Sometimes there’s a fine line between a neighbourhood that’s trendy and up and coming or slightly dodgy and worth keeping your wits about you. Norrebro in Copenhagen must be treading that line. But if you’re a gourmet at heart then this area of the Danish capital is worth exploring. I’m sharing a number of best places to eat in Norrebro that I discovered when I was there last spring.
Best Places To Eat In Norrebro
Coffee Collective in Norrebro
In Copenhagen, Coffee Collective is synonymous with a passion for coffee. Their coffee beans are sold all around Copenhagen. However, there’s only one small shop with a few outside tables where they brew the coffee and that shop is in Nørrebro.
Apparently, the queues sometimes stretch right down the street. Copenhageners who care about great coffee are serious about their coffee fix.
The owners use a Direct Trade model. They work directly with farmers in Brazil, Guatemala, Kenya and Panama to pay the best prices for the best quality coffee.
Coffee Collective has won numerous awards for their coffee – it’s fair to say that they live and breathe coffee! However long the line, their baristas will always take care to make you a great cup of coffee.
Coffee Collective, Jægersborggade 10, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
Claus Meyers Bakery in Norrebro
To enjoy with your coffee you might want to pop across the road to the Claus Meyer Bakery. Here you can buy one of their fruit slices as well as the rustic Danish bread. These guys are passionate about their sourdough!
I visited the Claus Meyer factory on a previous visit to Copenhagen. We saw the sourdough breads being made and then followed on with a tour of the Meyer Vinegar Brewery. Here we tasted of everything from blackcurrant flavour to a syrupy aged balsamic.
The bakery is owned by top Danish chef Claus Meyer who’s a gastronomic entrepreneur and leading light in the Nordic cuisine movement to bring back seasonal Scandinavian produce. He is also a co-founder of Noma, known as ‘The Best restaurant in the world.’
Phew – with such a culinary pedigree one would hope that the bread would be a cut above.
Claus Meyer Bakery, Jægersborggade 10, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
Kiin Kiin in Norrebro
Complete your food tour of Nørrebro with a special evening at Michelin star Thai restaurant Kiin Kiin. When I met the owner Henrik Yde-Andersen he told me that when they first opened, the area had a rather dodgy reputation so they took something of a risk in opening such a classy restaurant.
Henrik worked for several years as a chef in Thailand and brought his passion for the cuisine back to his homeland. His signature dish is frozen red curry with lobster salad. Unusually for Asian food he uses his training as a sommelier to marry great wines with the Thai dishes.
If your budget can’t stretch to Michelin star prices, don’t worry as right next door there’s his neighbourhood Thai curry cafe, Aroidee, which is always packed with locals.
The cafe started because Henrik hated any food going to waste and used to sell inexpensive take away curries from the kitchen door. But, when the queues started stetching down the road, he knew it was time to open Aroidee.
You can read my interview with Henrik Yde Andersen and hear the interview as part of my Copenhagen podcast
Kiin Kiin and Aroidee, Guldbergsgade 21, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
More things to enjoy in Copenhagen
Bike + Train = Adventure in Copenhagen
17 Podcast – Our long weekend in Copenhagen
In search of the perfect Smørrebrød – in Copenhagen
Resources for visiting Copenhagen
You’ll find plenty of information about places to eat and things to see on the Visit Copenhagen website
There is a free Visit Copenhagen Mobile phone app available for iPhone, Android and other smartphones
If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing then check out the Copenhagen Card for free entry to 65 museums and attractions as well as free public transport around the city
We stayed at the modern, stylish Ibsens Hotel, set in the arty and up and coming Nansensgarde neighbourhood near the Copenhagen lakes.
Thanks to Wonderful Copenhagen for hosting* our weekend in Copenhagen.
* More info on my policies page
This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com
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Unna
Wednesday 8th of August 2012
@Giovanni and Heather - believe it or not, Nørrebro is also child-friendly; the best integrated institution (in this case: integrated day nursery and kindergarten with separated age groups, but common play ground) I know of is in the area, located right next to Brorson's Church, probably one of the best known churches in Denmark for different reasons.
I have lived there for a few years without getting into trouble of any kind. It's not that I haven't noticed the people dealing marijuana or been able to avoid the weekly demonstrations following the demolition of Ungdomshuset (the old one) completely - but the dealers don't bother you if you're merely passing by, and the demonstrations against the demolition aren't happening anymore (probably because a new Ungdomshus has been taken into use in another area of town). I think that one can easily make a mountain of a molehill if one's only source of learning about Nørrebro is the news instead of personal presence (for longer than a couple of hours, that is).
Speaking as a local, I'm saying that Nørrebro is a wonderful area which I encourage you to move to. The only placees it seems to become depressing is if you follow the street Lundtoftegade or go further north-west of Nørrebro trainstation than Café AE, and perhaps only until you hit Frederiksberg.
Besides what I mentioned in a previous comment, I love the local cinema (Empire Bio - if you like soup, you can eat in Soupanatural down the street before or after the movie) and adore the local theater (as in live on stage), Nørrebro Teater. The local brewery, Nørrebro Bryghus, has its own restaurant and is down the street from the theater. Unfortunately, the café at Folkets Hus seems to be closed - perhaps only temporarily for renovation. Fortunately one can find many good places around Blågårds Plads and Sankt Hans Torv. I have no idea why I didn't mention those earlier.
Heather
Wednesday 8th of August 2012
@Unna Thanks so much for giving the local's perspective, it's good to get your recommendation for all that Norrebro has to offer.
Giovanni
Tuesday 7th of August 2012
Hi, Heather! I am moving to Copenaghen and I am trying to find a studio at an affordable price. As far as I could verify, Nørrebro has the lowest rental prices but I am a little bit concerned about its safety conditions. I have heard that from time to time there are riots between rival bands.... What do you think? Should I avoid that area?
Thank you!
Giovanni
Heather
Tuesday 7th of August 2012
@Giovanni Bear in mind that I was only in the Norrebro neighbourhood for a couple of hours, so I can't give you a local's view. However, I'd say that it would depend on your personal perspective as to whether you view a neighbourhood like Norrebro as vibrant & bohemian or not slightly dodgy. On the one hand there are some great bars and restaurants including 2 Michelin star restaurants, on the other I saw drug dealers on the streets. Persoanally if I was single or a couple and not too worried about such things I'd give it a go but probably not if I had children.
Audrey
Saturday 23rd of June 2012
This sounds like one neighbourhood I would enjoy! I'm all about the baked goods. :)
Heather
Sunday 24th of June 2012
@Audrey You'd love the bread & cakes in the Claus Mayer bakery with a cup of coffee from Coffee Collective
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Unna
Sunday 1st of April 2012
@Heather - I'm so glad you say that - some may see the area as being too far on the dodgy side to visit (which I strongly disagree with. Please do come check it out, everybody!).
Karamelleriet is a place making their own caramels, fudge, etc. - the place in Jægersborggade is their flagship store and main site of production. They now also have shops in Svaneke on Bornholm and in Marielyst on Falster (last one with a fudge workshop) and usually have a stall at the Christmas market in Tivoli.