenhagen is a truly amazing city to eat in. But my favourite spot is Les Trois Cochons. When I eat out I love to order seafood. At Les Trois Cochons, they have the famous grilled langoustines with parsley and garlic butter, which is to die for, and the plateau de fruits de mer et légumes – a platter of everything you could dream of from the sea: oysters, lobster, langoustines, shrimps, crab claws, blue mussels, all served with crudités and sourdough. I love the décor too – it reminds me of a typical French bistro. I spent a lot of my childhood summers in France so French cuisine has always been close to my heart.”