The Angel’s Copenhagen

Where to eat and drink in the food capital of Scandinavia

I studied abroad in Copenhagen during the latter half of 2013. I loved it then, and I love it now. So much has changed though, especially in terms of the Danish capital’s food scene. Back then, Noma was in its original location (which now houses Barr, a restaurant specializing in cheffy Danish and German classics), and had yet to become a household name, at least among foodie types. The current Noma “2.0” campus—which remains under threat of closing any day now—debuted in 2018 in a remote part of the compact city, which has since blossomed into a busier area thanks to subsequent bakery, bar, and gallery openings.

In 2013, the food scene in Copenhagen was far from what it is today. Fiskebar was around, as was Christian Puglisi’s now-closed fancy-ish Relæ and Manfreds. These were the restaurants I took my family to when they visited. The local brewery Mikkeller was beginning to expand across the globe, and I was particularly fond of its subterranean Nørrebro bar, Mikkeller & Friends. As for bakeries, there was no Hart or Juno or Lille; we went to Skt. Peders Bageri—Copenhagen’s oldest bakery—for giant Wednesday-only cinnamon rolls and warm, blueberry-packed muffins. (I meant to check if they still serve the latter, but sadly I ran out of time this trip.) Otherwise, I ate a lot of run-of-the-mill smørrebrod and frikadeller.

Gorgeous fennel in the Noma garden.

Since then, Noma vets and other talented bakers and chefs have established roots in Copenhagen, resulting in an ongoing boom of exceptional and diverse restaurants, from taquerias to ramen shops, a Cantonese-inspired tasting menu, and a wine bar anchored in Indian flavors. I’ve experienced some of this on visits back since, but my trip last week was the first time I’d been to Copenhagen since 2019, prior to the pandemic. The city has long been known for its bakery culture and as a pioneer in the natural wine movement. But today, there are so many new-age bakeries putting their spin on rugbrød and cardamom buns and so many wine bars that mostly look and feel the same that it’s honestly overwhelming. Deciding where to eat and drink has never been more difficult, which, I suppose, is a good problem to have!

Here’s where I think you should visit if you go.