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Home - City Guide - Copenhagen - Food and Drink | ||
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Food and Drink Lunch consists typically of two or three smørrebrød - slices of dark rye bread with toppings such as pickled herrings, liver pâtÉ, pork, red cabbage, cheese or beef (average price Dkk15-45). For more substantial meals large hot and cold buffets, which may include herring (smoked or fried), lobster, sausages, goulash and pork, are favoured. Fish and seafood are prevalent and of good quality - smoked salmon served with dill and fjord prawns on white bread are particular delicacies. Lunch is traditionally served from 1200 (dinner between 1800 and 2100), and should be accompanied by draught beer (usually Tuborg or Carlsberg) and a schnapps chaser. A decent restaurant meal will cost Dkk175-350. Wine is relatively expensive (a minimum Dkk120 per bottle). Service is included in restaurant bills but it is customary to round up to the nearest Dkk10. The city abounds with restaurants and cafÉs; the numerous places along Nyhavn are particularly attractive. Other areas to try include Gråbrødre Torv, Christianshavn and the up-and-coming Nørrebro district. Restaurants Slotskælderen hos Gitte Kik, Fortunstræde 4 (tel: 33 11 15 37), has been a restaurant since 1797 and is the quintessential Copenhagen lunchtime venue. The leather seats cocoon businesspeople, families and politicians all tucking in to smørrebrød (Dkk70-75) from a fantastically fresh buffet. The family-run Ida Davidsen, Store Kongensgade 70 (tel: 33 91 36 55), is another institution with unbelievable smørrebrød. Cheap, but very definitely cheerful, is Pussy Galore's Flying Circus at Sankt Hans Torv 30 (tel: 35 24 53 00), named after the James Bond character. A mural-covered interior is thronged with Copenhagen's young and beautiful, enjoying smørrebrød during the day and vast burgers, salads, noodle dishes and desserts by night. A unique, fun setting characterises Base Camp, at Halvtolv 12 (tel: 70 23 23 18), on the former military island of Holmen. In summer, visitors can grill fresh meat and seafood on the open-air barbecues to a live music accompaniment, or enjoy plentiful, hearty food in the rowdy indoor cafeteria. Children will enjoy the Restaurant Fregatten, Vesterbrogade 3 (tel: 33 15 92 05), aboard the SCT Georg III in the Tivoli - the restaurant is a themed working pirate ship. Set lunch starts at Dkk195 with special menus for children. For winter visits, try glug - a type of delicious mulled wine. Another fun choice is Sporvejen (tel: 33 13 31 01), housed in an original yellow city tram incorporated into a building at Gråbrødre Torv 17. Excellent burgers are served daily until midnight. For gastronomes, the Kommandanten, Ny Adelgade 7 (tel: 33 12 09 90), is the city's only two-star Michelin restaurant. The food, decor and service are all ultra-chic. A gourmet menu (Dkk580) features duck with vanilla and quince sauce, veal bouillon with foie gras and truffles with chocolate-caramel ice cream. Excellent modern Danish cuisine by the TV chef Nikolaj Kirk can be enjoyed from Dkk205 at Kirk, Boltens Gård, Gothersgade 8 (tel: 33 16 12 13). Another top tip is Divan 1 (tel: 33 11 42 42) at Pecterbrogade 3 in the Tivoli, where a fusion of contemporary and traditional Danish and French cuisine provides a pleasant alternative to the ice-cream-fuelled fairground rides. A three-course dinner costs Dkk298. Dining (Dkk395) at Sanct Gertruds Kloster, Hauser Plads 32 (tel: 33 14 66 30), is extraordinary, combining French cuisine in the monastery's medieval fourteenth-century vaults. Krogs Fiskerestaurant, Gammel Strand 38 (tel: 33 15 89 15), has a loyal following. Overlooking the canal, it serves excellent seafood platters (Dkk284) in elegant surroundings. A more up-to-date venue is Restaurant Kanalen, Strand Gatte 52 (tel: 32 95 13 30) - a former harbour police station in Christianshavn. In fine weather, eat under the huge umbrellas on the terrace. A three-course meal with wine costs from Dkk285. For those desiring international cuisine, Etcetera at Hovedvagtsgade 8 (tel: 33 33 99 97) serves up an imaginative cross-cultural menu that fuses everything from Thai and Japanese to French and Moroccan (Dkk310). RizRaz, Kompagnistræde 20 (tel: 33 15 05 75), serves a popular and inexpensive Middle Eastern all-you-can-eat buffet. For late night hunger pangs, head to the lively Pasta Basta at Valkendorfsgade 22 (tel: 33 11 21 31) for an unlimited cold buffet (Dkk69) as well as delicious hot dishes. It is open until 0300 Sunday to Thursday and until 0500 on Friday and Saturday. CafÉs Once the sun shines, the pavements are thronged with tables, chairs and relaxed-looking locals sipping beer or coffee, for there are cafÉs everywhere. The best coffee is allegedly found at Amokka (Dag Hammerskjölds AllÉ 38-40), which serves around 25 different own-roasted coffees as well as other drinks and pastries to a smart clientele. For traditional ambience and wickedly rich cakes, join the elegant elderly ladies at Conditoriet La Glace (Skoubogade 3-5). For brunch, a good bet is the buffet at CafÉ Sommersko (Kronprinsensgade 6). The place to see and be seen is the perennially popular Europa (Amagertorv 1) in the main shopping district. Locals come here in droves to enjoy excellent coffee, tempting cakes and the selection of international papers. Diamanten (Gammel Strand 50) is a great sun spot that serves delicious coffee and good food. |