WHERE TO EAT IN COPENHAGEN
Photo by Alison Vagnini
When chef Nick Curtin and his wife Camilla Hansen left New York City to move to Copenhagen 7 years ago, Copenhageners often asked them “Why on Earth would you leave New York?!” Nick had been a rising star in a city that was ripe with opportunity, acclaimed by top publications including the New York Times and Zagat. “I have never looked back,” Nick explains, “I have loved this city from the minute I set foot here. It is calm, beautiful, supportive, full of energy, creativity, delicious food and wine.”
A few years after arriving, Nick and his wife created Alouette, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Copenhagen’s industrial Islands Brygge neighborhood. Discreetly housed in a former pencil factory, the restaurant is accessed via a graffiti-covered lift. The 5-course menu offers a simple yet refined celebration of the ingredients currently in season.
“There is a list of famous restaurants, bakeries and wine bars the length of my arm in this city, but you’ve either heard of them already, or it wouldn’t take much effort to find them. I would rather tell you about my local haunts. The little, intimate discoveries that will knock anyone’s socks off.” From bakeries to pizza shops and local classics, here, Nick shares with us his favorite eateries in the city that he calls home. “Places like Noma and Geranium may bring you to Copenhagen, but spots like these are the reason you never leave.”
"Beau Clugston is cooking some of the freshest, most exciting fish in a city filled with beautiful seafood. Iluka is small, funky, and singular. Beau’s approach to local, sustainably sourced seafood is novel, pulling in ideas from all cultures, and spinning his many years as a sous chef at Noma into something new entirely. A must visit!"
"Kristian Baumann has taken the concept of popup to a whole new level. After his success at 108, he took up residence in the old Relæ space and created Koan, a restaurant utilising Nordic ingredients to create contemporary Korean Fine Dining. Baumann’s ideas are exciting, and his technical skill and passion for hospitality are on full display. He deserves the attention he has received."
"Jah is my favorite place to eat in my time off. You can take anyone there - kids, friends, grandma, a date - and they will love it. Japanese Izakaya, paired with Danish products, means a fresh, dynamic menu. The sake menu is killer, natural wines abound, I could drink 20 of the Jah Juice (sochu and yuzu) cocktails, and even the beer is custom made, infused with locally foraged kombu seaweed. All of this in a small, vibrant space. Even the music is perfect. With CDs played through a McIntosh amplifier, the music is so thick on your ears you could almost take a bite."
"When it comes to burgers in Copenhagen, Gasoline Grill gets a lot of love, but my favourite burger is Fatty's. I probably go here at least once a month. Grilled instead of griddled, a thick patty with special sauce, juicy crunchy pickles on a fresh brioche bun, with fat, crunchy fries to boot! In a world of smash burgers, this one stands out. It is a literal hole in the wall, just an order window in a backyard of the industrial neighbourhood of Islands Brygge, but well worth the detour."
"What’s not to love about grappa poured straight down your throat paired with fresh made pasta covered with caviar. There is a reason Barabba is an industry favourite. Fresh, exciting takes on Italian dishes, a killer wine list to match, and open late!"
"Pizza is having a moment in Copenhagen, and Surt is the standout. This pizza is some of the best on the planet. Exhaustively sourced products, long ferments on the dough, Neapolitan style fired in a blazing hot wood oven - this is a small menu of perfection. The Margherita pizza here changed my life. Enough said."
“Trendy bakeries pop up every week in Copenhagen. My go to spot is Alice. The vibe is relaxed, the coffee is excellent, and the food is incredible. Anders, the owner, keeps his selection of food offerings limited, but each item is flawless. Sourdough buns, perfect (!) croissants, a killer baguette with butter and ham, and the best ice cream in the city. If you are there, and he has pistachio sorbet available, just buy it. It is pure magic.”
“If you are going to come to Copenhagen, you need to try some of the local classics. The Danish open-faced sandwiches are iconic, and Schønnemann’s is the place to go for a classic rendition. It is an old school joint, with an old school attitude and plenty of schnapps to wash down the food.”