From 75 nominees, voted for by readers, the Berlingske jury selected 15 extraordinary winners who all contribute to Copenhagen’s vibrant cultural scene and foodie-inviting atmosphere.
Among the culinary winners are three restaurants, a gourmet burger joint, a tiny wine bar and a birdy-named bakery. Very different places that have one thing in common — they all treat the tastebuds of Copenhagen locals and tourists to something extra special before and after they explore galleries, enjoy theatre plays and find literary gems on well-stocked bookstore shelves.
At Levi they remove every trace of doubt from the minds of guests who didn’t think a fusion between the Italian and the Japanese kitchen was a good idea. Restaurant Levi, at Ny Østergade in the heart of central Copenhagen, opened in March this year. The restaurant’s head chef, Andrea Calducci, conjure up uniquely delicious flavour combinations by pairing classic Italian dishes like arancini (fried risotto balls) with wagyu beef and by filling Japanese dumplings with Italian sausage. The guest’s food journey is accompanied by wines from Levi’s big wine cellar, handpicked by some of the industry’s best sommeliers.
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Ristorante Circolo on Gl. Kongevej is the sister restaurant of Vesterbro restaurant MANGIA. In Circolo’s kitchen the focus is on dishes from central Italy’s sunny Tuscany region. In fact, four of the restaurant’s chefs come from Tuscany’s capital Florence. On the menu is Tuscan pappardelle with seasonal game ragù, pasta dishes with seafood and local specialities such as the dry-cured salami, soppressata made with meat from organic, free-range pigs. The fish of the day, shellfish, vegetables, and bistecca are sizzling away on Circolo’s charcoal grill where they are prepared from moment to moment as the guests’ orders come in.
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Palægade serves classic, Danish open-faced sandwiches with creative twists and innovative details such as flame-grilled Norwegian herring topped with egg cream, green peas, cucumber and pickled onion rings. Stjerneskuddet (the shooting star) a famous luxury classic among Danish open-faced sandwiches, traditionally made with steamed plaice, has at Palægade been upgraded with turbot and topped with baerii caviar. Behind the restaurant is Kristian Arpe-Møller og Rune Amgild Jochumsen, known for their success with the restaurants Formel B and Uformel in Copenhagen and Restaurant Sletten in Humlebæk.
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Gasoline Grill serves gourmet burgers in eight different locations in Copenhagen. Their concept is simple with a focus on quality ingredients such as freshly ground organic meat and homemade burger buns where potato gives the crumb a spongier texture. The original burger with beef is the main attraction at Gasoline, but guests can also bite into the chicken and veggie burgers on the menu.
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With their only 40 square meters, housed in an old butcher store, Nr. 30 is one of Copenhagen’s smallest wine bars. The place offers an abundant and curated selection of natural wines as well as conventionally produced wines at good prices. The food on the menu is modern and characterized by ingredients that match the season.
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Flere Fugle is located in a backyard in a semi-industrial area on Rentemestervej in Copenhagen’s north-west quarter. They’re exceptionally skilled at baked goods such as crunchy sourdough bread, dark rye bread and nut croissants. A cosy hangout spot, with a name that translates to “more birds” as a hint to their sister cafe with the name Café Fovl. At Flere Fugle guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as events and concerts.
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