In a nutshell
- The food scene is one of the reasons you’ll fall in love with Copenhagen — promise. There’s an incredible variety of dishes, markets, and restaurants to discover.
- We’ll tell you which dishes you absolutely have to try — think Smørrebrød, cinnamon rolls, and street food — and share our favorite spots for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Eating out in Copenhagen is expensive. Street food markets and hotdog stands are your best bet for saving a little cash.
Must-Try: Typical Dishes in Copenhagen
There are a few delicious dishes you simply can’t miss when you travel to Copenhagen. Here’s what to order.
Hotdogs
Hotdog stands (known locally as Pølser) are everywhere in downtown Copenhagen and always a solid option when you need a quick bite. You’ll normally find one right near your hotel in Copenhagen.
That said, you shouldn’t expect anything mind-blowing in terms of flavor. In Copenhagen, too, a hotdog is basically a sausage in a soft bun with various sauces, onions, and pickles.
Smørrebrød
The second Danish specialty is a whole different story: Smørrebrød. It’s an open-faced sandwich, usually built on a slice of rye bread.
But it’s not just a careless slice of cheese or cold cuts thrown on top. A Smørrebrød is often a little work of art, piled high with creative, generous toppings. Popular varieties include herring and salmon.
At stands or restaurants that specialize in Smørrebrød, you’ll often find a huge selection. Some places even offer more than 100 different variations. We especially loved Smørrebrød with beef tartare and a raw egg.
You absolutely have to try Smørrebrød — even if you’re only spending a day in Copenhagen.
Cinnamon Rolls
Alongside Smørrebrød and hot dogs, cinnamon rolls are another truly quintessential Copenhagen food.
Honestly, cinnamon rolls taste great pretty much everywhere in Copenhagen — so you can grab one from a bakery chain without any hesitation. Our favorites were the cinnamon rolls from Farumhus, Emmery’s, and Lagkagehus.
The most famous spot for cinnamon rolls is Sankt Peders Bageri. It’s definitely no longer an under-the-radar pick in Copenhagen. Still, the cinnamon roll there is very tasty — maybe just a touch too sweet for our liking.
Breakfast in Copenhagen
Before heading out for sightseeing around Copenhagen, a good breakfast is non-negotiable. We tried these spots and can wholeheartedly recommend all of them:
Grød
Grød has become a genuine institution in Copenhagen for affordable, healthy, and delicious food. There are now 8 locations across the city.
The entire concept is built around porridge. You can get savory and sweet versions all day long — and at a reasonable price by Copenhagen standards: a simple bowl costs around 70 DKK (about €9), while more elaborate versions with extra toppings run 80 to 100 DKK (about €10–€13).
Portidge might sound boring at first, but it really isn’t. You start with a base — oats or quinoa, for example — and choose from several toppings like fresh fruit, nuts, chicken, or sweet options.
They’re also very well set up for allergies and dietary restrictions.
Grød locations in Copenhagen:
- Jægersborggade 50 in the Nørrebro neighborhood
- Prinsessegade 23 in the Christianshavn neighborhood
- Torvehallerne: indoor market in the city center (Linnésgade 17)
- Likørstræde 5 in the Lyngby neighborhood
- Vesterbrogade 105 in the Vesterbro neighborhood
- Falkoner Alle 34 in the Frederiksberg neighborhood
- Birkegade 2 in the Nørrebro neighborhood
- Nordre Frihavnsgade 14 in the Østerbro neighborhood
Original Coffee
Original Coffee is a small Copenhagen coffeeshop chain that serves seriously outstanding coffee.
We stopped in at least once a day to top up our caffeine levels. The espresso-based drinks are fantastic, and the filter coffee is really excellent too. For food, there are a few light options — eggs, yogurt, porridge, and bread.
You can find an overview of locations and opening hours directly on their website.
Visit the Original Coffee website
Paludan Bogcafé
Location: City center – to Google Maps
Paludan Bogcafé sits right in Copenhagen’s pedestrian zone and is way more than just a café. It’s a secondhand bookshop and café rolled into one.
You sit surrounded by towering bookshelves and enjoy your breakfast in a truly unique atmosphere.
Honestly, it’s worth a visit even if you don’t want to eat. We spent quite a while browsing the shelves — you keep discovering new rooms full of books, almost like a labyrinth.
Visit the Paludan Bogcafé Instagram profile
Street Food in Copenhagen
What could be better than stuffing yourself silly at a food market with loads of different stalls? Exactly — nothing!
Copenhagen has several great street food markets that we can wholeheartedly recommend.
Torvehallerne
Location: City center – to Google Maps
Torvehallerne is made up of two covered market halls that made our foodie hearts beat faster. We came here at least once a day — sometimes twice.
You’ll find stalls selling fresh produce and delicacies from around the world, as well as stalls where you can eat on the spot. Whether you come to Torvehallerne for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you’ll always find something good.
We didn’t manage to try every stall, but here are the ones we tested and loved:
- Grød – our top breakfast pick: also has a stand at Torvehallerne.
- Coffee Collective and OC Depot: great coffee here.
- Hallernes Smørrebrød: really delicious Smørrebrød. Everything is displayed in a glass case so you can see exactly what’s on offer.
- Vita Boost: perfect when you need a vitamin hit or just something fresh. There’s a huge selection of freshly pressed juices and smoothies. We loved the C-Bomb with pineapple juice, oranges, and rosehip.
And those are just a handful of the more than 60 stalls in total. There’s plenty more to discover.
Visit the Torvehallerne website
Reffen Street Food Market
Location: Holmen – to Google Maps
Reffen Street Food Market sits on a former shipyard — and fittingly, most of the stalls are set up in old shipping containers.
There are more than 50 food stalls with flavors from around the world — from sushi to Italian pasta to Peruvian ceviche. We had a seriously tasty grilled mackerel, Nepalese dumplings, and Israeli pancakes with a savory filling. Everything was absolutely delicious.
A serving will usually set you back between $12 and $15, give or take depending on the stall and dish.
Reffen isn’t central enough to reach on foot, but by bike it’s only about 10 minutes from the city center. Alternatively, take bus line 9A to the last stop, Refshaleøen, which drops you right at the market.
Broens Street Food
Location: Christianshavn – to Google Maps
Broens Street Food is a smaller but super centrally located street food market, situated right by Nyhavn on the opposite side of the harbor — just a three-minute walk across the Inderhavnsbroen bridge.
There’s a solid variety here too, from porridge to pizza, burgers, and California-style bowls.
Visit the Broens Street Food website
Best Restaurants in Copenhagen
Of course we also have some restaurant recommendations where you can have a great lunch or dinner.
Don’t forget to check our breakfast picks above too — several of those spots also serve lunch and dinner.
Mother
Location: Vesterbro – to Google Maps
Mother is a pizzeria in the trendy Meatpacking District Kødbyen and is often called the best pizzeria in Copenhagen.
We can’t say for certain it’s the absolute best, but the pizza is definitely very, very good — and we’re pretty picky about pizza.
The atmosphere is raw and loud, just as you’d expect from an authentic Italian pizzeria. On weekends especially, long lines can form outside, and you may wait close to an hour.
Your best bet is to go at lunch or on a weekday — the wait times are much shorter then.
Sporvejen Burger Bar
Location: City center – to Google Maps
Sporvejen Burger Bar is tiny but really cool. Inside it looks like an old subway car and has a genuinely cozy feel.
The service is super friendly and the burgers are truly delicious. We had the Guacamole Burger and can’t say enough good things about it. Easily one of the best burger spots in Copenhagen.
The prices at Sporvejen are also very reasonable by Copenhagen standards.
Visit the Sporvejen Burger Bar website
Halifax
Location: City center – to Google Maps
Another great burger restaurant in Copenhagen — actually, there are seven of them, which is how many Halifax locations are spread across the city.
What we love about Halifax is the flexibility when you order. For each burger you can choose your bun and patty, and there’s a huge selection of sides and dips.
The prices are also reasonable.
Zen Dimsum & Sushi
Location: Frederiksberg – to Google Maps
Zen Dimsum & Sushi is a small, off-the-beaten-path restaurant gem. It’s not large, but the food more than makes up for it.
Everyone else at our table ordered sushi. We went with dim sum and were blown away. Really, really good.
Visit the Zen Dimsum & Sushi Instagram profile
Community Tip: Great China
Location: Vesterbro – to Google Maps
Great China was recommended to us by a reader who had lived in China for a long time.
They serve authentic Chinese food here — the complete opposite of the watered-down versions you often find at Chinese restaurants abroad.
We didn’t make it there ourselves, but we did peek inside briefly. Two-thirds of the seats were occupied by Asian guests, which is already a very good sign.
The menu also sounds great and includes some adventurous dishes like ox tripe and pig ears — definitely authentic. And of course there’s also a wide selection for those who prefer something more familiar.
Community Tip: Riz Raz
Location: City center – to Google Maps
Riz Raz was recommended to us by several readers. The standout is the generous vegetarian buffet — eat as much as you like for 145 DKK (about €19) at lunch and 185 DKK (about €25) in the evening.
You can also order à la carte at any time. That menu includes meat and fish dishes too, among them burgers and steaks.
The Best Ice Cream in Copenhagen
For us, there’s a clear number one ice cream shop in Copenhagen: Isoteket. The ice cream here is seriously incredible.
They have classic flavors like chocolate and pistachio, but the real stars are the creative, unusual combinations. You always get a little surprise — and it always works perfectly.
Our favorites are chocolate-cardamom, rhubarb-vanilla-star anise, and cinnamon-caramel.
There are four locations across Copenhagen. All locations are closed in winter.
Here are the four spots:
- Sortedam Dossering 11 in the city center
- Stefansgade 15 in the Nørrebro neighborhood
- Randersgade 43 in the Østerbro neighborhood
- Valby Langgade 64 in the Valby neighborhood
Frequently Asked Questions About Eating Out in Copenhagen
How expensive is eating out in Copenhagen?
Copenhagen is generally a very pricey destination. Besides accommodation in Copenhagen, that unfortunately applies especially to food and drinks.
Prices at cafés and restaurants are roughly 50 to 80 percent higher than in most of Western Europe.
At a regular restaurant, you’ll often pay the equivalent of about 15 to 30 euros for a main course. Things are a bit more affordable at street food stands and food markets.
Drinks are particularly pricey on top of that. A small beer (0.3 liters) typically costs between 40 and 70 DKK (about 6–10 euros). A cup of coffee can easily run you the equivalent of 5 to 6 euros.
Do you tip in Copenhagen?
Tipping is completely uncommon in Denmark. It’s perfectly normal to simply pay the bill and leave nothing extra.
Only very occasionally will you come across a tip box in a café or restaurant.
Do Copenhagen restaurants accept cash or card?
Most locals in Copenhagen pay for everything by card, and credit cards are accepted truly everywhere. Even street food stalls and the small hotdog carts take card payments.
On our last trip, we didn’t withdraw a single Danish krone from an ATM the entire time.
If you prefer cash, things can get tricky — quite a few restaurants no longer accept it at all. Always check before ordering whether cash is an option.
