Eating & Drinking Copenhagen

Copenhagen offers some very tasty options when it comes to eating and drinking, in fact, it is home to the world’s best restaurant, Noma. While in Copenhagen, I was on a bit of a budget so I did not go all out with my choices, but I was able to find some gems.

DØP

A recommendation from a Facebook friend led me to DØP to try their organic hot dogs. It is a simple hot dog stand that you can find in the city center just next to the round tower. The hot dog was DELICIOUS and probably the cheapest treat that you will have in this pricey Nordic city. I spent 39 DKK, about 6.50 USD. I went with the Grillmedister, a pork sausage seasoned with wild garlic. The great thing about this stand is that not only is the beef and pork organic, the toppings, which include fresh onions, fried onions and pickles, are also organic.

Kassen

The city of Copenhagen boasts a very comprehensive website for visitors, which served as my guidebook for the city. Always a fan of cheap drinks, I looked up the top happy hours in the city and my friends and I ended up at Kassen on Friday night, in the Nørrebrogade neighborhood of the city. I generally like my bars more fancy, less divey, but this was on the divier side of things. The two for one drinks is what made it stand out over the other contenders and the surplus of beautiful men more than made up for the lack of frills. The bartenders were very nice and offered suggestions, they were easy on the eyes as well! My friends and I spent most of the night people watching, and I made it a point to mingle with some of the locals. By about 8pm the bar was crowded and the ratio of men to women was in my favor. If you are looking for a relaxed atmosphere and a place to mingle with locals on a budget, Kassen is your place!

I tried to use the “black” happy hour to my advantage but it didn’t work. 🙂

Oysters and Grill

Cofoco is a restaurant group in Copenhagen that aims to give patrons a good and affordable meal in a city that is anything but. My friend made reservations for us at Oysters and Grill – one of several Cofoco restaurants – a bustling restaurant at which we were lucky enough to get a seat. There was only a reservation available for two people as the restaurant was packed, but luck was on our side and we were able to change that reservation to four about an hour before dinner.We arrived about eight minutes late. When we entered the restaurant the waitress noted that we were late. My friend said we were only eight minute late to which she replied, you are ten minutes late. It was a strange exchange, I couldn’t quite tell if she was joking or annoyed. But who cares, she showed us to our table and we sat down. I let my friends take the lead with ordering aside from my choice of the grilled dorado (mahi mahi). We all shared razor shells, scallops, tiger prawns and fried soft shelled crab as appetizers. They were all amazing. The fish was perfectly seasoned, you could still taste the flavor of the fish as it wasn’t drowned out by the seasonings. The grilled dorado was served with fries and salad, and as a bit of a french fry snob, I must say, these fries are divine!If you are a seafood lover, Oyster and Grill is a great choice. It is affordable compared to most good restaurants in CPH. You will likely spend around USD 50, and trust me, that is a good price for good food in this city!

The Barking Dog

My last night in Copenhagen I was dead set on getting to one of the city’s best cocktail bars, even if that meant biking alone in the below freezing temps at night, because amongst other things, CPH is known for cocktails and beer, according to an email that I received from the Copenhagen tourism board. The Barking Dog is listed as one of CPH’s top ten cocktail bars, and it did not disappoint.Being a cold Sunday evening I had not expected a large crowd and I was right. There was one group of people at a table and two girls at the bar. I hung my coat and scarf up by the door and grabbed a seat at the bar. The bartender, who was cute and kind, handed me the menu and I began exploring. As usual I was unable to make a decision so I went with the bartender’s suggestion and had a Penicillin Highball – whiskey and ginger, what’s not to love.The ambiance of the Barking Dog is exactly what you would expect in this pseudo speakeasy. The windows are not dark, but the interior is, giving you a mid-century cocktail bar feel. The bartender was very nice and quite interesting, we spoke about race relations in the US. His insight was impressive. So if you are in CPH and looking to grab a good drink and have a nice chat, head over to the Barking Dog.