Two things can make or break your trip….your accommodations and your food selections.  You can make the most of any city if you have the best place to sleep and delicious food to eat.  Agree?  So on our holiday to Copenhagen we decided to book an Airbnb instead of a hotel since we were making Copenhagen our home base for a week.  Having a kitchen and common area allowed us to come home and relax before dinner or wake up and enjoy our morning coffee with fresh baked goods on our back balcony.  We couldn’t have picked the most perfect flat….details below!

Copenhagen Flat via AirBnb

Our flat was located alongside The Lakes in Copenhagen…hugging the neighborhoods of Nørrebro and Østerbro.  We picked this flat based on the location, views, ambiance and amenities.  The host, Jane was so lovely and reachable if we had any questions. She welcomed us with a beautiful flat that was light, spacious and clean.  Jane has decorated the space with fabulous artwork, sculptures and comfortable furniture.  One of the best parts about the flat was the flooring – yes the flooring. (The photo below will tell the story)   We couldn’t have asked for a better location – away from the tourist areas and in a nice residential neighborhood.  It was comparable to the Pac Heights or Marina neighborhood in San Francisco which we love! There were a lot of cafes in walking distance from the flat that we enjoyed. (See our recommendations below.)  Not only was the flat big, it also had amazing views.  It was enjoyable waking up to sunrises or watching sunsets over The Lakes.  Conveniently there was a  market, Irma, just a 2 minute walk from our flat.  We got some staples there along with Easter dinner.  The Irma was a mini WholeFoods…..fresh produce, great wine/ beer selection along with meats and dairy products.  When we find ourselves back in Copenhagen we will be staying in Jane’s flat….it felt like home!!! Can’t wait to go back and sit on the balcony soaking up the sun listening to the birds chirp in the courtyard below.

FOOD

One of the best parts of traveling for us is finding the non-tourist, local filled restaurants to dine at.  If the restaurant is buzzing with people speaking the local language and they ask where you are visiting from – you know you’ve found the right spot.  Typically these restaurants have quality fresh food, perfect ambiance and reasonably priced.  To find these places we get help from the internet….blogs, instagram, yelp and articles.  While in Copenhagen we found some lovely restaurants, bakeries, breweries and wine bars.  Be sure to check them out when you find yourself in Copenhagen.  (And yes, we did eat at all these places….can’t waste a perfectly good meal on bad food!)

20A

20A was one of the restaurants on our list we “had a good feeling about”.  Anxiously waiting to try it, we were BLOWN away at the whole experience of the restaurant.  The friendly staff, the delicious food and wine and the lively ambiance.  20A had a French flare on food with Scandinavian specialties.  The menu changes daily, so check the website for the weekly specials.  They always have a meat and fish of the day.  The first time we went there (yes we went twice!)  on a Saturday night and enjoyed the vension and fish. The vension melted in our mouth..the sauce was the perfect amount of rich and covered thinly sliced potatoes that had the consistency of mashed potatoes.  The fish -WOW…melted like butter.  That was prepared in a light wine sauce with fresh vegetables.  Oh and of course dessert was in order….tiramisu.   Yep, we ordered two for the table.  It was gone…all gone! Second visit we had the chicken (or hen as they had it listed)  and the new fish of the day. Both were delicious and didn’t disappoint. The hen came with grilled romaine and potatoes.  The poultry fell off the bone – no need for a knife.  20A – thank you for making our two dinners there lovely and satisfying!!  Great find.

Café Livingstone

Café Livingstone was a short 5 minute stroll along The Lakes from the flat.  It’s a cute restaurant that serves food all day. If its nice, there are tables outside to enjoy the views and the beautiful sunshine.  We dined at Café Livingstone for brunch and decided to sit inside since it was a little chilly out.  The space is beautifully decorated and had a hygge feel to it.  The bar was built out of doors – very creative! The menu is based on ordering a variety of small plates. Everything we ordered – eggs, grapefruit, waffles, pastry, cheese, breakfast cereals and avocado toast was delicious.  Great little cafe!

Mirabelle

Fresh baked goods and even better sourdough bread! We walked to Mirabelle to grab pastries and coffee for breakfast one morning. A short bike ride or walk took us to a bakery with our now favorite almond croissants in the world. YES! The airy, butter layers were filled with an almond paste that was not too sweet.  Also the sourdough bread was phenomenal….nothing like anything we have back here in the United States.  Mirabelle is a must!!  Coffee was excellent too!!

Meyers Bageri

For the best cinnamon rolls “kanelsnurrer” in the Copenhagen – head to Meyers Bageri.  On Easter Sunday we strolled to the Meyers Bageri in Østerbro and enjoyed coffee and pastries before the Sunday Church Service.  The bakery also has a selection of freshly baked breads and desserts that looked tasty!  I still dream about the kanelsnurrer and wish a bakery in California had something like it. Luckily for the New Yorkers – a Meyers Bageri opened up there…so our next NYC visit that will be our first stop!

Copenhagen Street Food (PapirØen)

A short walk from Nyhavn across the bridge to Paper Island is PapirØen (Copenhagen Street Food).  Its a food hall on steroids – about 4 long rows of a variety of food options. From Indian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Danish, Chinese and American  – nobody will walk out of here hungry.  Be sure to grab a pitcher of the Royal Beer – its tasty!! We loved this place so much we dined here twice for lunch – once inside and the second outside to enjoy the sunshine.  We could only imagine what the place is like in the summer – the modified shipping containers that act as places to sit must be filled while the DJ spins inside. Copenhagen Street Food is worth a visit while in Copenhagen!!

The Union Kitchen

Just off the Nyhavn is The Union Kitchen.  We came here for Easter Brunch/ Birthday celebrations and had a lovely time.  They specialize in eggs, eggs and even more eggs. We had ordered steak and eggs, egg sandwich and an omelette….each dish was delightful and full of flavor.  Oh, and we had to order the (meat) balls of the day…SOOO good!  Be sure to come here for a proper brunch in Copenhagen with the locals – make a reservation!

La Esquina

Around the corner (1 minute walk) from our flat was La Esquina, a Spanish inspired restaurant serving small plates.  It was a cute hygge type of place that served food and drinks all day.  We enjoyed brunch at La Esquina on the first morning and also enjoyed some afternoon drinks there later in the week.  It s a quaint little neighborhood spot.

Alabama Social

One of three, Madklubben restaurants, Alabama Social takes a spin on Southern cooking. We originally didn’t have Alabama Social on our list, but after being recommended this spot we decided to give it a try on our first night in Copenhagen.  We needed some hearty food after our flight from California.  (Early dinner too!)  The vibe of the restaurant was buzzing with families, couples and singles.  The menu was simple…course menu with appetizer, entree and dessert selection.  The side dishes it came with were served family style in cute copper pots! We enjoyed the meal, especially the ribeye.  Glad we dined at Alabama Social!

Gran Torino

Another Madklubben restaurant, Gran Torino is a great place for pizza night. We were looking for a lighter dinner that was walking distance from our flat. Gran Torino was the perfect spot with wonderful sunset views of The Lakes.  Not only was the ambiance of the restaurant great, the pizza surprisingly was delightful.  We originally had Baest on our list of restaurants for pizza, but since it was getting later in the night we decided to stay local.  We were glad we did – be sure to order the potato/ pesto pizza and the funki!

Tovehallerne

More of a traditional food hall, Tovehallerne, is a great place to pick up fresh fish, pastries or even to grab some fresh smoked salmon, cheese and bread and dine at one of the small tables inside or outside.  (With some beer or glass of wine of course!)  Coffee Collective is also inside, so if you are looking for something hot to drink, be sure to walk in! We also enjoyed the desserts from Sweet Valentine  – loved having a sampler platter for our birthday celebrations! We also got some chocolate eggs at Sweet Valentine for Easter….decadent! Hija de Sanchez is also located here – claimed to be the best tacos in Europe!  Take a stroll through Tovehallerne or spend hours shopping and eating your way down the stalls.

Vinhanen

Down a little alley is Vinhanen – a wine shop and wine bar.  The cute space has high-top and communal tables to enjoy wine and cheese with friends.  The wine is stored in large steel tanks and are served directly from a tap to the glass.  Its a lovely neighborhood spot that is off the beaten path.  Be sure to check out Vinhanen next time you are in Copenhagen!

Nørrebro Bryghus

Copenhagen is known for their craft beers. And now we know why! Nørrebro Bryghus is a small local brewery that was located down the street from our flat.  We enjoyed a flight tasting on Easter Sunday before we headed back to the flat to cook dinner.  What a great experience….Saison was our favorite! But that’s not to say the other four weren’t that great.  We highly suggest stopping into Nørrebro Bryghus for a beer or even dinner. Their menu options looked tasty!

ILLUM Rooftop

Illum is one of the nicest department stores that we have walked into – its clean, organized and sells local designers.  We purchased some candle holders and could have spent many more hours there. The reason why we ended up at Illum was because of the rooftop.  After shopping at some of the surrounding boutiques we headed to the rooftop to grab some vino and snacks.  The views are great and the outdoor seating is inviting on a sunny day!! After our social hour we took a quick stroll around the store – uh-oh.  Good thing we did the majority of our shopping prior to the vino and aperol spritz !

Mikkeller & Friends

Mikkeller & Friends has become a global phenomenon.  It all started in Copenhagen though and we had to see it for ourselves! We stopped by the one located in Nørrebro.  Cute little spot with great beer! Be sure to check this out if you are shopping and eating your way down Jaegersborggade Street.

Coffee Collective

We picked up some lattes at Coffee Collective after grabbing pastries again at Meyers Bageri on Jaegersborggade Street.  Coffee Collective is a cute spot with delicious coffee. The store was intimate – we basically stood in the baristas “kitchen” while we watched her steam our milk.  Couldn’t get more fresh than that!

Places we didn’t get to try, but were on our list!!

Atelier September: breakfast spot (open all day) serving the best avocado toast, boiled eggs and coffee. Really sad we couldn’t make it here.
Democratic Coffee: coffee bar with delicious criossants
Brus: craft brewery with indoor/ outdoor seating
Baest: Trendy pizza restaurant
Beau Marche Café a Vins:  a café that is part of a shop that sells homewares, furniture items, and all things stylish and French.