Copenhagen was the surprise star of our 2018 Eurotrip. The one I wasn’t expecting to blow me away, but it did. In hindsight, I should have known better. Copenhagen is one of the world’s culinary hotspots, giving way not only to new Nordic cuisine but to an amalgamation of immigrant dishes thanks to the colorful tapestry of Denmark (and nearby Sweden). Both the hyperlocal and the hyperglobal are in full force — it was evident in every corner we (hurriedly) looked.
And that’s just the food. People were out enjoying the day: cars were few and far between, everyone looked like a fashion model on a bike, and well, Danes speak better English than you or I do, so there’s that. At the risk of romanticizing my blink-of-an-eye visit, there’s a joie de vivre I witnessed in Copenhagen that I’ve seldom seen anywhere else.
If I could do it again, I would have spent more time in Copenhagen. Oh, and that hygge craze? Consider me a convert.
Torvehallerne food hall. Think San Francisco’s Ferry Building, but super Nordic.
Coffee Collective
Smoked salmon smorrebrod at Hallernes Smorrebrod
Danish meatball smorrebrod
Hellefiskceviche, tuntatar, and quinoa salad at Hav Torvehallerne
Torvehallerne
Norreport: So. Many. Bikes.
Nyhavn
Akvavit and tonic at Restaurant Barr, which now occupies the same space as Noma previously did.
Lumpfish roe
Housemade bread. Restaurant Barr’s butter was the creamiest and richest I’ve ever tasted.
Cured ribeye
Cucumber salad. I wish you could taste this photo. So many new flavors! Like a crisp meadow, in the best way.
Glazed cod
Nyhavn
One last smorrebrod for the road, at Aamann’s.