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Food tours in Copenhagen: what to eat and which tour to book
Copenhagen is known abroad for its high-end New Nordic restaurants, but everyday Danish food is simpler: open rye-bread sandwiches (smørrebrød) at lunch, hot dogs from street wagons, frikadeller meatballs, fried pork with parsley sauce, and very good bakeries selling cinnamon swirls and other pastries. Food halls and seasonal street-food markets have made it easier to eat well without paying restaurant prices, which matters here: Copenhagen is one of the most expensive cities in Europe to eat out.
Use this page to choose what to eat and where: the dishes, markets and neighbourhoods below say what each does well and when to go. The tours listed are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as we saw them when we checked; prices and times change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Copenhagen
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open sandwich smørrebrød | Buttered dark rye bread (rugbrød) piled with toppings such as pickled herring, egg and shrimp, roast beef with remoulade and fried onions, or liver pâté with bacon. Traditionally a lunch dish, eaten with a knife and fork, often with beer and aquavit. | Traditional lunch restaurants in the centre and in Christianshavn, and smørrebrød counters at Torvehallerne. | roughly DKK 60–150 per piece in a restaurant; 2–3 pieces make a lunch (about €8–20 each) |
| Danish hot dog pølse / ristet hotdog | A sausage from a street wagon (pølsevogn): the classic red boiled sausage (rød pølse), or a 'ristet' grilled hot dog in a bun with remoulade, ketchup, mustard, raw and crispy onions and sliced pickles. | Hot-dog wagons around Rådhuspladsen, Strøget and main squares and stations. | roughly DKK 40–60 (about €5–8) |
| Cinnamon swirl and Danish pastries kanelsnegl / wienerbrød | Laminated, buttery pastries: cinnamon swirls, cardamom buns (kardemommebolle), and the pastries the rest of the world calls 'Danish', which Danes call wienerbrød (Viennese bread). | Bakeries all over the city; many good independent ones in Nørrebro, Vesterbro and Østerbro. | roughly DKK 30–45 per pastry (about €4–6) |
| Danish meatballs frikadeller | Flattened pan-fried pork (sometimes pork and veal) meatballs, served hot with potatoes and gravy or cold on rye bread with pickled cucumber or red cabbage. | Traditional lunch restaurants, smørrebrød counters and supermarket delis. | roughly DKK 140–220 as a hot plate (about €19–30); less on smørrebrød |
| Fried pork with parsley sauce stegt flæsk med persillesovs | Crisp slices of fried pork belly with boiled potatoes and a creamy parsley sauce; voted Denmark's national dish in 2014. | Traditional Danish restaurants and old-fashioned cafés (værtshus); often offered as an all-you-can-eat lunch special. | roughly DKK 150–250 (about €20–34) |
| Pickled herring sild | Herring marinated in vinegar, curry, sherry or spices, usually as the first course of a smørrebrød lunch on rye bread with onion and capers. | Smørrebrød restaurants and Torvehallerne fish counters. | roughly DKK 70–110 as a piece of smørrebrød (about €9–15) |
| Chocolate-coated marshmallow flødebolle | A wafer base topped with whipped egg-white foam and coated in chocolate; sold in bakeries and chocolate shops, sometimes in a soft-serve ice cream. | Bakeries, chocolatiers and ice-cream kiosks. | roughly DKK 15–35 each (about €2–5) |
| Christmas pancake balls æbleskiver | Round fried pancake balls served with jam and powdered sugar, usually with mulled wine (gløgg). Mainly a December dish. | Christmas markets, cafés and Tivoli in the Christmas season. | roughly DKK 40–70 for a portion (about €5–9) |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Torvehallerne (Nørreport)
Two glass market halls on Israels Plads with around sixty stalls selling fish, meat, cheese, bread, coffee, smørrebrød, pastries and prepared food. The easiest place in the city to try Danish produce in one go.
Reffen (Refshaleøen)
Large open-air street-food market in containers on the old shipyard island, with dozens of stalls from many cuisines, bars and harbour views. A good-value option by Copenhagen standards.
Kødbyen (Vesterbro)
The former meatpacking district, a cluster of white-tiled buildings near Copenhagen Central Station, now full of restaurants, wine bars and nightclubs.
Nørrebro
Mixed, younger neighbourhood with bakeries, cafés, cheap shawarma and kebab, Middle Eastern groceries, natural-wine bars and some well-known restaurants, around Jægersborggade and Nørrebrogade.
Nyhavn
The painted harbour front everyone photographs. Restaurants there serve smørrebrød and seafood on terraces at high prices; eat elsewhere and come for a walk or a drink.
Christianshavn
Canal-side district with traditional smørrebrød lunch restaurants, cafés and several well-known restaurants; also the entry point to Christiania.
Food tours in Copenhagen compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copenhagen: Food Tour with 6+ Tastings of Danish Classics | 3 hours | from €121 per person | private | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Copenhagen’s oldest and original food tour (Est. 2011). | 4 hours | from €130 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Copenhagen: Best of Danish Pastry Tasting Tour | 2 hours | from €64 per person | max 10 | Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them. | Check dates |
| Copenhagen: 3-Hour Culinary Bike Tour | 3 hours | from €94 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Copenhagen: Modern City Food Tour | 4 hours | from €127 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Copenhagen: No Diet Club Guided Walking Tour with Tastings | 3 hours | from €70 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Copenhagen: Food Tour with 6+ Tastings of Danish Classics
On GetYourGuide · run by Secret Food Tours
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €121 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 278 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- private
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Copenhagen’s oldest and original food tour (Est. 2011).
On GetYourGuide · run by CphFoodTours
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €130 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 609 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Frederiksborggade 19, 1360 København, Danmark
Copenhagen: Best of Danish Pastry Tasting Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Lost with a Local
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €64 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 543 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Guided Tour Visit 5 bakeries Sampling of a Danish pastry at each bakery
- Suits
- Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them.
- Starts
- Torvegade 45, 1400 København, Danmark
Copenhagen: 3-Hour Culinary Bike Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by City Bike Adventures
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €94 per person
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ from 359 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Copenhagen: Modern City Food Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Copenhagen By Mie
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €127 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 15 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Guided food tour by a local 8 different tastings 1 full lunch Stories behind the food and places visited Tips
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- We meet in front of Pincho Nation Nørreport
Copenhagen: No Diet Club Guided Walking Tour with Tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by NO DIET CLUB
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €70 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 14 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- What you’ll do Cutest grocery store Start the tour at the cutest grocery store in town Sticky cardamom bun Get ready for the stickiest cinnamon or cardamom bun of your life A Danish sandwich Try the classic salt & pep…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- In front of Nørrebro Kolonial
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food in Copenhagen is hot dogs from wagons, pastries from bakeries, and seasonal street-food markets such as Reffen, where you can eat for about DKK 100–150. It is the main way to keep costs down in an expensive city. Many outdoor markets are seasonal, so check dates outside the summer.
Sit-down meals
Smørrebrød is a lunch tradition: most classic lunch restaurants close in the late afternoon and many need a booking. Dinner prices are high, often DKK 250–400 for a main course, and wine adds a lot. Famous tasting-menu restaurants are booked weeks or months ahead and cost several thousand kroner per person with drinks.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Copenhagen usually focus on smørrebrød, Danish pastries or New Nordic dishes using seasonal produce. They are less common than in southern Europe and fairly expensive; check what you cook and whether drinks are included.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | DKK 300–400, about €40–55 (bakery breakfast, hot dog, street-food dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | DKK 600–900, about €80–120 (smørrebrød lunch, restaurant dinner with a drink) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | DKK 2,500+, about €335+ (tasting menu with wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Easy. Most restaurants offer vegetarian dishes, many smørrebrød places have vegetable or egg toppings, bakeries are meat-free, and the city has many vegan cafés. Traditional hot dogs, frikadeller and stegt flæsk are pork.
Halal: Halal shawarma, kebab and grill places are common in Nørrebro and around Vesterbrogade, and Torvehallerne has some options. Pork is central to traditional Danish food (frikadeller, liver pâté, hot dogs, flæsk), and gelatine can be pork-based, so ask.
Gluten-free: Moderate. Rye bread, the basis of smørrebrød, contains gluten, as do pastries and breaded fish. Many restaurants can serve toppings on gluten-free bread or on a plate if you ask, and labelling ('glutenfri') is common. Potato-based dishes and fish are usually safe.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Nyhavn terrace restaurants charging well above city prices for average smørrebrød, seafood and beer. Have a drink there if you want the view, but eat lunch in Christianshavn, at Torvehallerne or at a traditional lunch place in the centre.
- Surcharges for foreign cards: many businesses legally add a small percentage fee for non-Danish cards, which surprises visitors. Look for the notice at the till, and expect a fee of up to a few percent; it is legal, not a con, but it adds up.
- Dynamic currency conversion on card terminals, charging you in euros or your home currency at a poor rate. Always choose to pay in DKK (Danish kroner).
Top tours & activities in Copenhagen
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Copenhagen?
No. Service is included in Danish prices by law and staff are paid a living wage, so tipping is not expected. Locals sometimes round up or leave a little for very good service. Card terminals may suggest a tip; you can choose zero. On food tours, a small tip for a good guide is appreciated but optional.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Copenhagen is expensive. On a tight budget, about DKK 300–400 (€40–55) covers a pastry and coffee, a hot dog and a street-food dinner. A mid-range day with a smørrebrød lunch and a restaurant dinner with a drink is about DKK 600–900 (€80–120). Tasting menus at well-known restaurants cost several thousand kroner with drinks.
When is the best time to eat smørrebrød?
At lunch. Traditional smørrebrød restaurants usually open from about 11:00 or 11:30 and close in the late afternoon, and some close on Sundays or Mondays. Order two or three pieces per person, starting with herring, then fish, then meat and cheese. Torvehallerne and some cafés also sell smørrebrød later in the day.
Are the street-food markets open all year?
Not all. Reffen and other outdoor street-food markets are seasonal, usually from spring to autumn, and close in winter. Torvehallerne is open all year. In December, Christmas markets at Tivoli and in the centre sell æbleskiver and gløgg. Check current opening dates before planning a visit.
Can I pay by card?
Almost everywhere, including hot-dog wagons and market stalls; some places no longer accept cash. Expect a small surcharge on foreign cards at many businesses. Always choose to pay in kroner rather than your home currency. Tap water is safe and free to drink.
Should I book food tours or restaurants in advance?
Yes for restaurants: popular smørrebrød lunch places and dinner restaurants often need a booking, especially at weekends and in summer, and the famous tasting-menu restaurants open bookings weeks or months ahead. Small-group food tours fill in summer, so book a few days ahead. Mention dietary needs when you book.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.