Nørrebro Restaurants

If you've overloaded on Nordic cuisine and are craving something familiar, head to Italian-centric Baest. With their own in-house charcuterie operation, wood-fired pizza oven, and mozzarella hand-made by the kitchen's chefs, you'll struggle to find better Italian food outside of Italy. Baest uses only stone-ground flour to make their signature sourdough crust pizzas, charred to perfection and cooked to order. The interior is mom-and-pop style red brick walls, wooden tables, and simple polished stone floors. Reservations recommended.

This is the world's first, self-proclaimed porridge bar—Grød literally translates to porridge. The founders wanted to showcase not only the humble dish's versatility but also its assimilation into regional cooking all over the world. Porridge is really just a grain cooked in liquid until soft and thick and Grød offers sweet and savory versions, cooked with several different grains, from traditional oats to barley and quinoa. If you feel like trying something other than the typical oats, milk, and fruit version, order the congee (savory, slow-cooked, Asian rice-based porridge). If you can't make it to the Nørrebrø flagship, stop by the stand in Torvehallerne Market.

Copenhagen's first natural wine bar was conceived by culinary entrepreneur Christian Puglisi (also of Relae), and quickly evolved into a full-service restaurant. Despite being nearly completely vegetable-focused, the meat tartare here has developed an almost cult-like following. As with Relae, Puglisi won't compromise on quality and sustainability: all the produce is not only hyper-seasonal but comes from nearby organic farms. Most of the entrees are vegetarian but so satisfying, like the charred broccoli with parsley purée or seared romaine with walnuts and anchovy vinaigrette, and there are experienced sommeliers on hand to help navigate the natural wine list. Manfreds is a tiny restaurant, perfect for an intimate dinner with one other person—the tasting menus are also conveniently designed for two.

More of a multi-functional, food-focused space than a traditional restaurant, Mirabelle operates as a restaurant, deli, and bakery in one. Given that they share a kitchen with Baest next door, it's no surprise that the menu is Italian inflected, with especially good house-made pasta. The space is small and cozy with monochromatic checkerboard floors, a few tables, chalkboards, and freshly-baked loaves stacked on shelves above the coffee machines. The croissants and coffee to-go are a big hit with the locals, but if you choose to eat in, all your breakfast choices are served together on cute little utilitarian trays.

Relae, founded by two former Noma grads and now run by Canadian chef Jonathan Tam, is the only restaurant in Denmark with an organic gold star (along with a few from Michelin) for using over 90% organic produce.