I’ve mentioned that the restaurant scene practically defines Copenhagen for many travelers. Tourists come here as on a pilgrimage, carrying coveted reservations made months earlier. We came, we ate and we agree: this is foodie heaven!

On our return to Copenhagen from Norway, our friends took us to dinner at Geranium, the Michelin 3-Star restaurant that had just been named the number one in the world, replacing its neighbor, Noma, which had held the top spot for the previous five years. It was quite an experience. Seventeen courses, all vegetarian, along with wine pairings (from their 14,000-bottle cellar.) Please, do not ask what this costs! Despite these extremes, it was not stuffy or pretentious at all. The staff was friendly and relaxed. Each course was presented and introduced by the cooks who prepared it. Chef and founder Rasmus Kofoed brought one of the courses to our table and personally explained its concept and content.

But the food scene in Copenhagen is not exclusively focused on high-end fine dining. On our first night there we called a casual spot named Baest and booked a table. We knew it was an extreme example of the “farm-to-table” motif—they operate their own farm and dairy and make their own flours, cheeses and meats. The friends we met later in our visit were impressed by our choice and that we had been able to snag a reservation. Our server explained that the head chef was not in the kitchen that night but was in Milan where the annual awards ceremony for the world’s best restaurants was taking place. They were hoping they would move up from last year’s standing as the seventh best pizza restaurant. We tried the pizza and were ready to cast our votes in their favor. The server was beaming when he brought our check. He had just heard that Baest had been named fourth best! Further research revealed that this rating was limited to Europe rather than the whole world, but it is still a damn good pizza!

Remember those mini burgers I raved about at the post-confirmation party? Who would guess that Copenhagen is burger crazy? During the pandemic, restaurants here including Noma were closed. Its famous chef, Rene Redzepi, came up with the idea of opening as a take-away burger joint. The allure of a hamburger from the number one restaurant in the world proved irresistible—it was a runaway success. Now that the world has reopened, there are no more burgers on the pricey tasting menu at Noma itself, but they are now offered through pop-up shops around the city called POPL. Another Copenhagen burger joint called Gasoline Grill (yes, it’s in an old service station) had their burgers named best in the world by somebody a few years ago. I tried them and found them easily the equal to the best we have in Charlotte (Reid’s, Brooks, Rooster’s and Ace #3, IMHO.)

You’re likely thinking it surprising that I’ve been writing about pizzas and burgers in a Scandinavian city. There is still a huge emphasis on seafood here. I’ll admit, I was not converted to pickled herring for breakfast.

The open-faced sandwich called smørrebrød is probably the one dish most identified with Denmark. It is found everywhere, in humble kiosks and fine dining establishments. The word literally means “buttered bread” and that’s what it is: a thin slice of rye with some combination of cheeses, meats, fish and veggies atop. There are many variations of the smørrebrød and modern restaurateurs are experimenting with new topping ideas. The more traditional offerings would be herring or salmon with a Danish cheese such as Havarti. A more adventurous choice might include a paté with avocado. The permutations are infinite.

Here is a brief list of other spots out of the many in Copenhagen we enjoyed enough to recommend:

·      Le Lac is a charming neighborhood spot that serves outstanding food with gracious service. 

·      Montegade is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. This is where our friends hosted the luncheon to celebrate their daughter’s confirmation. The food was excellent and the service exceptional.

·      Kanallen is a perfect spot for lunch (or dinner) in an historic spot that you might guess is on a canal. A great place to try local seafood.

·      Cafe & Ølhalle at the workers’ museum is a favorite of Danish politicians and the media types that follow them. It’s an excellent place to experience traditional Danish smørrebrød open-faced sandwiches. Try as many as you dare!

·      Christian Wallendorf is the chef whom our friends had cooking in their home after the formal lunch. He is not currently associated with a fixed base restaurant, but if you see his name anywhere, book a table asap!