Copenhagen

[jakob nielsen]

Gastronomique is a classic on the danish cuisine scene, but no longer among the very best.

The chef who made a name for Gastronomique passed away a few years ago, and all though the staff still is compentent, I personally think that there are better alternatives if you want haute cuisine.

Noma - is in my opinion the best bet right know. And it is a uniqely nordic experience. The chef stays away from foie gras etc, and focusses on local products. (www.noma.dk)

Other top end places:

Restaurant MR (http://www.mr-restaurant.dk/flash_index.jsp)

Restaurant Rasmus Oubæk (http://www.rasmusoubaek.dk/)

Less expensive:

Le sommelier (http://www.lesommelier.dk/) - upscale french bistro

Luns - phone +45 35 26 33 35 - no frills place, great food and wine. The chef was one half of the duo that brought two stars to Ensemble.

[Hector]

Second Jakobs recommendation!

Noma is arguable the best place in "byen"!

Edited May 11, 2006 by Hector (log)

[cxt]

Here's an older link about Copenhagen, including restaurant information. Have fun!

Chris

(edited to fix the link)

Edited May 22, 2006 by cxt (log)

[mrsadm]

Thanks everyone! I arrived in Copenhagen yesterday and will check out some of your suggestions.

Edited May 22, 2006 by mrsadm (log)

[jakob nielsen]

Hope you enjoy your stay, and just let us know if you need more/different suggestions

Best

jakob

[jakob nielsen]

Where did you end up?

:-)

Jakob

[Catherine Iino]

mrsadm--Can you tell me whether you found any interesting food in Hannover? My husband is there right now for a few days, and would love to have some suggestions.

Thanks,

Catherine

[YKL]

does anyone have any views on Bo Bech at Paustian? I wonder if it might be too inventive and challenging for dinner .. so maybe lunch?

and apart from Noma, what else is unmissable?

Thanks

Yin

[jakob nielsen]

If you are into the molecular thing, Paustian is the place for you. Bp Bech is definetly one of the most innovative chefs in Denmark at the moment.

Noma is the place to go.

Other possibilities: (look upthread)

Restauntant MR - also very innovative.

Restaurant Premisse - less molecular, but very precise

When are you coming? All the reviewers are praising a food/theater combo thing happening right now with chef Mette Martinussen (prev. 1 th), but I am not sure how long it will run. I can give you details of you like?

[YKL]

thanks for the comments

Yes, I did wonder if the molecular gastronomy thing at Paustian might be a bit wild for me! Sadly the website only seems to be in danish

have a reservation for noma which I am looking forward to very very much, and trying to decide on others at the moment. I was aware the chef from MR had previously worked at noma, but am trying to decide if I want to try something different from the noma style

1th did sound very intriguing - so will discuss with my friend

We'll be there in early sept - so all information gratefully received

thanks

[troidz]

Well, you definitely made a good choice with Noma.

About 1.th and Madeleines (the food theatre)... If you want and all night experience you should go to either of the places. At 1-th the food is very tasty and the environment is so cozy and comfy. At the theatre it's well it's like going to the theatre! Everything is in a timeframe and there's a "manuscript". Both places have just gotten SERIOUSLY GREAT reviews in two top newspapers in Denmark.

Edited August 16, 2006 by troidz (log)

[YKL]

Well, you definitely made a good choice with Noma.

About 1.th and Madeleines (the food theatre)... If you want and all night experience you should go to either of the places. At 1-th the food is very tasty and the environment is so cozy and comfy. At the theatre it's well it's like going to the theatre! Everything is in a timeframe and there's a "manuscript". Both places have just gotten SERIOUSLY GREAT reviews in two top newspapers in Denmark.

←

thanks Troidz. do you have any information (e.g. website) for Madeleines?

[Mette]

thanks Troidz.  do you have any information (e.g. website) for Madeleines?

←

Maybe too late but here it is: Madeleines madteater. Has been getting rave reviews. Giving away an evening there as a wedding present this weekend.

Edited September 5, 2006 by Mette (log)

[YKL]

Thank you Mette. Someone else provided me details so I was able to ring up for information, (not able to read the Danish website I'm afraid!) and the helpful gentlemen explained that there were a number of performances a day, and tickets had to purchased in advance.

It did sound very interesting, but we decided in the end that perhaps it wasn't what we wanted for this trip ... but we have some great meals planned so am sure we will have a wonderful time.

Would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the theatre though ..

[Poots]

Here's a little press release about Madeleines in english. http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/composite-2475.htm

[BenjaminTheBartender]

How much are you looking to spend?

[BenjaminTheBartender]

Other than what's already mentioned I'd recommend:

Expensive:

The Dining room on the 25th floor of Radisson Hotel, just ask for Casino Copenhagen and take the elevator up up up up Honestly I haven't heard anything special about the food, the restaurant manager is the daughter of one of the most famous chefs in Denmark and you can't argue with the view.

Premisse in Dronningens Tværgade is definately one of the best places I have eaten besides have a really great head chef they have one of the best sommeliers in Denmark.

If you're looking for classic french cuisine try Formel B on Vesterbrogade not far from Frederiksberg Have, really really good food but very classic, they also received one star and a rising star in the michelin guide this year.

If you're looking to make a day of it take the train to Helsingør and a cap from there to Jan Hurtigkarl & Co. in Aalsgaarde, the owner Jan and His head chef travel to a new country every year and fusion it with french cuisine, this year they've been to japan and have one of the best chefs from Kyoto working there, not just sushi but different Japanese-French cuisine, amazing food and a fantastic view, call for further info 49 70 90 03 or check out www.hurtigkarl.dk they also have an english webpage

Affordable:

Luns is a very good restaurant as someone mentioned previouly in the thread or try FAMO in saxogade, former head chef Fabbio Mazzon from Michelin stared Era Oro teamed up with DAnish chef Morten Kaltoft, it has gotten pretty good reviews.

For Lunch I prefer either Cafe Victor for the cosmopolitan atmosphere or try some of the smaller cafees in Strædet which runs parallel with Strøget

For drinks try Hotel Fox at Jarmers Plads run by one of the best bartenders in Denmark or Al Mercante in Bredgade where the bartender who just won the DAnish Championship in Long drinks recides.

Hopefully this will be of help

Enjoy Denmark!!

[YKL]

Thanks for the feedback Benjamin ... will have to save them for my next visit to Copenhagen because I got back home last night! I had a fantastic time in CPH - and can't wait to return to sample more delights - so your recommendations are very welcome.

Only have time for quick comments - but wanted to say that the meal we were served at Noma on Friday was the best dining experience of my entire life!! There was delicacy, freshness and purity and yet all so completely rooted in the region. Some of the food made me so joyful that I was close to tears - and I can only describe the experience as an emotional response to food - which has never happened to me before. You're very lucky to have noma on your doorstep - I have to try and figure when I can get another flight to Denmark!

Also had a sublime meal at Den Gule Cottage in Klampenborg - which would be in my top five dining experiences. The squab pigeon had an incredible flavour.

1.th was very enjoyable - although clearly very different.

And finally had a good meal at restaurant MR ... although technically very accomplished - for me, it did not have the heart and soul of noma.

Speaking to the chef at noma, we were discussing how danish dining has undergone a revolution in teh last five years - and apparently there is much more for me to sample! And I look forward to an early return ...

Regards

Yin

[Poots]

My cousin visited me a few weeks ago here in Copenhagen. We had quite a busy few days wherein we dined at Cofoco, Noma, Koriander, and Madeleine's Mad Teater. The most amazing dinner was absolutely Noma where after 9 courses(7 courses and some amuse bouches) and 7 glasses of wine there was only One 'less than stellar' incident and that was one of the wines was a new style barolo that we all felt wasn't a great match with the course. Asides from that the night was as close to perfect as any meal i've ever experienced. And man, people are going to look strangely at me when i now request pork fat instead of butter with my bread! we had 2 servings of the stuff which was absolutely amazing! Noma Pictures of every course, courtesy of my cousin, can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/repetti/sets/72157594286549372/

Koriander is a french\indian fusion restaurant which was also a very enjoyable meal. However it was also the Longest meal i've ever had. We sat at 715pm and left around quarter after midnight. by the end we were just trying to get out of there. Pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/repetti/sets/72157594289424626/

Cofoco was a very reasonable 3 course meal(for around 50 US w/out wine). Great meal for the money in a easy going atmosphere. Pics at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/repetti/sets/72157594286536156/

Madeleine's Mad Teater was truly an experience. It's a true performance as dinner. It's in a warehouse type building. Large and completely open on the inside. The theme of the night was Childhood or Childish or evoking the sense of childhood(or something like that). This was the last night with that theme. This was the first theme since opening day. After entering the building we were given a hibiscus kir(with pink plastic elephant ice cubes) and a coin. The coin was for our first course which was dispensed from an automat. We then sat on some astroturf like a kid's playground and enjoyed it there. The servers were great, especially considering they hadn't had many native english speakers before us. They kindly explained the courses as they arrived(the menu was only in danish) and so i could see how poorly i had messed up the translations to my dining partners. The diners were seated upon a small stage with a clear view of the completely open kitchen. On two sides of the stage were white lit walls which had images and lights shown on them. Themed music was played depending on course and pictures being shown. All in all a very fun and new experience. Pics at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/repetti/sets/72157594294608747/

Brian

Edited October 3, 2006 by Poots (log)

[YKL]

The most amazing dinner was absolutely Noma where after 9 courses(7 courses and some amuse bouches) and 7 glasses of wine there was only One 'less than stellar' incident and that was one of the wines was a new style barolo that we all felt wasn't a great match with the course.  Asides from that the night was as close to perfect as any meal i've ever experienced.  And man, people are going to look strangely at me when i now request pork fat instead of butter with my bread!  we had 2 servings of the stuff which was absolutely amazing! 

←

Absolutely agree with the above ... in fact I was so blown away by the pork fat that I actually gave it a round of applause!!

In fact - have made arrangements to return to CPH to dine at noma in December ...

[emsny]

I am glad I searched for this thread: we are considering a few days in Copenhagen in early January, perhaps between the 3rd and the 8th. Noma looks amazing. I've e-mailed them to ask whether they're open during that time, but perhaps an eGullet member can answer a more general question: do Copenhagen restaurants take a new year's holiday break, or will pretty much everything be open at that time? Thanks.

[jakob nielsen]

I am glad I searched for this thread: we are considering a few days in Copenhagen in early January, perhaps between the 3rd and the 8th. Noma looks amazing. I've e-mailed them to ask whether they're open during that time, but perhaps an eGullet member can answer a more general question: do Copenhagen restaurants take a new year's holiday break, or will pretty much everything be open at that time? Thanks.

←

You shouldn't have any problems.

A lot of restaurants will be closed new years eve, and on the 1st of Jan aswell. After that everything is usually back to business.

Enjoy

[emsny]

Thank you, Jakob. Is this true for museums, shops, etc. also: that everything is back to normal a day or two after new year? I know the opera has performances that week, for instance (sold out, but I shall try somehow to get tickets).

[jakob nielsen]

Thank you, Jakob. Is this true for museums, shops, etc. also: that everything is back to normal a day or two after new year? I know the opera has performances  that week, for instance (sold out, but I shall try somehow to get tickets).

←

Should be true for those things as well. Might be that some small places take an extended vacation, but it is not common.

[emsny]

Again, Jakob, thank you. When we have our final travel dates, I may post again with any gastronomic questions. I know, for instance, that I will be eager to know about the best pastry shops and cafes serving Danish cakes and pastries.