It’s no easy job whittling down the best restaurants in Copenhagen. Think of Denmark, and you’d be forgiven for conjuring up images of pastries, frikadeller meatballs, and fabulous smørrebrød rye bread open sandwiches piled high with herring and remoulade. But this, of course, is just a bite-sized snack of what modern Copenhagen offers.
Copenhagen’s food scene continues to soar, eschewing traditional Danish dishes in favor of daring creations inspired by nature and a global outlook. Restauranteurs are designers, travel guides, and architects, choosing culinary journeying and eyebrow-raising locations to combine Nordic wonders with twists to spin heads. Their ventures are securing Copenhagen as not simply a coordinate of interest on the global foodie map but, arguably, anchoring it at its center, leading the ‘World’s Best’ lists year-on-year. Without further ado, these are the best restaurants in Copenhagen.
Read our complete Copenhagen travel guide here, which includes:
How we choose the best restaurants in Copenhagen
Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors and reviewed by a local contributor who has visited that restaurant. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials. We update this list as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve.