BrunchGuideCPH

Midday

Lunch in Copenhagen

Lunch is the meal where Danish food traditions are easiest to taste, above all smørrebrød, the open-faced sandwich on rye bread. Alongside it, many cafés serve a short lunch menu or keep their brunch dishes going into the afternoon. This page covers both, with suggestions by neighbourhood.

Smørrebrød is eaten with a knife and fork, and it is usually ordered as a few pieces per person, starting with fish and moving on to meat and cheese. It is a lunch dish rather than a dinner one, so midday is the time to try it. Food halls are an easy introduction, because you can see what is on offer before you choose.

Cafés are the other option. Many Copenhagen cafés run from brunch straight into lunch, which makes them useful when a morning of sightseeing runs late. Danes tend to eat lunch relatively early, so the calmest time to find a table is outside the midday peak.

Torvehallerne in Indre By is the obvious first stop for smørrebrød and market stalls, and it is close to Rosenborg Castle and the Botanical Garden. If you are visiting Refshaleøen and Reffen, the street food market there covers lunch. For café lunches in residential neighbourhoods, see Vesterbro and Østerbro, or use our city-wide guide to find a café that serves through the afternoon.

Our picks

Where to find lunch

  1. 01

    Café Bopa

    Café on Bopa Plads

    Café Bopa is located on Bopa Plads in Østerbro. It is a straightforward choice for breakfast, brunch or coffee while exploring this part of the city.

    Bopa Plads 7-9 · 2100 · København Ø

  2. 02

    GRØD

    Jægersborggade café

    GRØD has a location on Jægersborggade in Nørrebro. It is an easy place to include when your morning route follows this well-known neighbourhood street.

    Jægersborggade 50 · 2200 · København N

  3. 03

    Café Sebastopol

    Café on Sankt Hans Torv

    Café Sebastopol is on Sankt Hans Torv in Nørrebro. It suits a breakfast, brunch or coffee stop when your plans take you around the square and the inner part of the neighbourhood.

    Sankt Hans Torv 32 · 2200 · København N

  4. 04

    Dyrehaven

    Sønder Boulevard café

    Dyrehaven is on Sønder Boulevard in Vesterbro. It can be included as a breakfast, brunch or coffee stop while exploring the boulevard and nearby streets.

    Sønder Boulevard 72 · 1720 · København V

Good to know

Frequently asked

What is smørrebrød?
Smørrebrød is the Danish open-faced sandwich on rye bread. It is eaten with a knife and fork, usually a few pieces per person.
Where can I try smørrebrød as a visitor?
Torvehallerne in Indre By is an easy introduction, because you can see the choices before ordering.
When do Danes eat lunch?
Lunch is eaten relatively early. Arriving outside the midday peak makes it easier to find a table.
Can I have brunch dishes at lunchtime?
Many cafés serve their brunch menu into the afternoon. Check the café page or its website.
Where is a good lunch for a group?
Food markets such as Torvehallerne and Reffen let a group choose different dishes. For cafés, booking ahead helps with larger groups.

Keep reading

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