As you may have seen in my previous “Eating My Way Around Turkey” and “Eating My Way Around Barcelona” posts, I like good food.  A lot.  I was expecting big things from Copenhagen and it certainly delivered, particularly in the oh-so-happy discovery of the delicious creation known as smørrebrød.  Roll those r’s… isn’t that just so fun to say?

Smørrebrød

Smørrebrød are simple and delicious open sandwiches.  They start with a spongy, grainy piece of dark rye bread, buttered (or not, in my case), and add two or three toppings to form incredible flavour combinations.  My favourite pictured above was the Icelandic herring with apple and watercress – I’d never tried herring before but loved the tasty firm fish.

We picked up our smørrebrød from Aamans Deli, just around the corner from the Botanic Gardens, and took them to eat in the sunshine.  As you can see, we tried quite a few of the different sandwiches between us, from chicken, apple and salad to roast sirloin with crispy onions and chunky remoulade.  They were all incredible!

Picnic and bike stack time in the park

Organic Goodness

Like many places, organic food and an emphasis on sustainable produce seemed to be fast gaining traction in Copenhagen.  One of our best meals out was at Bio Mio, which prides itself on organic fresh food.  The restaurant is located in the Meatpacking District, which reminded me a little of Shoreditch in London with its brick walls and alternative vibe.  The area’s Danish name is Kødbyen which literally translates as “meat-town”, and parts of it date from the late 1880s.  It was originally, as you might have guessed, where livestock were brought before they got turned into food for hungry Copenhageners.   Now there are still plenty of places devoted both to the production and consumption of delicious food, but also art galleries, design shops and a burgeoning nightlife.

Inside Bio Mio, a huge open kitchen lines one side, while long wooden tables stretch its length – it really is a massive place!  But the attention to detail in the food was spot on, with delicious fresh flavours.  Above is my full grain noodles with chicken, almonds and Thai-style spice and zing – not what I was expecting to find in Copenhagen but so good I managed to put away most of the truly massive bowl!

Cute little guy waving as they motored by

Brunch

No, that is not a miniature fork – this was the brunch meal to end all brunches!  Students of Copenhagen’s University are lucky to be across the street from Paludan Bogcafe – study-friendly, wi-fi enabled, lined with bookshelves, and serving meals like the above that could quite literally last you all day.  A generous serving of salmon and avocado makes me very happy, so you can imagine how my eyes nearly fell out of my head when presented with this treat.

A colourful corner with the New Zealand embassy on the right-hand side

Oh So Kul

 

Restaurant Kul is a new opening, again in the Meatpacking District – it really was a great place for us to head for innovative cooking and great flavours.  On our first attempt at a table we were told that there was a two-hour wait, but we simply booked for the next night instead and had no problems.  You can either share larger dishes or have a few of your own as mini-courses – this worked great for us as we all picked at each others and got to try some of everything!  As you can see above, seafood was a popular choice, with prawns served with spicy avocado and cilantro on one side and jamon iberico with squid tempura and black aioli on the other.  The service here was really outstanding and while clearly a very popular place, we weren’t hurried or overlooked at all.

I loved the harbour area of Nyhavn and the older sailboats

And More Smørrebrød!

Emma and Kate’s faces really say it all – we were very excited to have one last meal of smørrebrod before we headed home to London.  We were welcomed into Cafe Sorgenfri and proceeded to repay the warm welcome with a huuuuge order of as many delicious sandwiches as we thought we could manage – and a couple more!  A world away from the black industrial walls of Restaurant Kul, Cafe Sorgenfri has been open since 1929 in the heart of Copenhagen, serving up classic smørrebrød to hungry locals.  Another spot not to be missed.

Do you prefer to try classic examples of the local cuisine when you travel, or the latest and greatest spots?