Hey there, I’m Jess ✨. On The Signature, I share reflections on beauty, routines, travel, wellness, culture, and everyday life. For those drawn to a calmer, more intentional way of living, I send a free newsletter each month on the 7th. You're welcome to join.
Little did I know before travelling to Copenhagen for the first time that it would become one of the best food destinations of my life. I have been to Paris, Cape Town,... and still, Copenhagen remains on the top of my list.
Jess
RESTAURANTS
Hviids Vinstue (Location)
I did not see this spot in any guide as it is a gem - not going to say hidden as it exists since 1723! - but one that my husband's friend, a local to all things Copenhagen, introduced us to as we quickly wanted to grab a bite in the middle of our full day of walking in the city.
Right in the city centre, by Kongens Nytorv, exists a lunch deal not to miss: three small smørrebrød and a beer! Smørrebrød, which can be translated as "buttered bread", is an open-faced sandwich that is very popular in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. It was my first time trying them in what would become a common feature through my journey in Scandinavia. These sandwiches are usually made with a slice of dark rye bread with seeds (called rugbrød) topped with butter, with cold cuts or fish, cheese or spreads and garnishes. I wasn't very lucky with it as I don't eat raw animal protein (not even smoked!), mayonnaise - could never stand it, even as a kid! - and dill is not my favourite herb. And 99% of the smørrebrød I found through my journey had both lots of mayonnaise and dill and most were made with smoked salmon or marinated herring. Lucky me! I ended up ordering one with finely sliced roast beef, pickled beets and patés.
At Hviids Vinstue in Copenhagen
I also do not drink beer but I could opt for a sparkling water and this one was produced by Carlsberg, the beer producer. My first Carlsberg then! This also became a recurrent theme through our trip: my husband ordering beer and me ordering ciders or sparkling water. One has to adapt!
Færgekroen (Location)
We had lunch at this spot by the lake inside the Tivoli Gardens whilst visiting the amusement park.
The service was just excellent, which is quite refreshing for a spot that frequently hosts hordes of tourists like us.
We shared a fish and chips dish with the freshest local fish as well as a platter with four smørrebrød, which was really nice to pick and choose our favourites.
Kødbyens Fiskebar (Location)
Located in the Kødbyen, the Meatpacking District, where all the hippest restaurants are located. We chose this spot as it is quite famous for its seafood. We ordered blue mussels, fava bean salad and herring with a tomato tartare and deep fried fiore di zuccha. It was a great meal, with a great vibe.
The most spectacular spread at Kødbyens Fiskebar
Neighbourhood
Neighbourhood - or NHD as friends call it - was THE best restaurant of all our trip to Copenhagen. It was considered, at the time of our trip, as one of the best organic pizza restaurants in the city overall. And I know what you are going to say... Pizza in Denmark? Yes, Pizza! Pizza is a staple of Danish life and they absolutely love it. And if you make it organically, it's even more a success!
At Neighbourhood, the pizza dough is extremely thin and the toppings were 90% local, celebrating the best of Denmark. We chose the chicken pizza and I have to say it was the best pizza of my life.
Our experience at Neighbourhood restaurant in Copenhagen
Alas, the photos we took of that sunny day meal do not reflect how good the meal genuinely was. And speaking of a gorgeous day, it was also the day the owners were doing a food photoshoot... it made me wonder if I should learn how to become a food photographer one day... who knows, who knows!
Aside from the pizza, we ordered a poached egg with ponzu sauce as a side dish and we had the deconstructed lemon pie as a dessert. All was superb. I completely recommend this restaurant and would love to go back.
FOOD HALLS
We discovered the joy of renovated food halls in Scandinavia and it is a recurrent theme throughout our journey to Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Not in Scandinavia, but also a Nordic country, we also loved going to a food market in Helsinki when in Finland back in 2019.
DØP - Den Økologiske Pølsemand (Location)
The Danes really love their organic food (which we call "bio" in France and it's called "ecological" in Danish). We heard about this organic hotdog stand right in front of the Rundetarn on a video about Copenhagen and we were eager to try it. We had so many options but we had to choose just one. We ordered a hotdog on whole-wheat bread (which was so soft) and pickles. It was just amazing. It was completely worth it.
Polse Kompagniet @ Papirøen [CLOSED]
Unfortunately, as I rewrite this guide in 2026, this place does not exist. Papirøen was the Copenhagen Street Market located in an old Paper Mill. It allowed us to visit food stands from all over the world (from Danish food, to Brazilian or Chinese) in a unique and covered spot. The vibe was absolutely amazing. For more current and open food halls, click here.
At the now extinct Papirøen, we went to the Polse Kompagniet stand. Polse means sausage in Danish, and we also heard about this place in an online video. Their approach to eating sausage was to substitute the buns for a bed of potatoes. It was delicious and I didn't see a single unhappy customer around me, if you know what I mean.
Polse Kompagniet hotdogs over potatoes
BAKERIES
Lagkagehuset
Okay, I know, it is a chain... but let's not get too high on a horse, it is worth the visit and easy to find in several neighbourhoods. But this is the bakery where I tried the first kanelsnegl of my life. These are cinnamon buns, that have since gotten quite popular in many countries and breakfast tables around the world.
Cinnamon buns (and more) at Lagkagehuset
This is also where I tried tebirkes, a pastry made with marzipan (like my favourite Holiday cake) and poppy seeds. As it was raining when we went, we realised we could sit outdoors with a blanket on our laps, while we waited for the rain to pass.
DRINKS
Cider everywhere!
As I said previously, I don't drink beer, which turned out to be a very popular drink at all establishments in Denmark. I was lucky enough to often find delicious cider options (such as the Elderflower Lime or Pear ones), most produced by Somersby, a brand owned by Carlsberg.
We had the opportunity to visit the Carlsberg museum (and try new beers and ciders at the tasting by the end of the tour) and we highly recommend it. I loved them all, either at restaurants or by the canal. But I would have to alternate it with a few sparkling water orders as they can be very sweet too.
Lidkoeb (Location)
At the end of a full day sightseeing, we were not remotely hungry so we left the hotel after a quick nap as we wanted to just have a quiet cocktail before calling it a day. That is when we found one of the cutest bars of our lives called Lidkoeb, just a few steps from our hotel in Versterbrogade.
Drinks and menu at the Lidkoeb cocktail bar
They had a menu with quite original cocktails and the lights were warm and dimmed. This speakeasy ambiance is one of my favourites when I go to a bar. I hope to go back to it if I ever go back to Copenhagen.
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