Good food is an important ingredient in the Danish concept of hygge, a word that can be best translated as a "warm, fuzzy, cozy, comfortable feeling of well-being." Generally speaking, good food, good company, wine, comfortable furniture, soft easy lighting (candle lights in particular), music, etc., all contribute to the feeling of "hygge".
Breakfast (Morgenmad)
A traditional breakfast is buttered bread, Danish
skæreost (sliced cheese), a
buttery creamy white cheese, strawberry jam and a lot of
coffee. Sometimes traditional cold cuts, like
rullepølse, kødpølse and
Danish salami, are also eaten. Today most Danes eat
different types of cereal with milk for breakfast or
yoghurt-like milk products with cereal or crumbled bread on
top. Another traditional breakfast, especially among the
elder and children, are oatmeal porridge and bread/beer-soup
(øllebrød). See desserts below.
Bread
takes many forms: at breakfast it is most often a white
bread known as franskbrød
(French bread), rolls (boller,
birkes, rundstykker) or croissants. The "Danish
pastry," which is also eaten at breakfast, is called
wienerbrød (Viennese bread)
and it comes in many varieties. A festive breakfast calls
for a shot or two of Gammel Dansk
(Old Danish), a Danish stomach bitter.
Eggs and bacon are not a standard feature of a Danish
breakfast table.
Coffee
Since year 1700 coffee has been the former national
drink in Denmark and the Danish consumers are one of the
worlds largest coffee-drinking nations. Coffee is a vital
part of the Danish culture and the Danes consume more than
20 million cups of coffee every day.
Lunch (Frokost / Middagsmad) (mid-day)
A Dane's lunchbox typically consists of a
few pieces of
smørrebrød
(open sandwiches) consisting of just of 2 to
6 pieces of simple smørrebrød prepared
during breakfast and packed for their lunch.
However, almost every Danish restaurant in
Copenhagen serves the traditional
"open faced sandwich"
with many different portions of food items;
cold cuts,
pieces of
meat or fish,
various
pastes,
salad dressings and cheese
on buttered rye bread.
Decorated with all types of toppings it
gives the creation a great visual appeal -
especially when presented on a well laid
table with cold Danish beer and snaps.
Roast beef med remoulade Skinke med italiensk salat Flæskesteg med rødkål Leverpostej med sky champignon
(1) Roast beef with “remoulade” and roasted onions + sour cucumber. (2) Ham with mixed Italian salad, tomatoes and fresh cucumber. (3) Roast pork with red cabbage - cucumber, prunes and orange. (4) Liver paste with mushrooms, bacon, gravy jelly - red pepper
Rullepølse med sky og løg Spegepølse med sky og løg Stegt fiskefilet med remoulade Laks med asparges og dild
(1) Rolled stuffed pork - gravy jelly, onions and tomatoes. (2) Spicy salami with gravy jelly - onions and tomatoes. (3) Fried filet of sole with "remolade" cucumber - tomato and lemon. (4) Smoked salmon with asparagus - cucumber and lemon.
Ost med rød peber
Hakkebøf med spejlæg
Marineret sild
Røget ål med røræg
(1)Creamy Harvarti cheese with red pepper - grapes and parsley (2) (Beef Tatare)-Minced meat - Hamburger with fried egg and stuffed tomatoes. (3) Marinated herring with shrimps - carry dressing and caviar. (4) smoked eel with scrambled eggs - lettuces - parsley and lemon.
Dinner (Aftensmad)
The large hot meal of the day, served in the evening, usually consists of meat (pork, beef, lamb or fish) with gravy and a source of starch such as boiled potatoes, rice or pasta, and sometimes supplemented by salad and/or cabbage. This may be followed by a dessert such as ice cream, mousse or rødgrød. The meal may be preceded by soup or hot porridge.
Everyday
dishes on restaurant menus
The Danes favorite everyday dishes can be
enjoyed in several restaurants and eating
places in and around Copenhagen - as these
main courses are normally listed on the
menus.
Frikadelle
Flæskesteg med rødkål
Medisterpølse
Boller i karry
(1)
The Danish
"Frikadelle" (pronounced:
frek-ka-delluh) is a national dish
served with potatoes, preserved sour
vegetables and thick brown sauce.
The meatballs are made of pure pork.
(2)
Flæskesteg” - Roast pork with crispy
crackling and red cabbage with small
caramelized potatoes.
(3)
Medisterpølse" - Spicy pork sausage with
potatoes – stow cabbage and thick brown
gravy.
(4)
"Boller i karry" - Meatballs of pork boiled
in hot water – served with curry sauce and
rice.
Kalvesteg Forloren hare Stegt flæsk med persillesovs Biksemad med spejlæg
(1) "Kalvesteg" - Roast veal of calf with potatoes - carrots - green beans and thin brown gravy. (2) "Forloren hare" - Mock rabbit - spiced minced meat - with potatoes and heavy brown sauce. (3) "Stegt flæsk" - Fried slices of pork on the bone with potatoes and creamy parsley sauce. (4) "Biksemad" - Hash mix with pork or beef cubes - potatoes - carrots - onions and fried egg.
Hamburgerryg og stuvet hvidkål Skipperlabskovs Mørbrad Krebinetter
(1) "Hamburgerryg" - Pork loin with stow cabbage in white sauce - potatoes and spread parsley.(2) "Skipperlabskovs" - Beef stew cooked with potatoes - black pepper corns and bay leaves. (3) Mørbrad" - Pork tenderloin with potatoes and heavy brown sauce - prunes and red currant jelly. (4) "Krebinetter" - Pork patty with peas - cauliflower - carrots and white stewed cabbage.
Hakkebøf med bløde løg Tarteletter med høns i asparges Hønsekødssuppe Stegt rødspætte
(1) "Hakkebøf" - Juicy hamburger steak in heavy brown sauce with fried onions and sour cucumber. (2) "Tarteletter” - Patty Shells in many variations - here with creamed chicken and asparagus. (3) "Hønsekødssuppe" - Chicken soup with dumplings - meatballs and cubed vegetables. (4) "Stegt rødspætte" - Pan fried plaice in butter with potatoes - parsley and asparagus.
Gule ærter Wienerschnitzel Stegte Ål
(1) Gule ærter" - Yellow Split-Pea Soup with salt pork - various vegetables and a pinch of chilli. (2) Wienerschnitzel - Pork cutlets and potato chips (actually, french fries) - pickled herrings - horseradish and capers. (3) "Stegte Ål" - Fried Eel with potatoes and creamy parsley sauce plus slices of lemon.
Typical Danish desserts
Øllebrød Koldskål Rabarbergrød med fløde cofffe and Danish
(1)"Øllebrød" - Rye beery dessert of rye bread - sugar - mild beer and whipped cream. (2) "Koldskål" - Fridge buttermilk with vanilla and lemon flavor. Served with fruit or biscuits. (3) “Rabarbergrød” - Stewed rhubarb dessert can be served with vanilla cream - whipped cream or milk. (4) The traditional cup of coffee with Danish pastry.
Danish Pastry
Danish Pastry is a world famous specialty
and mostly known as
"Danish."
The Danes call this type of pastry
"Wienerbrød"
(Vienna Bread), as the first "Wienerbrød"
was baked and presented in Denmark by an
Austrian baker around 1840. The Danes eat
about
10 kilo
pastry and cakes every year, and there are
many bakeries and cafés spread all over the
city offering this very sweet and very tasty
Danish specialty
What Danes drink with their food
The Danes have a huge variety of drinks to select from as beers - snaps - milk products - wine – soft drinks and juices - but most of all they drink a lot of clean fresh water directly from the tap - which is a bonus, when living in Denmark. Fresh water from the tap is called “Postevand”.
Øl
Snaps-Akvavit
Mælkeprodukter
Vin
Sodavand
(1) "Øl" - The Danes just love their different types of beers - with their meal or in good company. (2) "Snaps" - Akvavit is distilled from potatoes and herbs – and is usually enjoyed with herring. (3) "Mælkeprodukter" - Milk products are popular drinks for meals at the Danish household table. (4) "Vin" - Wine - Danes drink all types of red and white wine from all parts of the world. (5) "Sodavand" - Soft drinks are very trendy and drunk to all meals and the selection is impressive.
Fast food has been known by the Danes for centuries and is a quick and traditional way to please their appetite. The "Rød Pølse" - red sausage - made of pure pork and the "Pølsevogn" - sausage stand (mobile) is still the Danes favorite outdoor restaurant and a must to visit - summer and winter.
The first
"Pølsevogn"
was established in Copenhagen around
1910
and today more than 130
million
red sausages "Røde Pølser" - are consumed
every year at the Danish "Pølsevogn" -
mobile sausage stand. Today there are over
130
sausage stands in Copenhagen.
Hot Dogs
prepared with the red Danish sausage "Rød
pølse" and garnished with "remoulade and
fried onions" or the ordinary type with
various toppings plus ketchup and mustard
dressings.
Food Fact: Is it any wonder that international studies show that the population of Denmark is the happiest of any country in the world?
Recommended restaurants
and cafe's in Copenhagen:
As in every European city of this size, if you are there long enough, you can easily find the suitable restaurant for your preferences, taste and price. What is less easy in Copenhagen to find the ones fitting to the wallets of its visitors - Copenhagen is an expensive place. I am listing some restaurants that feature Scandinavian food fare. I cannot vouch for the prices of each. I have tried to stick to our "On Your Own" walking tour.. those that are quite close to our walking path.
Cafe Petersborg, Bredgade 76,
Copenhagen (right at the
intersection of Esplanaden and Bredgade--close
to the little Mermaid Statue) A great
place to go for traditional Danish food.
The lunch plates are outstanding and give
you a taste of everything you must try while
being in Denmark; marinated herring,
fried plaice with remoulade sauce,
smorrebrod with shrimps. The prices
are quite reasonable. The ambience is very
nice and they serve the food on the
classical white and blue Royal Copenhagen
Porcelain. There is an old-world atmosphere
to the four rooms with their wooden rafters.
The restaurant holds about 100 customers and
many businesspeople have lunch here. Hillary
Clinton dined here in 1995.
Ida
Davidsen, 70 Store
Kongensgade (mid-way down Store
Kongensgade--near Amalienborg Palace)
Denmark's undisputed gourmet specialty is
the smørrebrød
(known to non-Danes as 'smorgasbord'), a
selection of open sandwiches served for
lunch, usually made up of a variety of fish
and seafood. The smorgasbord 'queen' in
Copenhagen is Ida Davidsen, who is the fifth
generation of her family to serve this
unique cuisine and offers the longest
smorgasbord menu in Denmark at six feet
long! Try the 'Preben Elkjær' on rye bread
with plaice fillets, asparagus and smoked
salmon. Open Monday to Friday, 10.30am to
5pm. Reservations recommended.
Nyhavn is a very colorful spot in
Copenhagen. There are many restaurants
inside and outside of each building.
This definitely seems to be a favorite spot
to dine while in the city. Or maybe just a
place to sit back and enjoy a couple of cold
drinks (soft drink, beer or wine, whatever
is your fancy).
Nyhavn is full of bars and restaurants.
Cap Horn Nyhavn 21, Downtown, Copenhagen is among the best, with moderately priced and completely organic Danish treats served in a cozy, art-filled dining room that resembles a ship's galley. Try the fried plaice swimming in a sea of parsley butter with boiled potatoes. In summertime try to grab a sidewalk table, the perfect place to enjoy an overstuffed focaccia sandwich and a Carlsberg.
Den
Sorte Ravn (The Black Raven) 14 Nyhavn
located in the heart of Copenhagen,
alongside the canal connecting the harbour
to the inner city. Open Monday to
Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations
are recommended. The restaurant offers
modern Danish fine dining, with some classic
French touches to the cuisine. The a la
carte menu also offers a selection of
traditional meat dishes. The house specialty
is fillet of turbot prepared in puff pastry,
with lobster salmon mousse and parsley,
served with lobster sauce and flavored with
cognac. The fried deep sea prawns also come
highly recommended, wrapped in bacon and
served with a concassé of tomatoes, wild
rice and beurre blanc sauce. For dessert,
you can try the homemade vanilla ice cream
and enjoy a range of cognac and liquors.
Stoget, Central Station, Grey Friars Square are all hotspots for restaurants. Tivoli also has a great selection of casual places to eat in a fun setting.
Det
Lille Apotek
15 Store Kannikestræde
Off Stoget near Vor Frue
Kirke (Church of Our Lady) and the old
university of Copenhagen, side street to Fiolstræde.) This cozy, traditional
restaurant is reputedly the oldest eatery in
Copenhagen, dating back to 1720. In days of
yore it was an artist's meeting place and
now features menu items named for Danish
celebrities who used to dine here, like Hans
Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard.
The food is traditional Danish and one of
the signature dishes is 'Apoteker Stew' -
tenderloin, bacon, cocktail sausages and
pineapple in a creamy paprika sauce. Open
for lunch and dinner daily, reservations
recommended.
Promenaden in
Tivoli
In
Copenhagen's famous Tivoli Gardens, the
bustling Promenaden is a 'multi-food-house.'
With a view to the Garden's open-air stage,
an international menu and vibrant
atmosphere, the premises also include a bar
and café, as well as live music at weekends.
They offer staples like barbecue spare ribs,
steaks and pasta or, for a real budget
snack, head for the back corridor where
there is a sausage bar and beef sandwich
deli. The restaurant functions during the
summer season only when Tivoli itself is
open from 12pm to midnight.
The Paul at Trivoli Fantastic restaurant located in Tivoli. This is gourmet dining on a high level (and The Paul is also a proud holder of a Michelin Star). The food is very good - spend some time in the Lounge afterwards with a good cup of coffee and a cognac, grappa or dark rum from their impressive selection!!
You may have heard lately of the public demonstrations that have occurred in Copenhagen and other Danish cities, but they are generally peaceful events. Prior police approval is required for public demonstrations and police oversight is routinely provided to ensure adequate security for participants and passers-by. Nonetheless, as with any large crowd comprised of diverse groups, situations may develop which could pose a threat to public safety. U.S. citizens are advised to avoid areas where public demonstrations are taking place.
RECOMMENDATION: You can always check before you go for an up-dated report on crime in any country! The following link will take you to the U.S. Department of State Travel site so you can check out any destination that you are traveling to. http://travel.state.gov/
On the left side of the site click on: Travel Warnings. Next, click on Country specific Information scroll to you destination country via alphabetical letters and check on the Crime site.
Report from U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory on Copenhagen...(12/20/09)
We felt quite safe in Copenhagen. However, when traveling--even in the U.S., we follow all the safety rules posted by U.S. Department of State Travel.
I hope that our walking tour of Copenhagen was able to provide you with a sneak peak of what you can expect when you visit. This is a delightful city with much to see and experience. Hopefully, it will help you decide on an itinerary for your particular day ashore.
P.S. Please feel free to send me feedback (click here) to this site --or the rest of my sites, i.e.; things I should change; things I should add. I certainly would appreciate your input and suggestions. Thanks! Sunny24/7
