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The Best Restaurants In Copenhagen, Denmark

Pepperoni pizza
Pepperoni pizza | Photo by Food Photographer on Unsplash

Copenhagen houses not only one of the world’s best restaurants, but also one of the most exciting culinary landscapes in the world. The city’s vibrant restaurant scene combines organic ingredients with creative gastronomy in beautiful settings, both respecting tradition and pushing culinary boundaries. We explore the best Denmark’s capital has to offer, from high end luxury to affordable delicacies.

Noma

Noma was founded with the aim of reinventing Nordic gastronomy; it showed the world the true Danish passion for flavor and the restaurant was acclaimed as the best in the world a mere six years after opening. Today it offers one of the most sought after dining experiences in Europe with its meticulous focus on creativity, ingredients and design. Serving dishes such as smoked quail egg presented on freshly burnt hay, wild Danish flowers arranged with rich fruits and images of insects in nature created through arrangements of legumes and leaves, Noma’s dishes draw inspiration from Denmark’s natural beauty.

Geranium

Boasting two Michelin stars, Geranium is a unique dining destination that has placed its energy and focus on further exploring Scandinavian cuisine. The Geranium experience is described as involving ‘all the diner’s senses.’ Its 8th floor location next to Fælledparken allows visitors incredible views of the stunning park as well as Copenhagen’s skyline. With a kitchen led by award winning chef Rasmus Kofoed, every plate served exudes the grace of an artwork and the knowledgeable staff will happily explain the story behind every dish.

Sticks’n’sushi Tivoli Hotel

One of Copenhagen’s first designer sushi and yakitori restaurants, Sticks’n’sushi is a veteran Japanese cuisine destination that unites flavor, atmosphere and personality. While there are multiple Sticks’n’sushi venues throughout Copenhagen, one of the best has to be the Tivoli Hotel restaurant. Located on the 12th floor with panoramic windows, the restaurant provides incredible views of the city in a beautifully designed setting. There is also a rooftop bar with an even more encompassing view of the city. Sticks’n’sushi describes their food philosophy ​​as ‘pampering — without gorge’, serving small, minimalist delicacies that create inspiring flavors.

Kinn Kinn

Passionate about pushing the boundaries of Thai cuisine, Kiin Kiin boasts a Michelin Star. The dishes served here re-explore the traditions of Thai gastronomy, combining classic recipes with modern techniques. The small plates served are designed to unite together as a culinary journey across Thailand. Favorite dishes include crispy fish with tamarind and lemongrass, and laab isaan salad with mint duck and a spicy marinade. Curry sorbet has also featured on the changing menu, transforming Thai favorites into new delicacies. The restaurant consists of three dining atmospheres: a candle lit wine cellar, a sophisticated lounge and the main restaurant, all of which are filled with exemplary work by Thai designers.

Kokkeriet

With executive chef David Johansen at the helm, Kokkeriet is an attractive restaurant that is committed to sophisticated elegance in both its setting and dishes. The restaurant is housed in a stunning building of historic architecture and the interior features designer furniture pieces. Focusing on reinventing and reconstructing traditional Danish dishes, Johansen describes his food philosophy as aiming to evoke memories while also having a surprising quality. This can be seen in dishes such as fruit and kernels with smoked eel, horseradish and akvavit, affectionately named ‘Grandma’s Pickled Pumpkin’.

Kødbyens Fiskebar

Located in Copenhagen’s old meat hall, Kødbyens Fiskebar contrasts with the area’s history through its inspiring dedication to seafood. The restaurant’s menu changes daily depending on the catch of the day. Guests can choose from options such as king crab from Norway, blue mussels from Limfjorden steamed in apple cider, and razor clam from Scotland with malt bread, fennel and hazelnuts. The restaurant offers several dining experiences including quick bites at the bar, casual dining in the lounge, full meals in the restaurant and outdoor eating on sunny days. The interior of Kødbyens Fiskebar exudes a charming atmosphere and the centerpiece fish tank has become an icon of the venue.

The Standard

Set in an iconic Art Deco building in Copenhagen, The Standard was created by the renowned chef Meyers Madhus and jazz musician Niels Lan Doky. The building is immense and offers four distinct dining experiences: modern Danish cuisine at Almanak, Nordic gastronomy at the Studio, contemporary Pan-Indian cuisine at Verandah, and international jazz performances at the Jazzclub. With each setting focused on top quality gastronomy, this eclectic range of experiences is one of the most exciting aspects of The Standard. The Jazzclub offers unique performances by some of the world’s best musicians in an intimate 68 seat setting.

Höst

Höst has previously won the Restaurant & Bar Design Award for Best Restaurant and Best European Restaurant. Höst’s interior is stunning, exuding a raw aesthetic of recycled wood. This motif of raw and rustic continues into the menu with the dishes centering on creative and contemporary Nordic cuisine. Their menu includes dishes such as rare ribeye with pickled trumpet and fried beech mushrooms, wild watercress and warm karl johan mayo, and Norwegian lobster with sea buckthorn, juniper cream, roasted hazelnuts and browned butter.

Palæo

Palæo focuses on a concept called ‘Stone Age dining’ — modern gastronomy using materials and ingredients that were available to our ancestors in the Stone Age. A radical approach to food, the movement avoids grains and uses organic berries and vegetables with local meats and fish. There are two Palæo outlets in Copenhagen, offering visitors takeaway options, sit down meals and bench top dining. Some of Palæo’s signature dishes include vegetable spaghetti with spicy meat sauce topped with homemade parsley pesto, and organic beef with pepper-cream, chili, and pickled mushrooms, served with a slice Stone Age bread of nuts.

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About the author

Andrew is a writer and editor with several years experience in print, web and live performance. Born in Scotland, he moved to Australia where he studied creative arts at the University of Wollongong and majored in creative writing. Being passionate about art, culture and travel, Andrew has lived and worked around the world including Sydney, Tokyo, Edinburgh, Barcelona and London. Through these travels, he has not only focused on writing about the arts, but also on pursuing his own creative projects. His plays have been performed in multiple theatres around the world, including at The Arts Theatre in London’s West End.

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