Christiania, an autonomous 1,000-strong community in Copenhagen, was once known predominantly for its tolerance of drugs (production, sale and use of), not for its artisan bakeries, but the scene is changing.
As I discovered on my food tour through Copenhagen, organic bread is more common than wild baccy.
Some areas are also doing better. Vesterbro was once a densely populated area with brothels, slaughterhouses, and butcher shops. While it is still relatively rough, the city now boasts many independent cafes, restaurants, and microbreweries. They can also take credit for making this one of Europe’s most vibrant food cities.
Colourful: The hip community of Christiania is becoming well-known for its artisan bakeries. The entrance of the district is shown in the picture.
A ‘smorrebrod’ at Aamanns 1921 restaurant – which Kate describes as ‘a sleek place tucked off the pedestrianised shopping street of Stroget’
Scandic Kodbyen has an amazing interior, and it’s a great place to stay.
You might be able to find tableops that look like slices of salami or illuminated panels with blood red marbled meats on the walls, as well as patterned carpets for steak, if you prefer vegans.
An early evening stroll takes me along the streets of Slagterboderne (meaning Butcher’s Stalls) and Flaesketorvet (Flesh Square) to the epicentre of the neighbourhood — the old meatpacking area of Kodbyen (Meat City), where you’ll find the Kodbyens Fiskebar restaurant. The original decor of this restaurant was what brought the area back to life.
‘In Denmark we say dum som en torsk (stupid as a codfish),’ my waiter tells me. “But, for a stupid fish it’s delicious. It’s our special today. Hand-cut chips with spicy remoulade are included along with my lightly smoked cod.
Nearby Fleisch features a functioning butcher’s store with a restaurant offering a seven-course meal and an organic, homemade bourbon that has been infused with bacon.
Elsewhere in the city, I go in search of the Danish staple — the smorrebrod (open sandwich), discovering it being dragged into the 21st century at Aamanns 1921, a sleek place tucked off the pedestrianised shopping street of Stroget (don’t miss designer Georg Jensen’s beautiful shop and Royal Copenhagen’s flagship store and museum), where I order mine with a cured salmon and blackcurrant topping.
Graffiti-sprayed Norrebro was ranked by Time Out as one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods, now more gourmet than ghetto thanks to places like Kiin Kiin, the only Thai restaurant (outside of Thailand) which has a Michelin star.
A street in Norrebro, which was ranked by Time Out as one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods
It would not be a food tour complete without visiting the Torvehallerne-covered food market.
The twin halls of glass are an excellent showcase for Danish food from small-scale farmers and producers.
Try mild liquorice slathered in dark chocolate at chocolatier Xocolatl; head to Glean for velvety vegan cream buns; and at Surroundings & Friends, a Nordic deli, you can pull up a stool, order a charcuterie board, a local Borghgedal beer and watch the hungry world go by.
There is also a flower market between the halls where wealthy ladies can buy beautiful bouquets, and musicians play their guitars.
At Scandic Kodbyen I order the Sweyn Forkbeard Nr. 3 (a Viking inspired cocktail made from fennel-infused gin, mead, milk thistle and honey) in Bar Mor. Skal (cheers), the bartender calls to me, as I worry briefly about the kilos I surely must have gained.
Strangely though, my belt just needs the smallest of adjustments — testament not to the quantity, but to the quality of all I’d devoured.