Danish Foodie Bucket List: 21 Dishes To Try Before You Die

Not quite sure what the fuss is about Danish food? This list of 21 tempting dishes will convince you of its excellence…

Denmark has been experiencing a tourism revolution in recent years, as people start to realise just how cool of a spot the city is and what a great part of the world it is to spend time in.

One of the biggest attractions is the great food scene in the country, as along with their local Scandinavian cuisine, they continue to push modern cooking to new levels.

To highlight just how good the food is and give you some inspiration, we’ve rounded up 21 dishes from restaurants in Denmark you simply have to eat before you die…

Danish Foodie Bucket List: 21 Dishes To Try Before You Die, How do these rankings work?

1. Open Rugbrød – Aamanns 1921

The famous Danish dark rye bread is served here at lunch time and comes with some amazingly inventive toppings. Proper local, seasonal dishes make this an absolute delight.

2. Meyers Bageri – Danish Pastries

Danish pastries are known and eaten the world over, but these are the very best you’ll find in the country. There’s lots of unusual combinations, married with classics such as cinnamon swirl.

Trying to stop at just one is the tricky part…

3. Gasoline Grill – Burger

Gasoline Grill has been voted among the best burgers in the world, and we can see why. Everything they use is organic and the queues are always out the door.

Once you taste this bad boy, you’ll never look at burgers in the same way again.

4. Geranium – Caviar

Earth & Sea meet on this plate in Geranium’s signature ‘Marbled’ Hake creation. This 3 star Michelin restaurant is at the forefront of world cooking – this particular dish is hard to beat.

5. F-Høj – Smørebrød

This open sandwich is incredibly popular across Denmark and this casual spot in Aarhus absolutely nails it. Choose toppings such as Shrimp salad, Poached egg and Kohlrabi or Vol-au-vent with chicken, Jerusalem artichokes and Crisps.

Full of creativity and inventiveness.

6. Klubben – Stegt Flæsk

This is where you’ll find super simple cooking at its very best. Chow down on thick pieces of bacon cooked with potatoes and a parsley cream sauce.

The salty texture and pure homeliness of it is loved in Denmark. Perfect comfort food.

7. Mash Odense – Steak

A modern American steak house that has been absolutely killing it and expanding across Denmark for years. Mash Odense does all the classics to such a high level that you’ll never want to eat steak anywhere else again.

8. Steamed Octopus – Geist 

Super talented Chef Bo Bech opened this place to make his food more accessible to everybody.

The menu changes on a regular basis depending on what is in season, so the octopus might not always be available, but don’t worry the rest of his cooking is just as sublime.

9. The Dessert Trolley – Kong Hans Kælder

The Dessert Trolley us restaurant that has been around for ages yet just keeps getting better with age. The dessert trolley is a welcome hark back to a Golden Age of glamour and excitement in cooking.

10. Bone Marrow – Restaurant Barr

It takes a pretty ballsy chef to go into the premises previously frequented by the world’s best restaurant NOMA but that’s what Restaurant Barr has done, and they’ve done it with style.

Their European meat-focused menu is spectacular and although the schnitzel is to die, for their bone marrow steals the show.

11. The Tasting Menu – Noma

You just can’t come all the way to Denmark and not eat in one of the most talked about restaurants in the world. Getting a table is tricky, but if you manage it you’ll be taken on the culinary journey of your life.

They divide the year into three seasons, during which the menu changes dramatically to match the type of ingredients that are at their peak – it changes from Seafood, to Vegetables to Game & Forest.

12. Ice Cream Sandwiches – ISTID

They make ice with liquid nitrogen here, which some people might find silly but it adds to the theatre. Once you try their ice cream sandwiches you’ll fall in love – so creamy, and SO crunchy.

13. Steak Tartare – Manfreds

Ironically, Manfreds is known for their focus on vegetables but it’s their steak tartare dish that is the stuff of legend. You’ll find dozens of super fans raving about it online and for something so simple, it really does pack a big punch.

14. Espresso Ice Lolly – Café Det Vide Hus

A tiny little coffee shop that does great drinks and croissants but it’s during the summer months when they serve their insane espresso ice lollies that things get really exciting. Hard to believe how good they are.

15. Fresh Oysters – Kødbyens Fiskebar

Don’t miss out on this bustling restaurant in the Meatpacking district keeps things simple and sources the absolute best of the best oysters from France and Limfjord.

Wild fish caught from small boats in the afternoon lands in their restaurant the following morning. Freshness personified.

16. Hotdog – John’s Hotdog Deli

Hotdogs have been true cornerstone of Danish food life for generations, so if you are going to try one (and you should!) it has to be from John’s Hotdog Deli with all the trimmings, sauces and toppings. Superb.

17. Set Dinner Menu –  Henne Kirkeby Kro

This super remote 2-star Michelin restaurant and inn in western Jutland has been looking after guests for generations. They raise their own lamb, grow their own veg and cook some of the best and most natural food in the world.

The menu changes daily but is always fantastic – Poached turbot & oyster, with garden leeks or Fænø deer with beetroot & berries?

18. Seafood Platter – Musling Bistro

Musling Bistro is all about fresh and sustainable fish, and their seafood platter is outstanding. Piled high with Lobster, French oysters, Cooked brown crab claws from the North Sea, shrimps from the cold North Ceviche of fish from the North Sea and marinated blue mussels – heaven on a plate.

19. Bæst – Pizza

You know it’s the real deal here because they have their own farm that has a focus on organic meats & high quality produce as well as their own salumeria and micro-dairy – instead of importing mozzarella, they make it themselves with the best raw milk.

This place is taking pizzas to whole new levels.

20. BBQ Pork With Juniper – Restaurant Domestic

This BBQ pork dish has been a menu staple at this Michelin star restaurant since the day they opened in Aarhus. Simple cooking at its absolute best and a delight of a dish.

The cuisine is Michelin-standard and every dish is made from ingredients that have been selected based on their consideration of animal welfare and sustainability.

21. Americano – Coffee Collective

With all that amazing food you’ll want to wash it down with some of the very best coffee in town. Coffee Collective roasts their sweet and aromatic coffee beans fresh every day.

Coffee is ethically sourced and best found at the cool truck in Torvehallerne food hall.