One Night in Copenhagen...

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

I'm heading to England this summer to take a class/do research, and it turned out that the cheapest flight sequence for me involves a stopover in Copenhagen for about one day/evening. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? I'll be staying near the Kobenhavn station, so I'll be in the center of town with all the tourist traps. I'm also particularly interested in trying Danish food, though preferably not any that would break the bank.

[ingemann]

Teglkroen

Teglgårdstræde 17

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Teglkroen/@55.679873,12.567883,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x1ad3536b6c9c6c87

They're not cheap, but not really expensive either. The kitchen close 15:30. The food are traditional Danish lunch dishes from the lower middle class/higher working class. The customers is mostly Danes, but as you can see in the menu below, they also serve in English.

Menu
http://teglkroen.dk/onewebmedia/menu.pdf

I would suggest a warm liverpate with bacon. If they ask what bread you want, go with the rye bread. If you're more adventures go with the tatar or pickled herring.

On the same street there's also a more burger restaurant (Halifax) serving burgers with a Danish touch, if you want something more international.

There's also Peder Oxe on Gråbrødretorv 11. It also serve traditional Danish dishes, but are more international minded, through most of the customers are Danish. It's a little more expensive.

http://www.pederoxe.dk/english

[Gustaf]

You should obviously go to Christiania. Even if you don't buy anything it's an interesting place.

[Boris]

Yeah, Christania is utterly fascinating. Although I have no idea what it's like at night. I'd recommend grabbing some 'slow beer' at Vinstue 90, maybe some absinthe at Kurts Karport.

[ingemann]

You should obviously go to Christiania. Even if you don't buy anything it's an interesting place.

Okay a few warning here, don't bring a camera, you risk being attacked (by the "locals"), two don't buy anything (drugs of course), the police often wait outside, and if you're young , "alternative" and/or obvious foreign (and not in the brown people kind of way), you're quite likely to be stopped and searched.

[Gustaf]

You should obviously go to Christiania. Even if you don't buy anything it's an interesting place.

Okay a few warning here, don't bring a camera, you risk being attacked (by the "locals"), two don't buy anything (drugs of course), the police often wait outside, and if you're young , "alternative" and/or obvious foreign (and not in the brown people kind of way), you're quite likely to be stopped and searched.

Well, yeah, of course. All of this can be read on the signs once inside though.

You can buy though, just make sure to smoke it while still inside the green zone.

[Boris]

Eh, I've gotten like half a joint from Christiania past US Customs before (mostly due to their incompetence rather than my audacity). They Danish police aren't going to randomly search you. And if you're that paranoid, just put it in your sock. Smoking within the green zone is fine too; they're a sh**tload of people that stand by those fires and do it.

[politicus]

Eh, I've gotten like half a joint from Christiania past US Customs before (mostly due to their incompetence rather than my audacity). They Danish police aren't going to randomly search you. And if you're that paranoid, just put it in your sock. Smoking within the green zone is fine too; they're a sh**tload of people that stand by those fires and do it.

Things have changed. I would take Ingemann's advice.

If you like craft beer I would recommend the original Mikkeller beer bar on Vesterbro (the new one in Stefansgade on Nørrebro is good too). They are not as fancy as the ones they have in Stockholm, San Francisco and Bangkok, but a nice place and some excellent beers/fun people.

http://mikkeller.dk/



If you go to Christiania you should take a stroll out to nearby Holmen, the old naval base, it is a center for art education/creative education and a good place to meet interesting people (or just look at design school girls..) + some nice old buildings.

 

[politicus]

Also, given the demographics here: Straight or gay?

If the latter: The gay people I know are settled and in their mid-30s, so no advice from me, but you can start here:

http://www.copenhagen-gay-life.dk/

[ingemann]

Also as this board are for political nerds, there's also the opportunity to visit parliament if it's a weekday. On Tuesday and wednesdays under the debats, the parliament are open for visitors.

Also in the parliaments tower there is a semi expensive restaurant, which also serve traditional Danish dishes.

[politicus]

Actually, if you want to go all-in as political nerd you should visit Toga Vinstue in Store Kirkestræde 3 close to Christiansborg. It is a pub almost exclusively visited by young politicians and political nerds. They also have politicians as guest bartenders once in a while.

Their slogan is "15  types of beer, 49 types of liquor and 6,531 types of guests", but the last part isn't really accurate - the nerd factor is high - but you get all possible opinions and some very opinionated (and drunk) people to discuss them with. It is a surprisingly fun place to hang out in the evening, if you are in the mood, and cheaper than most pubs.

http://toga.dk/web/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtNBsyocTO4

They also serve traditional Danish lunch dishes from noon to 4PM, but you probably have to reserve a table.

[politicus]

On this site you can search all restaurants and bars serving food in Copenhagen and you can search for price range, occupation, opening time etc.

There are nine places in City in the two cheapest price categories serving Danish food -and some of them are really good, but you need to decide whether you want smørrebrød (cold dishes on bread) or hot food.

http://www.yelp.dk/search?find_desc=dansk+mad&find_loc=K%C3%B8benhavn#start=0&sortby=rating&attrs=RestaurantsPriceRange2.1,RestaurantsPriceRange2.2&l=p:DK-84:K%C3%B8benhavn::K%C3%B8benhavn_K

Vesterbro (gentrified working class area south of the Central Station - though still some drug dealing and prostitution going on, but not a dangerous place) has four more.

http://www.yelp.dk/search?find_desc=dansk+mad&find_loc=K%C3%B8benhavn#start=0&sortby=rating&attrs=RestaurantsPriceRange2.1,RestaurantsPriceRange2.2&l=p:DK-84:K%C3%B8benhavn::K%C3%B8benhavn_K

My recommendation:

Willumsen in Store Regnegade for hot food, Aamanns in Øster Farimagsgade for smørrebrød and Toldbod Bodega (close to Kastellet - the old fortress) as an excellent backup for both.

Kastellet is a great place, btw, it is still used by the army  (incl. the army intelligence agency) for offices and military library, but people also use the area for walks and it has a special atmosphere).

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Thanks all for the advice, I shall definitely take it into consideration. As I'm only going to be there for the late afternoon - overnight, I was thinking of taking a walk around the Kastellet, perhaps getting dinner at the Copenhagen Street Food venue and then one of the above suggestions. Is the Danish food there recommended? I've read some good reviews about the market in general but I also gather that a lot of the attraction there is the international street food.

Also I'm going to have to steer clear of any gay dates...my girlfriend and I would have to have a somewhat awkward talk about it when I get home.

[politicus]

perhaps getting dinner at the Copenhagen Street Food venue and then one of the above suggestions. Is the Danish food there recommended? I've read some good reviews about the market in general but I also gather that a lot of the attraction there is the international street food.

Not traditional Danish food (I got the impression you were serious about that). It is burritos, seafood (excellent), pasta, sandwiches, filled chestnuts etc.

Traditional Danish food culture is marginalized in Copenhagen - you need to look for it and go to the places that specialize in it and do it well.

Also, one advice about Christiania - if you do buy something leave along the water and either cross the bridge and go back to Torvegade or go outwards towards Holmen (top of the pic) - the waterside is also where most of the interesting self-build architecture is located (some pretty amazing houses among them), so you should go that route anyway. Do not exit Pusher Street though the gate to Prinsessegade.



Waterfront Christiania villa:

[Gustaf]

My Danish celebrity friend took me to a pretty nice Argentinian wine bar when I was in Copenhagen but I've forgotten the name. *helpful* That's about it for my local knowledge of the city, I've been a silly tourist most of the time.

[politicus]

My Danish celebrity friend

Who? (or at least line of work)

Regarding Argentinian wine bars Tango y Vinos in Herluf Trolles gade is the only one I know of:
http://www.tangoyvinos.dk/

[Gustaf]

My Danish celebrity friend

Who? (or at least line of work)

Regarding Argentinian wine bars Tango y Vinos in Herluf Trolles gade is the only one I know of:
http://www.tangoyvinos.dk/

Oh, that girl with the naked pictures who went viral. So celebrity should maybe be in quotation marks, although she seemed to be interviewed everywhere for a while.

[Gustaf]

I browsed the site and yeah I'm pretty sure that is the place! Though I feel the seating was unorthodox in some way when I was there.