If you are heading to Denmark, you undoubtedly have food at the top of your to do list and are probably wondering what are the best Copenhagen restaurants. It has become one of the top foodie cities in the world, thanks in part to the talented team at Noma. It’s been voted the NUMBER ONE restaurant in the WORLD for several years and has received not one, not two, but THREE Michelin stars. If you want to dine at Noma, you need to book a reservation months in advance, then book your flights around when you can get in.
But they certainly aren’t the only place that should be on your radar. With competition from places like Geranium and Alchemist, the Copenhagen foodie scene is on fire. My list of restaurants to try in Copenhagen is super long and as soon as I check one off, it’s time to add another.
Here are some of my favorite places you must-try on your next trip to the Danish capital!
Best Restaurants in Copenhagen
The top trendy restaurants in Copenhagen….and of course, I’ve got photos 🤤
Esmée (French/Nordic)
Kicking this off with an absolute fave from my recent trip to Denmark. Esmée is located steps from touristy Nyhavn, but tucked away in a quiet space. It’s a large restaurant with sidewalk seating on their front patio, a sophisticated dining room, and my favorite, the intimate back patio. It’s super trendy while also keeping with the sleek Scandinavian design at this French-inspired brasserie.
The menu is incredible with plenty of fresh seafood and locally sourced vegetables. We shared green olives to start, followed by a green salad with grilled zucchini, avocado & pistachios, fish ceviche with gooseberries, and grilled monkfish with summer veggies. In addition, Esmée has a creative cocktail list with seasonal creations, wines, and fun mocktails, too!
It is vegetarian friendly with plenty of plant-based options like a whole globe artichoke, crudite, and mushroom risotto.
Open for lunch or dinner, but we did lunch and it was the perfect spot for a boozy lunch! Add this to your Copenhagen must eat list!
Amass Restaurant (Modern Scandinavian)
Amass Copenhagen is located more off the beaten path in an industrial part of town. It’s housed in a former warehouse featuring concrete walls and floors, decorated with modern decor and brightly colored artwork on the walls. The kitchen is an open concept so you can watch the production if you are seated nearby.
Amass Restaurant has a preset tasting style menu that is very vegetable forward with produce from their onsite garden. They even want you to take a stroll through to check out their unique green space. You can also do the drink pairings to accompany the menu or select your own bottle of wine. They have some super unique wines like an unfiltered gruner veltliner that was something totally different for us. For dinner, some of our favorites were the fermented potato bread with a shishito butter, marinated tomatoes and gooseberries, and fish bone “noodles”.
They do offer a vegetarian/vegan menu upon request. Open for lunch and dinner, but we went for dinner. Easily one of the best Copenhagen restaurants.
La Banchina (Casual)
If you are wondering where to eat in Copenhagen for lunch, THIS is the best spot.
La Banchina is always a favorite spot to return to every time. It doesn’t look like much, but they serve up great food focused on sustainable seafood, local vegetables, and natural wine. It is fun to go for lunch so you can take a dip off of their dock. On a warm day, expect the dock to be filled with locals trying to catch a little sun. On a cold day, you can expect the same with people running between their onsite sauna and the lagoon. Book the sauna in advance here.
They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the menu changing with whatever is fresh. Last time, we had a fried fish sandwich and vegetable plate with fresh zucchini. And of course, we always get their orange wine – it is so good!
The Pescatarian (Tasting Menu)
The Pescatarian is you guessed it – a seafood restaurant! However, with advanced notice they will make each dish on the tasting menu either vegan or vegetarian. Expect Danish favorites with a modern approach at The Pescatarian. Located in the historic Amalienborg area near Kastellet. We loved dining here when they opened back in 2019 and had amazing fish and especially loved the scallops.
Admiralgade 26 (Japanese)
Admiralgade 26 definitely feels like a hidden gem in Copenhagen! Tucked away on a charming cobblestone street, this restaurant sits in one of the oldest parts of the city in a historic house. It is very relaxed and really feels like you’ve strolled into a friend’s home for dinner.
The menu changes seasonally, but we went in August and had the summer menu which was omakase style. It translates in Japanese to mean “I’ll leave it up to you” or chef’s choice! We were served creamy potato noodles, ceviche, fresh oysters, monkfish, and creative veggie dishes. They have an extensive wine collection and of course, sake.
Open for lunch and dinner!
Simple Feast at Broens Gadekøkken (Casual, Plant Based)
Next on the list of where to eat in Copenhagen is also a great place for people-watching!
Broens Gadekøkken is a super trendy outdoor food court located right across the harbor from Nyhavn. It is really casual so a great choice for lunch when you are out biking and exploring.
The facility is constructed from containers with bars and individual restaurants serving food from around the world in their stalls. There are four different bars each focusing on a specialty like beer, wine or cocktails.
We love Simple Feast for a healthy, fully vegan option! I had the tofu bowl and it was perfectly crispy with a flavorful marinade.
Reffen Copenhagen (Casual, Street Food)
Reffen Copenhagen is located past Amass in an industrial part of town along the harbor. It’s a super large area with endless dining options. Similar to Broens Garden, it’s an open-air food court with 40+ dining stalls made from recycled shipping containers. There is literally every type of cuisine from around the world whether empanadas from Argentina, gyros from Greece, or creole from Louisiana. There are also themed bars like a Mexican one serving margaritas, palomas, and of course Mexican style lagers.
A great spot for lunch in Copenhagen. Whether you eat or not, it’s a really cool concept and fun to walk around so definitely plan to check out Reffen and their events calendar!
Mother (Italian)
Mother is the best place for a casual lunch (or dinner) of pizza and pasta! It’s located in the trendy meat-packing district of Copenhagen. They are known for their signature sourdough crust pizzas and they are so good! They cook in a wood fired oven and the chef uses filtered sea water instead of salt+water. You HAVE to go here!
Kødbyens Fiskebar
Kødbyens Fiskebar is also located in the meatpacking district serving fresh seafood and natural wines. Expect a little bit of everything from lobster, mussels, herring, trout, crab, shrimp, sea urchins and more. It’s in a fun, industrial space with fish tanks throughout the dining room and a great outdoor patio.
Selma (Classic Smørrebrød)
Selma is one of my favorite spots in Copenhagen. Denmark has a few uniquely Danish dishes and smørrebrød is one of them! Selma makes the best open-faced sandwiches on rye bread. Whether you eat meat or are vegetarian, they have something amazing for you to try! We loved the split peas, herring trio, crispy fish (plaice), and celeriac (celery root)!
They also had several non-alcoholic beers on their list too which was nice being pregnant.
Make reservations in advance here!
Hotel Sanders (Luxury Hotel + Restaurant)
Hotel Sanders is the best hotel in Copenhagen and a popular spot for locals too. Go for breakfast and enjoy sipping coffee with pastries along their sidewalk cafe. You will get to see the city come to life as the Danes go about their day, many having business meetings at the hotel.
Later, have drinks in the main bar called TATA Cocktail Bar or head to the trendy rooftop for snacks and happy hour!
Høst (Fine Dining, Veg-Friendly)
Høst means Harvest in Danish. And that is exactly what you’ll get – fresh, locally sourced ingredients dependent on the season. It’s in a cozy space with white walls, rustic wooden tables, and plants sprinkled throughout. Travel + Leisure even called them the World’s Most Beautiful Restaurant.
We were lucky to sit downstairs in their basement/wine cellar area and it was so dreamy! Very cozy with candlelight throughout! We did the tasting menu and my husband went pescatarian and I did the vegetarian option. I was pleasantly surprised that each of my dishes was similar to the main menu and not something completely different. One of our favorite dishes was the waffle with tiny fried shrimp to combine with!
The lighting was not great, but here are some photos anyways…
Vækst
Vækst is a Nordic style restaurant focused on fresh veggies and herbs alongside fish and other meats. You will love dining in their greenhouse inspired restaurant that brings the outdoors inside! Everything was very fresh, light, and cooked to perfection.
We chose the tasting menus and here are some faves of the night. The kholrabi dish with cream cheese was one of my favorites – so simple, but full of flavor. The fish was light and perfectly crisped with several fresh veggies. And again, the waffle! One of the best waffles I have ever had – super soft on the inside with a perfect crunch to the outside.
They offer a menu for vegetarians as well or you can order a la carte.
Copenhagen Restaurants I’m Dying to Try Next
Adding these to my list of where to eat in Copenhagen. It’s a bucket list, really.
Bistro Lupa (Vegan/Vegetarian)
Bistro Lupa is a fully plant based restaurant where they serve seasonal vegetables and make everything in house including their own kombucha! They do a tasting menu with drink pairings or you can order a la carte. Expect things like a fried oyster sandwich, risotto and cocktails you can feel good about – like green tea with bubbly or oolong infused gin!
Sanchez (Mexican)
Sanchez is a vibrant Mexican restaurant serving up authentic dishes made with organic corn they import directly from Mexico. Expect all your favorites like tostadas, tacos, guacamole, churros, and of course margaritas! Chef Rosio Sanchez is a former pastry chef at Noma now applauded for bringing a taste of Mexican cuisine to the Copenhagen foodie scene with Hija de Sanchez.
They have a few different concepts and locations across town.
Geranium (Fine Dining)
Geranium has quickly risen to the ranks of Noma being named the best restaurant in the world in 2022 and earning THREE Michelin stars. It is located on the eighth floor of a building in the center of town with amazing views of the city. They serve a meat-free menu featuring insanely inventive flavors and styles.
Like Noma, it is a place you go for an experience, not simply to eat dinner. A three hour minimum tasting menu with beverage pairings that will cost you 3000DKK at least.
Alchemist (Fine Dining)
Alchemist is one of the hottest restaurants in Copenhagen and one our local friends were raving about. They took the 18th spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2022. It is truly an experience dining under their domed roof where the images on the screen will change throughout your meal. Expect to go on a 4-6 hour journey where you will really need to have an open mind! I mean how cool is this??
Kadeau (Multi-Course Tasting Menu)
Kadeau is a super chic restaurant offering 16-18 course tasting menus with wine pairings. They’ve earned themselves 2 Michelin stars for their creative approach to Nordic cuisine. The menu changes seasonally using local ingredients from Denmark, including Bornholm. You can also visit their other location on the island of Bornholm which is where the owner actually hails from.
And that is all for my list of the best Copenhagen restaurants and where to eat for your next trip. Check out some of my other favorite restaurants to discover below…
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