Hello! It’s so nice to finally be writing my first ever newsletter, something I’ve wanted to do for so long. Firstly, I can only apologise that this comes a little later than planned. You may or may not know but I just went on an incredible trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro (a story that I’ll save for another newsletter) and after a strangely busy start to the year I spent the last week or so before I left scrambling around to get myself prepared, these things always take so much more organisation and time than we think they will.
I’m genuinely so excited to be starting a newsletter but I think it’s going to take me a few weeks to figure out how regularly I’m able to write them and what the format is going to be, so please bare with me as I get my ducks in a row.. but I promise you it’s going to be something, a version of my stream of consciousness, and it’ll be in your inbox as regularly as I can make happen. I want to talk about all the behind the scenes of my job, what’s exciting me in food, beauty and fashion, travel, thoughts on life and lots more. However, I want to make sure I have a proper structure to the newsletters (except this one) so it’s easy for you to follow so please be patient as this structure may change overtime as I find my feet.
I want to start with a guide to Copenhagen, one of my favourite cities and one of the, in my eyes, current culinary capitals of the world. I’ve been to Copenhagen a handful of times and always find it inspiring. You may walk down the street and be bombarded with a flurry of overwhelmingly stylish and good looking people, browse meticulously curated shops, or spend your time in and out of bakeries, bars and restaurants and all around you you’ll find inspiration in so many forms. I also love that cycling is the most popular mode of transport and in many parts of the city Copenhagen utilises its canals rather than leaving them out of bounds, so in summer there’s always people outside, using saunas, and perching with their shoes off clutching a glass of natural wine. Copenhagen and the Danish way of serving and consuming food, has inspired so much of what we now see in food trends everywhere and it’s so fun to see that first hand in the city.
I am going to structure this guide in a three day food and drink itinerary of the city, and then list my further recommendations below that so you can continue down the list should the suggestions in the itinerary not suit you, or you want a bigger list for yourself.
It’s so nice to see you here and I look forward to many more of these!
Copenhagen —
Day One:
Breakfast: Hart Bageri. There are two locations for Hart and although competition is incredibly high, they bake some of my favourite pastries in Copenhagen. Their two best selling pastries are the cinnamon swirl and the cardamon croissant, however, if you have only got one shot at Hart you cannot miss the cinnamon swirl, I think it’s their best. They also sell some lovely local products as well as bread, which I’ve often taken home in my suitcase on the last day.
Lunch: Ramen to Bíiru. It’s nice to have a bowl of ramen among all of the Danish food and I love this place. It’s always been, when I’ve gone, a quiet place to have lunch but if you want to get overstimulated, choose your beer from the vending machine at the front. When I visited Copenhagen with my husband Hugo, we came straight from the airport here and so I have fond memories of our giddy excitement for the rest of the holiday starting here.
Drinks: Apollo. It’s a classic and for good reason, however, I prefer coming here for drinks and snacks rather than a meal. The interiors of Apollo are so beautiful and when I went with my friend Poppy recently, we sat there for hours and could’ve stayed for even longer chatting the late afternoon away. Apollo is beautifully lit (something that is often hard to get right in restaurants and bars), comfortable and everything is considered and thoughtful. The snack centred menu is simple but always feels interesting and new and love that the have shrub on their menu for a non-alc option.
Dinner: Bottega Barlie is loved by locals and it’s cosy and feels quite like a French bistro in its interior design. The food is simple and classic and always delicious, encouraging food to be shared alongside delicious small glasses of wine to wash it down with.
Day Two:
Breakfast: Another quick stop off breakfast at Juno Bakery ahead of a busy day exploring the city. Juno has always had a queue when I’ve visited but it’s worth waiting for the warm pastries and delicious coffee, they have lovely seating outside but nowhere to sit inside if it’s raining.
Lunch: I have always and will always love Atelier September, the birth place of whipped butter as we now know it. Their beautiful style and use of ingredients has always inspired me so much and I’ll always continue to go here each time I visit to Copenhagen. Although they now have multiple locations, I personally prefer their original one for its style and the feel of the place when you’re in there. I love matcha as you may know and love how they serve theirs, in a glass with no milk. Although their breakfasts are iconic, I’d also recommend the lunch menu. And if you love AS as much as I do, they have a beautiful cookbook to take home with you.
Drinks: Bar Vitrin, a lovely bar that’s full of locals. Serves solid wine and also nice food.
Dinner: I recently tried Omar for the first time after being recommended it by a friend who lives there, and can’t wait to go back next time. Firstly it was by far the cheapest meal I’ve ever had in Copenhagen, which was a lovely surprise. Omar encourages a tasting menu which is reasonably priced and feels relaxed, but my friends and I were quite tired after prancing around Copenhagen Fashion Week when we went, so opted for a la carte. The interior is understated and the menu is original and every single mouthful I ate was genuinely surprising and so enjoyable, sauces soaked up with big buns of bread.
Day Three:
Breakfast: Lille Bakery. If you are engaged in the culinary world you have probably at least heard of Lille if not been, but it’s become quite iconic for it’s layout and you will see many people hop up to the balcony to get their own version of the Lille money shot. Last time I went, they did have a ‘no photos’ sign which maybe shows they’re sick of people coming to snap pics, but I can’t imagine they’d want to discourage it 100%? I love Lille and aside from the virality of the place have always found the breakfast really inspiring. Although they’re open till late I’d recommend going in the morning when the place is buzzing, it feels a bit more exciting than the afternoons when they’re generally sold out of most things and quiet.
Lunch: Depanneur has a very simply offering of bagels and drinks, perfect for a quick stop off if you’re rushing around the city trying to fit everything in. We actually went here for a snack, Hugo and I shared a bagel, as opposed to lunch because we were desperate to try to fit as many places into our schedule as possible, but I’d happily indulge in one of their bagels to myself for a fuller meal.
Drinks: I was first taken to Lille Blå Vinbar by my friend who lives in Copenhagen so I feel like that’s a good sign. It’s a really casual bar that is nice to sit at outside and has a huge and amazing list of wines. Perfect for when the weather gets a bit warmer in Copenhagen.
Dinner: Fiskbar is quite fancy, I’d say if you want to do go for one big blow out meal while you’re in Copenhagen (although even quite a casual meal is expensive in the city generally) I would go for Fiskbar. Located in the meat packing district which is interesting to explore anyway, Fiskbar is a, you guessed it, fish restaurant. While I haven’t been for a couple of years, both experiences I’ve enjoyed and found the food and atmosphere unlike anything I’ve had in London. It’s edging on fine dining which isn’t my thing, but still feels generally substantial and generous.
Further list!
Hahnemanss Kokken - lovely, local place for breakfast and coffee. Serves amazing pastries.
Anderson & Maillard - good reliable place for coffee and pastries/cakes
Bæst - seasonal Italian food. All organic. Cheese made in house. Known for pizza!
POPL - Noma’s burger restaurant. Couldn’t recommend it more highly. Expensive tho!
Cafe Stadion - amazing and quite affordable (for Copenhagen) tasting menu. Cool place.
Mirabelle - high quality brunch food, attached to Bæst and do pasta in the evenings
Bottega Barlie - beautiful food, full of locals
Pompette - lovely wine bar, cosy and local feel
Sanchez (Mexican) - great margarita, food looked amazing. They have a few spots.
Rodder & Vin - another great wine bar
Bakeries-
Alice
Rondo
Bageriet B
Restaurants-
Hija de Sanchez
La Banchina
Apollo Bar
Grod
Kona Workshop
Slurp (ramen)
Esmee
Poulette
Gaslone Grill
Noho
Host
Kompa 9
Grospiseri (at Oestergro rooftop farm)
Restaurant Ark (vegan)
Iluka
Grod (porridge cafe)
Selma
Friheden (food and wine in the middle of a skatepark)
Apotek 57
Gront Marked (farmer’s market)
Lago (Italian)
Mangia
Baka d’Busck
Circolo
Sydhavnens Spisestue
Casa Madre
Propaganda (Korean)
Bars-
Den Lille Bla
Ven Stranden 10Beast
Mirebelle
Chichetti
La Netta
La Banchina
Restaurant Safari
Cafe Stadion
Alice Bakery
Love Sanchez
Rodder & Vin
Censum
(the below are from my generous Instagram community and I’ve put their notes beside the recommendations for you)
‘Ginger Cake with Early Grey Ganache at Anderson & Maillard I’M SERIOUS!!!’
‘Propaganda (Korean) best dinner I had there!’
‘Restaurant Polly and Restaurant Frank’
‘Albatross & Venner (bakery)’
‘Fleisch is great in the meat baking district and Tommi’s Burger Joint’
‘Dallas (great cafe)’
‘Rondo (bakery) a must!’
‘Rug Bakery in Villa Hotel, incredible pastries’
‘Cleo!!’
’Nr. 30!! It’s a cute little restaurant/wine bar. Super Cosy vibes’
‘Høst is great for fish - 3 course tasting menu and wine pairing is great!’
‘Donna’s, Barr, Cantinas’
‘Et Cetera, Levantin, Lille Fugl & Flere Fugl, Amator, Dallas’
‘Alle Tiders!’
‘Batting Bakery’
‘Paludan Bog & Cafe (library cafe!) it’s so cute <3’
‘Sinne gas bakery, Tekno, Kismet, Lagoni are all very nice cafes!’
‘Flindt & Ørsted is also super cute in the gardens!’
‘Friheden, Lamar, Mangia’
See you soon! Xanthe xx
Super lovely stuff, this will be my bible on my next Copenhagen trip :)
Thank you for taking the time to share this lovely! All sounds fab i cant wait to visit soon!