Travel

Indre By

Establishment neighborhood
Apollo Bar
Nyhavn 2, Indre By
Chef Frederik Bille Brahe's (of Atelier September fame) latest food and wine venture has one of the most beautiful settings in Copenhagen—the modern art-filled Charlottenborg gallery. The restaurant space employs Mondrian-esque color blocking with navy velvet seats, white walls, and a red bar. No matter where you sit you'll catch glimpses of the marble busts and modern artworks housed in the adjacent gallery. An added bonus in the warmer months is the picturesque courtyard, ideal for a pre-dinner drink.
Hallernes Smørrebrød
Rømersgade 18, Indre By
Hallernes Smørrebrød's glass display cases at their stand in Torvehallerne Market are full of the artfully presented open-faced sandwiches that are this café's namesake. Small rye bread slices are topped with every Nordic ingredient imaginable—classic herring, liver paté, salmon... There are about three bites to each slice so order a few to-go, pick up a coffee from the nearby Coffee Collective, and spend an hour exploring this world-famous food market.
Høst
Nørre Farimagsgade 41, Indre By
Høst has the most atmospherically beautiful dining room in Copenhagen (the critics agree, it's won several design awards). The look is renovated barn-meets-greenhouse, with white painted brick walls, rustic, raw-wood tables, and plenty of greenery in big terracotta pots. Sheepskin throws are slung haphazardly over the backs of some of the chairs and antique wood cooking tools line the walls. The set menu is three courses, but the kitchen sends out other surprise plates to try, making it more like six courses. While Høst's dishes are among the best you'll eat in this food-obsessed city, the birch bark ice-cream is next level.
Palægade
Palægade 8, Indre By
This is the ultimate destination to try the open-faced sandwiches, or smørrebrød, you'll notice on menus around town. Generally consisting of toasted and buttered rye bread, and topped with meat or fish and garnishes, the smørrebrød is a great vehicle for trying the smoked and pickled fish Denmark is famous for. Palægade serves over forty varieties of toppings at lunchtime, to be washed down by one of the beers or traditional aquavits (herb and spice infused liquor) they have on tap.
The Jane
Gråbrødretorv 8, Indre By
Descending down the staircase to the cocktail bar sort of feels like walking onto a Mad Men set—which is exactly the retro vibe the owners are going for. Avoid the basement club space and instead stick to the more mellow, intimate cocktail bar. Settle into one of the comfortable armchairs or a discreet corner table in a room that resembles a cozy, wood-paneled library (there are actual shelves filled with books), and order a drink from the award-winning bartenders.
Ved Standen 10
Ved Standen 10, Indre By
Situated right on the canal opposite the stunning Christiansborg building (home of the Danish Parliament), Ved Standen 10 has a loyal following (read: always full). A favorite drinking spot for the city's best chefs, there's a broad selection of natural and biodynamic wines as well as craft beers on tap. The interior is incredibly inviting: floor-to-ceiling shelves are filled with wine bottles, and patrons sit at cozy round tables. The owners know how to keep it interesting—Monday nights play host to guest chefs of all levels and Wednesdays are reserved for tastings. The food is tapas style, ranging from cold cuts and cheese to roasted pork belly. You'll see the same people perched on stools, glasses in hand, every time—this bar is a neighborhood institution.
Designmuseum Danmark
Bredgade 68, Indre By
This museum operates like a living Danish design catalog—all of Denmark's design history and ongoing evolution is recorded in the museum's archives and displayed through dozens of exhibits. Open to the public since 1895, the museum's mission is to bring an awareness and appreciation to quality, the element so inherent to Danish functional design. The 20th Century Design and Industrial Craft exhibit is super informative and a great launchpad for people unfamiliar with the subject. If you've seen your fill of furniture, there are also several fashion exhibits.
Ganni
Bremerholm 4, Indre By
Ganni's reach is pretty far beyond Copenhagen at this point, but there's nothing quite like visiting the designer's storefront in their hometown. Run by husband-and-wife pair Ditte and Nicolaj Reffstrup, the brand still has a family company feel, with Ditte handling the creative side and Nicolaj running the business. They're great in every category, but we love them best for flirty, easy dresses and the coolest winter-ready boots, which, incidentally, look pretty great together.
Henrik Vibskov Boutique
Gammel Mønt 14, Indre By
In addition to fashion design, Henrik Vibskov does installation artwork and performs music, which helps explain his avant-garde approach to fashion–he's known for bright colors, bulky and unexpected shapes, and unusual, mismatched textures. Vibskov is one of relatively few Scandinavian designers that shows in Paris, and is famous for the theatrical perspective he brings to each show and his bright, outlandish aesthetic, which is in some ways antithetical to the minimalism of many of his Copenhagen peers. His shop is actually multi-label, so in addition to his own pieces, you can sift through Missoni scarves, unicorn-fringed Angel Chen sweaters, and Michiko Koshino rain jackets.