THE JOURNAL
Green asparagus, dried blackcurrant, seaweed oil and beer yeast at Amass. Photograph courtesy of Amass
There’s more to Danish dining than Noma.
It’s easy to understand why Noma is frequently billed as the most influential restaurant in history. Before the closure of the original eatery in early 2017, this culinary mecca had four times been voted number one by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, had bagged two Michelin stars and was the trailblazing standard-bearer of new Nordic cuisine for more than a decade. Now, following a year of research and the construction of a sequel restaurant in Copenhagen’s Christiania district, chef Mr René Redzepi and co have finally reopened their doors and are ready to revolutionise cooking once again, to the delight of diners and critics worldwide.
The only problem with feasting at Noma, however, is bagging the reservation itself. Thousands of gourmands are also hoping to snag a seat at any one time. So, while you wait for your gastronomic golden ticket, here are five other restaurants you should try, all of them run by Mr Redzepi protégés, where you won’t have to a lifetime for a table.
Relæ
Left: the interior at Relae. Right: onion, birch water and pine. Photographs by Mr Per-Anders Jörgensen, courtesy of Relae
Opened eight years ago by two Noma alumni – chef-owner Mr Christian Puglisi and front-of-house head Mr Kim Rossen – and now ranked 39th in the world, Relæ has become a major player on the global food scene, thanks to its fuss-free approach to fine dining. The food is Noma-influenced, as you’d expect, but Mr Puglisi has stamped his own style on the menu with minimalistic dishes that are bright, clean and often nod towards his Italian heritage. Just like the food philosophy, the decor is stripped back while cutlery and menus are found inside table drawers. Better still, with two tasting menus that cost either £56 ($77) or £105 ($144), this is one of the more affordable destination restaurants in the world.
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Amass
Left: mackerel, green strawberry, lettuces and rapeseed oil. Right: the interior at Amass. Photographs courtesy of Amass
Based in Refshalevej, an under-the-radar spot on Copenhagen’s harbour front, Amass is an industrially designed restaurant overseen by ex-Noma head chef Mr Matt Orlando. Despite its lack of Michelin accolades, it’s still regarded as one of the key New Nordic flag-bearers with modern food and locally sourced produce, a principle Mr Orlando learned at his alma mater, with humble ingredients such as potatoes and carrots being elevated to high levels of palate-pleasing distinction. Housed in an old shipbuilding factory, Mr Orlando’s restaurant has a raw, spacious feel that creates a wholesome, communal-style environment.
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108
Left: the interior of 108. Photograph by Ms Freya Mcomish/Scandinavia Standard, courtesy of 108. Right: mackerel. Photograph by Mr Mikkel Heriba, courtesy of 108
Sandwiched between the Christianshavns Kanal and the recently built Inderhavnsbroen bridge, 108 is the younger, more affordable sibling of Noma. Within its first year of opening, this charming spot, which is run and co-owned by Mr Redzepi acolyte Mr Kristian Baumann, was awarded its first Michelin star, and it’s easy to see why. Straddling both a Noma philosophy (with particular emphasis on Scandi methods such as fermenting and pickling) and a democratic eating experience (wholesome and hearty meals at reasonable prices), 108 hits the culinary sweet spot. The ambience is just as good as the food. Despite being less renowned than its older brother, 108 feels far from second-best – just the opposite, in fact. Here, the room is more informal and fun as guests laugh loudly underneath the golden glow of oversized lightbulbs while pouring carafes of masieri.
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Sanchez
Left: tacos. Right: the interior at Sanchez. Photographs by Mr Jason Lucas, courtesy of Sanchez
It’s not all roots, shoots and tweezer-assembled dishes in the Danish capital. After years of working alongside Mr Redzepi as Noma’s head pastry chef, Ms Rosio Sanchéz set out to celebrate her Mexican heritage, and in 2015 opened her own taqueria in the Torvehallerne market as well as a second outpost in the Kødbyen district a year later. Now the Chicago-born chef can boast her own eponymous sit-down restaurant in the chic Vesterbro neighbourhood. And, since welcoming diners late last year, it’s already become a city-wide favourite as locals flock to Sanchez’s informal dining room to gorge on dishes such as crispy pork chicharron and dirty carnitas, all of which offer sophisticated spices and flavours. Although her new venture is a contrast to the world of tasting menus and wood sorrel, Ms Sanchéz is sizzling and searing some of the most exciting food on the continent right now.
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Kødybens Fiskebar
Left: the interior at Fiskebaren. Photograph by Mr Oscar Haumann, courtesy of Fiskebaren. Right: plaice and green almonds. Photograph by Mr Chris Tonnesen, courtesy of Fiskebaren
No guide to eating out in Copenhagen would be complete without a fish-focused restaurant. Fiskebar, based in the beating heart of the revitalised, hipster-central Meatpacking District, is a must-visit for food tourists as it pairs high-quality marine produce with world cooking and even better wine. Mr Anders Selmer, once the restaurant manager and sommelier at Noma, set up this vibrant joint in 2009. In typical Nordic style, the interior is designed to perfection. The ceiling is rough and exposed, a monochromatic palette of concrete-grey and black dominates the room and there’s a gargantuan cylindrical aquarium that nods to Fiskebar’s theme. Try the scallops, which have been handpicked by divers along the north coast of Norway, langoustines from the Faroe Islands or the cod from Langø. We’d also highly recommend the oysters, which are caught in French waters, and a glass (or four) of the Cuvée Fiskebaren if you’re celebrating a special occasion during your long weekend in the city. Skål!
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