1. Höst

If you are interested in everything that contemporary Nordic cuisine has to offer (and you should!), Höst is one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen. Every dish is carefully and beautifully prepared with only local ingredients. You can also have a sommelier introduce a wine pairing with each course. The combinations of food will keep you entertained the whole night through! Don’t miss this treat when you visit Copenhagen.

2. Paper Island (Papirøen)

Paper Island is across the channel from Nyhavn (the harbor). It’s basically a massive indoor street food market housed inside an old warehouse. The food is delicious coming from all types of international cuisine. Grab a beer, wine, or cocktail, and eat like a local here at one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen! What makes Paper Island really special is that it’s right on the water. Enjoy the great view outside on the patio looking out over the harbor, opera house, and more.

3. Noma

No list of the best restaurants in Copenhagen would be complete without Noma. Consistently recognized as one of the best restaurants in the world, it’s known for its contemporary interpretation of Nordic cuisine. If you can find a reservation available, pre-paying for the menu will cost around $380. You will pay an additional $225 for a wine pairing. However, if you can afford the price, you will no doubt enjoy not only one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen but also one of the best restaurants in the world.

4. Toldboden

Eat like a local at one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen on the water. Toldboden has an ocean feel about it at Copenhagen’s old ferry terminal. Look out over the opera house and enjoy one of the city’s best brunches on a diverse menu! Toldboden is especially a great place to enjoy in the Danish summer.

Related: Ready to visit Copenhagen? Book the cheapest and best flight you can find with my favorite flight search engine below!

5. Cafe Bopa

Cafe Bopa is one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen to eat like a local. Housed inside of a traditional old Danish building in the posh neighborhood of Østerbro, it is lit entirely with candles. This gives off a very Danish, hyggeligt feel. It’s a great place to get coffee and a bite to eat.

Related: Wondering what the Danish concept of hygge is? Wondering what hyggeligt means? Find out this key to happiness in my Ultimate Local Guide to Copenhagen!

6. Bastard Cafe

Bastard Cafe is one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen to eat like a local for one reason: it has board games! It’s a very Danish activity to play board games, card games, and dice games with others. This especially goes for one of the many rainy afternoons you might experience in Copenhagen. So grab a coffee or drink, a snack, and settle down for a really hyggeligt time at Bastard Cafe.

7. Restaurant Kronborg

To truly eat like a local in Copenhagen, you need to enjoy some traditional Danish smørrebrød. Restaurant Kronberg is one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen to enjoy this delicious local food.

Smørrebrød literally means buttered bread. In Denmark, the moment you put butter on your bread (usually dark rye), it becomes smørrebrød. These open-faced sandwiches can come with pretty much anything on them. The most common toppings are:

• Butter
• Pickled herring
• Egg salad or boiled egg
• Liver-paste
• Remoulade
• Rings of onion
• Thinly-sliced cheeses of various varieties
• Sliced or pickled cucumber
• Tomato
• Mackerel in tomato sauce
• Deli meats
• Salmon

So order a pre-made combination or create your own! The possibilities are endless.

Related: First time traveling solo? Find out everything you need to know with my complete guide to traveling alone for the first time plus a FREE printable travel checklist!

8. The Laundromat Cafe

Filled with locals, The Laundromat Cafe is located in the neighborhoods of both Nørrebro and Østerbro. It’s one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen for all-day brunch. Bonus! If you have clothes to wash, this is the perfect place to pass the time with board games and about 4000 books.