Eating on a Budget in Copenhagen
Nordic cuisine has been spreading in fame in recent years, helped by Noma opening 20 years ago and quickly becoming known as the best restaurant in the world. But don't fear! Not all of Copenhagen's restaurants are Michelin star prices, there are also plenty of places where you can enjoy Scandinavian favourites and local produce in the city and still eat on a budget. From markets to street food and brunch specials, here is our guide to our favourite places to get stuffed on a budget!
Reffen - Copenhagen Street Food Market
On the waterfront you can find the largest Nordic street food market and one of our favourite places in Copenhagen - Reffen Street Food Market. Not only are there plenty of food trucks and stalls to choose delicious menus from, there is also a great vibe, live music, DJs and deck chairs with a few of the city. Perfect!
Here you can find everything from Buddha Rolls and Afghan food to cheese Raclette and Fish and Chips. Grab a freshly squeezed juice from Green Garden or try some Korean Street Food - there really are plenty of tastes from all around the world. If you like sweet treats then don’t miss the pancakes at Crepes a la Cart and cakes and ice cream at White Rabbit! They have regular concerts, parties and hold music festivals here, with the food stalls open until 8.30pm and the bars until 10.30pm (midnight at the weekend).
Torvehallerne – A Food Lover’s Paradise
Our favourite food market in Copenhagen and just by Nørreport Station, Torvehallerne is also a local favourite and always buzzing and lively. You will also find lots of tourists and visitors like passing through here, but there is plenty of outdoor seating for a sunny day and places to enjoy some drinks and snacks.
With indoor and outdoor seating options, the market is split across two glass-covered halls. Outside you can find plenty of fresh produce including flowers, fruit and vegetables. Inside are the food stalls to eat at (tapas, sushi, Argentinian empanadas) and boutiques that sell gourmet foods and artisan delicacies from local vendors.
From traditional Danish smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches) to international cuisines, Torvehallerne caters to a wide range of tastes. You’ll find everything from spices to coffee, fresh seafood to cheeses and pastries. Local vendors serve everything from wine to freshly baked bread. Open every day until 7pm.
Aarstiderne Food Market is also worth visiting - a small indoor market located in Vesterbro. Here they have a casual vibe and plenty of food stalls at reasonable prices. It's lively and a good place to grab a sandwich to go if you're passing by.
For Coffee Lovers
Established as the big coffee place to go apart from Joe & the Juice, Coffee Collective is the leader of the specialty coffee movement in Denmark which they began back in the day with one shop. They trade directly with coffee farmers and sustainable supply chain, to serve great coffee with a conscience! They can now be found all over the city and still serve great coffee, sparking a trend where Copenhagen has quality coffee and is a leader in fair-trade coffee beans. Another good quality coffee bar that is reliable on its choice of coffee bean is Democratic Coffee, located just by Nørreport and here for over a decade. Sonny opened back in 2017 in the centre and have good coffee but also is a safe bet for brunches, cakes and sandwiches. Prolog in Meatpacking is also a well known favourite for its devotion to fair-trade coffee beans.
Newcomers on the coffee scene are popping up all over town, with specialty roasts and trendy cafes that focus on fair-trade coffee direct from farmers. For a quality coffee roaster with sustainability projects try award-winning April roaster on Pilestræde - at SP Coffee Shop.
Our favourite place to take our time with a coffee and for a student vibe and total relax is Paludan Bog & Cafe, which is actually a book shop and cafe in one, with walls of books to explore and a chilled atmospher - plus it's just around the corner from the hostel! One of the student favourites in town is Vesterbro's The Laundromat Cafe - where you can eat and do laundry! Yes this novelty cafe with washing machines is actually a big hit - come and see what all the fuss is about!
For Something Sweet!
Conditori La Glace is Copenhagen's most famous cake shop and patisserie, dating back to 1870. It still has a very traditional look and feel but as Denmark’s oldest patisserie it makes cakes that are an art form. Worth visiting for any cake enthusiast.
For something sweet to go, head to Sankt Peders Bageri, one of the oldest bakeries in Copenhagen. Although it’s primarily baked goods to take away, it serves delicious coffee and pastries that you can have in their cosy cafe setting. Their cinnamon rolls and traditional Danish pastries are what people come here for. If you are into croissants then try Buka by Kong’s Nytorv - they have fruity flavours and stuffed croissants - perfect for on the road and on a budget!
Just off Amagerbrogade street you can find Alice Ice Cream & Coffee, serving just what the name says, along with other sweet treats. Danes are into ice cream all year round so it's even popular here in winter - everything here is delicious! Hart Bakery is another place where you can't go wrong - established by the famous 'Noma' restaurant baker, now serving up pastries, cakes and all kinds of swirly looking treats - there are many locations around town to discover. Another place we like to eat at is the award-winning Juno the Bakery. A go-to place for cinammon and sugar rolls.
Our Top Tastes
Meyers Deli is a great place for a more substantial meal in a cozy café setting. The café offers everything from delicious smørrebrød to specialty coffee. Great for breakfast or lunch - and of course famous for their bread. Also the chain Lagkagehuset makes cakes and pastries that are pretty good and friendly on the wallet. Gasoline Grill and Tommi’s Burger Joint both serve up delicious meals that are good value and have a wide variety of international food on the menu (the second is a chain), and the pancakes at Next Door Cafe are some of the best pancakes in town.
If Brunch is what you're after then try Cafe Flottenheimer - they serve up delicious and tasty plates of Danish brunch, which means everything from toast with cheese and eggs to muesli and yoghurt. Cafe Dyrehaven is another well-known local hangout with seats outside and a cosy inside. The evening menu is more French-British than Danish but it does have a good day menu with a choice of smørrebrød from 11am-3.30pm including shrimp, chicken, and roast beef, and the breakfast is more eggs benedict and bakery style. It’s popular so you may want to book ahead if you are going for lunch - you can book online - closed Mondays.
If you're in Christiania then there are some great vegetarian and organic cafes that are budget friendly. Try the well known Morgenstedet vegetarian restaurant which has been here over 20 years and is a local favourite. It also has seats outside for sunny days. Also serving vegetarian food and tasty cakes is Grønsagen.
Don't miss trying...
....a “smørrebrød” (open-faced sandwich), with salmon or Danish cheese - traditional and tasty!
....a "pølse"/hotdog from a van! The classic sausage inside bread (pølse) is the classic Danish street food and totally delicious. Crispy fried onions on top, ketchup and mustard, wrapped in bacon, and even vegetarian options! DØP - Den Økologiske Pølsemand, is the most organic place to get one of these but you will see stands on many street corners by metro stations.
..."grød". This is porridge, often served honey and milk, chopped nuts or raisins or fruit. Althought this may sound like a breakfast you would have at home, it is even served in restaurants in Denmark - there is even a dedicated restaurant just for this! Check out the popular Grød! It serves big portions of all variations, try the classic "müsli porridge".
...“flæskesteg” (a roast pork sandwich) - if you're going to get a sandwich then go Danish and try the roast pork! Usually served with some red cabbage and remoulade.
...Pizza - not Danish - but everyone in town knows that Gorm’s does the best pizza and it’s also budget friendly. There are a few dotted around town so take your pick! Nyhavn 14 is one where you can get a take away and sit on the waterfront! Or try Bæst if you have a bigger budget and find yourself in Norrebro district.
Happy Hour, Pizza, and more, with Copenhagen Downtown
Copenhagen Downtown Hostel Bar has everything you could want on a budget - Happy Hour, pizza, snacks, friends, live music, and a menu for food and drink. It's only 70 DKK for a litre of Carlsberg beer! We have shots, cocktails, and mixer drinks and an awesome Happy Hour that starts at 7pm. All you have to do is be there and bring a friend!
If you’ve been to visit us at Copenhagen Downtown Hostel then you’ll know that we have designed our hostel to be retro themed and ready for a party with an awesome international crowd and great atmosphere. You can share dinners with an international crowd, enjoy meeting locals at our parties and events, and make memories with people from all around the world. We have live music nights, dress up parties, and games nights - come and get the party started!
We are also part of the Europe's Famous Hostels network, being the hostel of choice for a network of 50 hostels across Europe. Find out more about Famous Hostels here www.famoushostels.com