Back to Copenhagen
What a truly phenomenal field we have at the 2nd Copenhagen edition of the WBT Masters! And once again we are all determined to prove our prowess not only at the bridge table, but also at the dinner table.
Things have been changing in the restaurant industry with a lot of cost cutting going on and a lot of bankruptcies. Luckily all the restaurants on my list last year have survived and are still going strong. In case you somehow inexplicably forgot to save it, you can find it below. But: New players, new tastes. We need new restaurant recommendations!
One of our new favourites is Resto Bar https://www.restobar.dk in the Vesterbro neighbourhood. If you were strolling in this area 20 years ago, it was probably in search of the ladies of the night. Now Vesterbro has one of the most vibrant dining scenes in the city. We went to Resto Bar for the first time right after it opened in January this year. There is a large outdoor terrace, but the indoor space is quite limited with an open kitchen, where everyone can keep an eye on what the chefs are cooking up. I immediately fell in love with the big steel pasta pans they were using to whip up delicious pasta dishes. Nothing fancy, just good, solid handcraft. On my way out I asked where I could buy one of those pans. No problem, was the answer, come back next week, we have a big order coming from Italy and you can buy one of the pans. We have been coming back ever since. Reservations: https://book.dinnerbooking.com/dk/en-US/book/table/pax/3514/2
Venturing a bit further out on Vesterbrogade, close to Formel B and Enomania mentioned on the 2022 list below, you will find Holly https://hollycph.dk . It opened in late 2021, but somehow we only discovered it recently. Roy loved the wine list (well-chosen but simple, for something more extensive Enomania or Formel B is your ticket). My sons loved the food. Enough said. Reservations: https://book.dinnerbooking.com/dk/da-DK/book/table/pax/2995/2
I know it will be difficult, but I will try and drag you out of the Vesterbro area now, so you get to know a bit more of Copenhagen. At the outskirts of Nyboder lies Bottega Barlie https://barlie.dk Nyboder is a district of row houses in a very characteristic yellow colour. If you ever hear the term Nyboder yellow, you will need to know what the houses look like. They were originally planned and built by King Christian IV to provide housing for the personnel of the Royal Danish Navy. If you are sitting out the last match before dinner you can go for a stroll in the picturesque area and step into Sankt Pauls Kirke https://www.sanktpauls.dk to send a quick prayer for your teammates to take more tricks. Bottega Barlie is a true neighbourhood gem and very popular with the locals. It is fish and vegetable heavy, but they do have a Cote de Boeuf on the menu. Reservations: https://bottegabarlie.superbexperience.com
If you are sitting out a match or two and want to get out of the hotel for a little while, turn left when you exit and take a stroll to the other end of Strandgade towards the water to eventually drop in at Café Krøyers https://www.krøyers.com for coffee and cake or a cocktail or a sandwich or a salad. Being at Café Krøyers is like sitting in your own living room. Almost every guest here is a regular with the occasional tourist who probably somehow got lost. If you speak French, you may feel extra at home here. The place is run by Grace and Grace is from Paris. Did you try the Alsatian specialty, tarte flambée, while in Strasbourg? Forget everything about it! Café Krøyers is the place to taste this delicacy, Grace makes the best tarte flambée ever. But it’s only served on Fridays. Mark the day in your calendar!
Finally, don’t feel like going out for dinner and just want to grab a bite to eat? Broens Gadekøkken https://broensgadekoekken.dk/en/ may be your saviour. It is a streetfood market with about 12-15 different food stalls for all tastes, just a 10-minute walk from the hotel. The atmosphere there is fantastic. It is very popular with both locals and tourists, since it is very easily accessible by the pedestrian/bicycle bridge from probably Copenhagen’s most instagrammed area, Nyhavn. The week after the WBT Masters the whole market will close down to prepare for the Christmas season with an ice skating rink. So you are just in luck to experience it!
Restaurant list 2022
More on Restaurants
The countdown has started, at the time of this writing there are only 27 days left till we take the first hand out of the board at the WBT Masters in Copenhagen. There will be good Danish participation also and everyone is very excited to compete against so many stars of the game and welcome them to this beautiful city.
Among other things Copenhagen is known for the quality of its restaurants. The restaurant scene has become very busy again after the lockdown era. If you value discussing all the day’s disasters and triumphs over a tasty meal and a nice glass of wine (champagne, okay I confess) as much as I do, it may be a good idea to start making reservations now. With so much to choose from, you may feel it’s a jungle out there. Let me help you!
Restaurants everyone talks about right now
Jatak https://www.jatakcph.com
This is a Cantonese restaurant by former head chef of Relæ, Jonathan Tam. It received a Michelin star just 6 months after opening. Wondering what Jatak means? Ja, tak is the usual reply from a cook to a head chef in Nordic kitchens meaning yes, thank you. There are no reservations available. Your best bet is to put yourself on the waiting list here https://www.jatakcph.com/reservation. If you do get in, I’ll join you!
Boutique Emilia https://www.boutiqueemilia.com/
I had never even heard of this place until recently. It doesn’t have a Michelin star, but it is rumoured to serve the most incredible pasta. Demand for table reservations has gone up so much, they had to close down their pasta raw shop and take-away. To make a long story short: waiting list only. You can always try!
Enough trying, let’s move on to restaurants you actually can book. Here are some of our favourites in the city.
Frank https://restaurantfrank.dk/frank/
Frank is a place to go to when you want something a bit special, but don’t want to go Michelin-star crazy. It is tucked away in a little side street right by Copenhagen’s grande dame hotel, the Hotel d’Angleterre. It is a relatively small restaurant with an intimate setting and professional service. If you don’t know what wine to choose, let the sommelier do the job. You can order à la carte, but I would recommend going for their 7-course menu. It is very good value and really not too much food, the portions are just right. Reservations: https://book.easytablebooking.com/book/?id=b9caf&lang=en
Polly https://restaurantpolly.dk/polly-3/
Polly is Frank’s little sister in the Frederiksberg neighbourhood and a little bit more laid back, the dishes are a bit more straightforward. You can’t really go wrong with either place. Reservations: https://book.easytablebooking.com/book/?id=2ead3&lang=en
Staying in the Frederiksberg neighbourhood you may want to check out Anarki http://restaurant-anarki.dk/anarki/. This is a real feel-good place spreading Danish hygge and serving, let’s call it modern Nordic comfort food. If you are into wine, the wine list here definitely will not disappoint you. Reservations: https://book.dinnerbooking.com/dk/da-DK/book/table/pax/854/2
Speaking of wine if you are the type hoping to dig out a treasure in the wine cellar of a restaurant that everyone in the know wants to keep a secret, Enomania is the place for you http://www.enomania.dk/ As to food there is a 5-course Italian menu, where you can choose any number of dishes you like. Very limited, but always delicious. If you want this, you better hurry. There is still some availability left for 4 on October 11, 12 and 14. Reservations: https://book.dinnerbooking.com/dk/da-DK/book/table/pax/1101/2
If you are willing to splurge a bit you can do so just a bit further down the street at Formel B https://formelfamily.dk/formelb/. They have had a Michelin star since 2004 and serve solid gourmet food. What about the wine? 2 ½ years ago thieves broke a hole into the wine cellar from the neigbouring property and stole about 60 of the best bottles. They knew what they were doing. Reservations: https://book.dinnerbooking.com/dk/en-US/book/table/pax/313/2
Let’s move to the neighbourhood of the playing site, where Roy and I happen to live, Christianshavn. One of our favourites is Kanalen https://restaurant-kanalen.dk/en/restaurant-kanalen/ You will be hard-pressed to find a more charming and romantic setting, right on the Christianshavn canal. If you go, order the papadums with truffles for the table to share, while deciding what else to have. Heaven! There are lots of smaller dishes to choose from, which you can either selfishly eat yourself or share with the table. 6 minutes walking from the NH-Hotel. Reservations: https://restaurant-kanalen.dk/en/restaurant-kanalen/#
Ah, Cafe Wilder https://www.cafewilder.dk/! The incarnation of a neighbourhood place, our go-to place. Always makes you feel at home. They serve solid Danish bistro food. If you go, tell them the guy that always used to order the burger without bun sent you and they will make sure you feel very welcome. Speaking of the burger, unfortunately a new chef has arrived and the burger that used to come with lettuce, onion, tomato and cucumber now gets served with cornichons, caramelized onions and crispy sauerkraut. But the soul of the place hasn’t changed. 4 minutes walking from the NH-Hotel. Reservations: https://bord-booking.dk/online_booking.php?restaurantId=70163&lang=en-uk&delete=
Probably the best Latin American food in the city: Donda https://www.donda.dk/donda Every time I walk by when the restaurant is open, a party seems to be going on inside with everyone having a great time. 2 minutes walking from the NH-Hotel. Reservations: https://donda.superbexperience.com/
If you want to just jump out of the playing room at the NH-Hotel, feast on some solid Italian fare and then roll right into your hotel bed, Rufino Osteria is your place, kitty corner across from the hotel https://rufino-osteria.com/. Seating is on communal tables or high chairs. Be sure to make a reservation. We have never been able to just walk in, always booked solid. Reservations: https://letsumai.com/widget/rufinoosteria.
Back when I moved to Copenhagen people were reluctant to admit they lived on Amager. That definitely has changed. It is now an up-and-coming neighbourhood with restaurants to prove it, including one of our favourites: Toto Vin Bar https://totovinbar.dk/velkommen-til-toto
They have a Cote de Boeuf on the menu which needs to be ordered at least 2 days in advance by email mail@totovinbar.dk. Reservations: https://book.dinnerbooking.com/dk/da-DK/book/index/1214/2