Where I Actually Eat in Copenhagen (Which Is Not Where You Think)

Copenhagen has the best restaurant reputation in the world right now and the most expensive restaurants I have ever considered entering. I have not eaten at Noma. I will not eat at Noma. I live here — I eat where people who live here eat, which is a genuinely good and significantly cheaper version of the Copenhagen food experience.

The smørrebrød is the thing to understand first. Open-faced sandwiches on dark rye bread, topped with herring or roast beef or egg salad or liver pâté. It is the actual everyday lunch food of Copenhagen, served at smørrebrød restaurants that are cheaper than they look and better than most things you can eat in the city for the price. Schønnemann (restaurantschonnemann.dk — Hauser Plads 16, Indre By) is the famous one and is worth the price once.

For evening eating on a reasonable budget: Torvehallerne (torvehallernekbh.dk — Frederiksborggade 21, Indre By) is the covered food market at Israels Plads with permanent stalls covering the full range of Copenhagen food culture. More expensive than a supermarket, less expensive than a restaurant, genuinely good. I go on Friday evenings.

The supermarkets: Irma is the Danish premium supermarket and the produce quality is high. Netto and Føtex for everyday use. The bread everywhere in Copenhagen is better than Sweden, which is a fact I have accepted with difficulty.