Copenhagen Food Tour: 10 Must-Try Tastings

Dining in Copenhagen is shockingly expensive, but it is possible to taste many of the city’s best bites in one day by creating a self-guided walking tour. We sampled pastries, traditional Danish specialties, and a few international options on a route that allowed us to explore this beautiful city on foot. Everything was so good, no exaggeration, all expectations were exceeded. Here are the 10 tastings we enjoyed on a full day walking all around town.

Stop 1: Pastries at Hart Bakery

We started at the famous Hart Bakery’s Islands Brygge location and quickly learned this local chain is popular for good reason. These may have been the perfect pastries.

The cardamom croissant was sticky, flaky, and delicious – and the custard-filled spandauer had just the right touch of sweetness. With coffee, breakfast cost about $13 per person.

Stop 2: A Beer in Christiania

From the bakery we walked about 20 minutes to Freetown Christiania. This neighborhood has roots as a countercultural community in the 1970s and today feels more commercial but still full of street art and quirky shops.

We had an afternoon beer at Café Abegrotten for $6 each. Coffee and soft drinks are also available here if you prefer. You could also opt for the larger Nemoland area with more food options, but we preferred the small outdoor space at Abegrotten.

Stop 3: Spicy Feta Fries at Broens Street Food

Next, a 10-15 minute walk will take you to Broens Street Food Market, which makes an excellent stop on the bridge between Christianshavn and Nyhavn.

Broens Gadekøkken is an open-air food center with many options from local and international stalls. A popular choice is the fries with spicy sauce and feta from Strangas. Think Canadian poutine meets Maryland crab fries in Greece. So good! We were pleasantly impressed at how crispy the fries stayed with all that yummy since and cheese on top.

The portions are generous, easy to share, and costs about $10. Eating here also gives you a nice view of the water and the lively atmosphere people pass by on foot and bicycle.

Stop 4: Burger at Gasoline Grill

The next stop was Gasoline Grill, which is well known for its burgers. Again, this spot is super popular for a reason. Although they have several locations, we walked to the original at Landgreven, which was established at an old gas station (hence the name). This was about a 15-minute walk from Broens, and the route takes you through some of the most popular spots in Copenhagen, like Nyhavn.

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We ordered a cheeseburger for $17. It was juicy and flavorful and about as perfect as a burger gets. We almost skipped this spot because we didn’t think it could live up to the hype but it absolutely did.

If you are planning to continue eating throughout the day, splitting one burger is enough for two. Just ask, and they can cut it for you.

Stop 5: Aperol Spritz in the King’s Garden

Before heading to Rosenborg Castle we stopped at Orangieret in the King’s Garden for drinks. This was just a 5-minute walk from Gasoline Grill, and a great spot to regroup.

Aperol spritzes here cost $15 each. It was a relaxing place to take a short break, use the restroom, and enjoy the gorgeous weather we had on our one full day in Copenhagen.

Stop 6: Smørrebrød at Torvehallerne

A 10-minute walk from the King’s Garden is Torvehallerne, one of Copenhagen’s main food halls and a good place to try smørrebrød. These are Danish open-faced sandwiches with toppings such as herring, shrimp, or roast beef. Prices range from $6 to $10 per piece. One or two sandwiches are enough for a snack.

You may just want to split one if you’re trying to fit all these tastings into just one day. These were $9 each (add another $10 for a beer).

Stop 7: Hot Dog at DØP

Not far from Torvehallerne is DØP, an organic hot dog stand near the Round Tower on a pedestrian street (there are actually two carts located near each other). We ordered the classic hot dog for $8 each.

The sausage and toppings were fresh, and while the bun was simple, the hot dog itself was very good (and so were the toppings!)

Stop 8: Dinner at Tivoli Food Hall

In the evening we ate at Tivoli Food Hall next to Tivoli Gardens. There are many options here, but we chose Sushi Market.

A roll, four pieces of nigiri, and a glass of wine each cost $45 per person. The sushi was fresh and the food hall atmosphere was casual and fun.

Stop 9: Dessert at 7-Eleven

Wait what? Yep. For a final sweet stop, we went to 7-Eleven. In Denmark these convenience stores carry more than just basic snacks, and the bakery counter has some surprisingly good options.

We tried the Denmark trøffel kugle, a chocolate truffle with raspberry. It was rich and sweet, and at about $4 it was by far the most affordable treat of the day.

Stop 10: Rooftop Drinks at CitizenM

We finished the day at the CitizenM rooftop bar, since this is where we stayed.

Cocktails were a shocking $20 each. The view over the city was excellent and it was a comfortable place to end the night.

Our Thoughts

• This DIY food tour covered a lot – both traditional Danish foods and international options that are popular in Copenhagen.
• The day was not cheap, but it allowed us to sample a wide variety of dishes without committing to long restaurant meals or even higher bills.
• Walking between stops made the day feel relaxed and gave us time to explore different parts of the city over the course of a full day.

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