The Monthly Bite: Best New Openings in Copenhagen Vol. 1

Copenhagen’s food scene is quite astonishing but it can be tricky to find the best new restaurants, cafes, and bars in the sea of openings. All you need to ask yourself is: what are you craving in the moment, and how much are you willing to spend (yes, food here can be pricey, but there are affordable options too!)?

As a chef who loves to go out to eat, I have spent a lot of money in food, so I know where to go. Heck, people that have grown up here ask me for restaurant recommendations! I’m not cocky; I just love to eat. Specifically, I love to eat in Copenhagen.

The vibe is relaxed and the options are almost endless. The people behind the restaurant industry come from all corners of the world, so it is only logical that the dining scene and everything that happens around it is eclectic too.

When I am not working my ass off in the kitchen, you will find me out eating in Copenhagen somewhere. Or, more accurately, everywhere. My days off of work are dedicated solely to explore Copenhagen’s culinary scene. Because I am a chef and from Perú (I may be biased but we have the best food in the galaxy) my palate is demanding and I don’t accept any bullshit from the places I frequent.

With “The Monthly Bite,” I want to share my love for Copenhagen’s food scene by highlighting what’s new and exciting, as well as my deep respect to all of those putting in the hard work. All so you can go out and have a fucking great meal. That’s what food is all about!

Here are my top picks this month for the best new restaurants, bars, and cafes in Copenhagen:

Broaden & Build

Perhaps one of my favorite bar-restaurants ever! Opened in January 2019 by Matt Orlando, Head Chef & owner of renown Amass Restaurant, and his incredibly talented and dedicated team, Broaden & Build is a futuristic brewery.

Matt was Head Chef at noma for many years before launching Amass. I have had some of the best bites of my life there. Their approach to food is to pay the utmost respect to ingredients, with a lot of creative thinking and refined cooking techniques.

It therefore makes sense that Broaden & Build is an ingredient-focused brewery, combining the chef and brewer mindsets to create incredibly delicious beers. Take the Sanguine, a DDH Double IPA made with 300 kilograms of bio dynamic blood oranges from Salamita in Sicily. All I can say is: wow!

It may seem unfair that all the credit goes to Matt, but at the same time, his influence over the menu is enormous (okay, can you tell I have a chef-crush on him?). He believes that beer is much more complex and suitable for food pairings than wine. Now that’s a statement, huh? Well, he is from San Diego, California, which is ground zero for craft beer brewing in the United States, so he might be biased, but who cares? With 22 beers on tap to choose from, do you even want to argue?

Broaden & Build

Refshalevej 175A
432 København K

Opening Hours
Mon & Tues Closed
Wed & Thurs 5:00 – 9:00 pm (Bar opens at 3:00 pm)
Fri & Sat 12:00 – 10:00 pm (Bar closes at 11:00 pm)
Sun 12:00 – 7:00 pm

Yolkie Egg Joint

I friggin’ love egg yolks. What beats a runny egg yolk? Nothing, that’s what.
So you can understand my excitment when I discovered that a new eatery named after the humble egg yolk had opened in my beloved Nørrebro.

Another thing about me: I rarely eat burgers. A burger is a food item that I eat when I have been drunk or incredibly hungover, not a typical meal. But man, the cheeseburger with caramelized onions, pickles, double cheddar cheese, chipotle ketchup, dijonnaise and a perfectly fried sunny-side-up egg in a warm brioche bun was heavenly! I am converted.

The bun, the cheese, the meat; every element was on-point, like a food orchestra where each instrument plays their part in perfect, fatty harmony.

Yolkie is the first egg joint in Denmark with a clear focus on eggs and burgers. The owner even encourages you to eat a burger for breakfast (hey, it’s got eggs!).

Their eggs are organic and free-range, so is the meat. The decor of the place is funky, inspired by a classic burger joint in the U.S. but with its own Nørrebro twist. And for my Insta fam out there: the food is photogenic. So whether you’re in it for the food or the gram, your eyes and stomach will be pleased. Maybe a little too much.

Yolkie Egg Joint

Jagtvej 76, st th
2200 København N

Opening hours:
Every day 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

At The Counter

I’m gonna go ahead and say it: this is perhaps in the top rung of coffee bars in Copenhagen. Superb coffee, fantastic food, great service and a hyggeligt AF interior. Need I say more? At The Counter comes from the team of yet another of my favorite spots in town: Juno the Bakery.

Ever been to Sweden and had a fika? If not, then what are you waiting for? Fika is the act of taking a pause in daily life to enjoy a cup of coffee and a pastry while disconnecting yourself from the the fast pace of life. It is one of Sweden’s most beloved traditions. Emil, the owner of ATC, is Swedish, so the cafe brings a sense of Sweden to this quiet part of Østerbro. Opened in March 2019, it has become a temple for coffee-lovers in search of delicious food and a cosy spot to relax.

The café is tiny, with bare white-ish walls, bright, wooden tables (so Scandi!), a coffee/food menu board on the wall, and a cool team behind the counter making coffee and food like it is the last thing they will do on Earth.

The respect the staff exudes while steaming milk for a masterfully-made cappuccino, or frying an egg for the bacon ‘n brioche sandwich, is so contagious and profound. It feels poetic to me. The connection we have with the ones making our food is essential; perhaps it is because I cook for a living so I understand their passion. Regardless, At the Counter brings an atmosphere of love to their food; it shows, both in the way they work, and in the food and drink they make.

At the Counter

Randersgade 45, kld. tv
2100 København Ø

Opening Hours:
Wed – Fri 7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Sat – Sun 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Want more of the best Copenhagen restaurants, bars, and cafés?