4 Local LuxeGirls Share Their Favourite Spots in Copenhagen
Claudia Bhimra
I’ve lived in Copenhagen for around five years but grew up just north of the city. There are so many amazing restaurants I love, including Friheden for good vibes and a glass of wine, Pluto for tapas and cocktails, and Mangia for the best Italian food. I live on Østerbro so a local favourite is Café Pixie for a great oat milk cappuccino. It’s easy to find great breakfast in Copenhagen but brunch at Ø12 is a must. During a typical weekend, I’ll stop by Juno the Bakery to pick up sourdough buns with butter and cheese, and the cardamom buns are the best in the city.
Copenhagen has so many great flea markets. I love Det Grønne Loppemarked, which is a spring/summer flea market on Nørrebro. It has the yummiest vegetarian food stalls and you can find some hidden gems which are cheaper than at most of the thrift stores in the city. It’s also just a great spot to people watch – everyone has a cool, unique sense of style. I’m also a regular at the vintage stores like Chamoi Vintage and Wilén. Lidkøb on Østerbro is one of my favourite thrift stores. It can be a hit or a miss but it’s always fun to have a browse.
For a fun date, I’d go to Bip Bip Bar on Nørrebro. It’s a cool arcade bar with 80s video games – you’ll feel like you’re in Stranger Things. I also recommend booking the karaoke room at Falang Asiateria. I went for my birthday and we had the best night. You get a room to yourself so you can sing karaoke while snacking on Asian food and drinking cocktails.
My favourite spot in the summer for a swim and cold drink is La Banchina. I love the long, light summer evenings in Copenhagen. There’s nothing better than catching up with friends at one of the many cool bars or restaurants with outdoor seats, like Yellow Kbh or Bottega Barlie for tacos and cocktails.
For a culture hit visit Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK). It’s such a beautiful museum with a wide variety of art and a lovely café on site. Another beautiful museum is Glyptoteket. At the weekend, I love walking through the King’s Garden with its sculptures and beautiful trees – it’s especially lovely in spring when the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom.
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Rikke Jung Larsen
I grew up an hour away from Copenhagen, but the city is my home now. I love that there are nice parks everywhere. The Royal Library Garden is lovely, while Kongens Have has some lovely spots at the end near Sølvgade. The park at Botanisk Have is also amazing. I like to bring a book and read for an hour on the bench.
My apartment is in Østerbro, so my favourite local spot is Hos Fischer. It’s small, cosy and always has a good vibe. Order the cacio e pepe followed by tiramisu. Osteria 16 is another cool dinner spot. It has three restaurants with amazing food. The set menu with small dishes is perfect for both friends and family. If you’re craving pasta, Mangia should be your first stop.
Kanalhuset at Christianshavn is somewhere to stay. There are 12 rooms with cool interiors, but you can also visit the restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s low key, so it’s a good spot to bring your laptop for a few hours. Dinner is served on a long table you share with the other guests. It’s full nearly every day so make sure you book ahead.
Torvehallerne is one of the only food markets in the city. I love making dinner for friends and I particularly enjoy the shopping beforehand. Torvehallerne is a good spot because it has everything, but I usually make a beeline for the fish and veg. If I have time, I’ll go to some of the smaller grocery shops in Nørrebro.
I always order matcha tea from Dallas in Østerbro. Atelier September in the city centre also makes a mean one which I’ll usually enjoy with an avocado plate. For a simple coffee, April Coffee is amazing and a bit hidden – they know everything about coffee and the shop has some sweet homeware too. La Cabra has just opened a coffee shop at Møntergade with the Danish menswear brand Another Aspect. The coffee is great and the shop is perfect for a laidback afternoon of browsing.
There are so many cool vintage shops to visit during a weekend. Jerome Vintage and Times Up Vintage are my favourites. Other shops worth visiting include Lot#29, Mfpen, Skall Studio, Sabine Poupinel, Hansen Garments, Nørgaard paa Strøget and Norse Store.
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Isabella Frandsen
I was born and raised in Copenhagen, so the city feels like a village to me. I lived in Berlin for a while and have just moved back. Copenhagen is the best city, as it’s not too crowded, and it’s right by the sea. La Banchina at Refshaløen is a great spot after a dip in the ocean. It also has a sauna which is lovely during the colder months. They serve a selection of natural wine and small plates.
I buy my coffee from Prolog in Kødbyen. It’s a classic that’s known for its high-quality coffee and cosy atmosphere. Then there’s ‘Nameless Café’ if you want to sit outside and enjoy the sun. Darcy's Kaffe also serves great hot drinks and pastries, and I often stop at Minas Kaffebar, one of the cheaper places on Nørrebrogade. I also love Apotek 57 (inside furniture store Frama CPH), and Lille Bakery and Tekno Eatery for brunch.
Baka d’Busk is one of my favourite restaurants. It serves innovative vegetarian plates and has such a fun atmosphere. Bevi Bevi and Bar la Una on Vesterbro are amazing if you like Italian food, while pescetarian restaurant Oberra is a must. I’d also recommend the nearby Et Cetera, a new Korean spot for breakfast and lunch.
One new place I love is Autopol. This bar in Nordvest is only open during the warmer months and it always has a good vibe. As does Bar Vivant on Elmegade, one of my favourite streets with lots of cute stores.
Vivis Szoba in Vesterbro is a great vintage shop. Chamois Vintage is another favourite with a wide selection of clothes and accessories. If you want to hit the best in the city, visit Lidkøb, OSV Secondhand and Sliced Banana which are full of gems.
One under-the-radar spot you should know about is Il Buco at Islands Brygge, an old harbour which has lots of cool spots. The restaurant is in an old manufacturing building which also has a bakery, café and charcuterie. You can order sandwiches, homemade pasta and other Italian plates. It's a bit like sitting and eating in a small factory, but it’s so cool.
North of Copenhagen, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is beautiful. The drive there is very scenic and the museum is filled with large-scale paintings. Some of my other favourites include CPH Contemporary, Cisternerne and Arken.
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Joy M’Batha
I grew up in Malmö which is about 40 minutes from Copenhagen. When I was younger, we would take the train into the city every summer to go to amusement parks. When I was older, I’d go clubbing, which is how I met my boyfriend. I’ve lived here with him for almost three years but we prefer bars these days. If I’m not drinking wine at Gaarden & Gaden you’ll most likely find me at Jernbanecafeen which is filled with random things and people.
Go to Slurp if you love ramen like me. It’s just a hole in the wall with no booking system, so you sometimes have to wait in line to get a seat but they’ll sell you drinks while you wait. It’s the best ramen I’ve ever had. My boyfriend and I love grabbing something to eat (usually Thai), then go to Empire to watch a movie with drinks and popcorn. Afterwards, we grab a drink at Brus to discuss the film. A winning combo. Or you could go to Omar, a good restaurant with a relaxed and fun vibe.
My favourite Danish brands are Stine Goya, Résumé and Hunkøn. They’re all cool, fun and colourful. I also like to visit the weekend flea markets and vintage shops – you’ll find lots of outfit inspiration from locals with the best street style.
Summer nights are best spent at Refshaleøen. We like to have drinks at La Banchina before taking a dip in the water. The sun sets there and I just get filled with joy thinking about it. So beautiful and peaceful.
If you’re visiting, be sure to try some smørrebrød. You can try this bread at Det Lille Apotek. It doesn’t get more Danish than that.
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