Best New Nordic restaurants in Copenhagen: from starred kitchens to honest bistros
Copenhagen: New Nordic Food Tour with Tastings & Meal
Duration: 4 hours
What are the best New Nordic restaurants in Copenhagen?
For the movement's genuine expression at accessible prices: Barr (Christianshavn, 650–950 DKK for two to three courses), Höst (Nørreport area, 595–795 DKK for tasting menus), Pony (Vesterbro, 350–450 DKK for small plates), and Relæ — now operated under a different name following a 2023 concept change. For fine dining: Geranium (three stars, 2,800 DKK per person), AOC (two stars, 1,200–1,600 DKK) and Kadeau (one star, around 1,200 DKK).
The Copenhagen New Nordic food tour with tastings covers multiple stops across the spectrum — a practical way to sample the movement’s range before committing a significant budget to a single tasting menu.
How to read this list
New Nordic restaurants in Copenhagen span an enormous price range. A lunch menu at a neighbourhood bistro informed by the movement’s principles costs 150–250 DKK. A tasting menu at Geranium costs 2,800 DKK for food alone, plus drinks. The cooking philosophy is the same — seasonal, local, honest about where food comes from — but the execution and the price point are completely different.
This guide is organised by price bracket, with honest verdicts on what you are getting at each level. Starred restaurants are covered in more detail in the Copenhagen Michelin guide.
The former noma space and its successors
Barr (Strandgade 93, Christianshavn) occupies the ground floor of the building where noma originally operated. Since 2017 it has been run by Thorsten Schmidt, who brings a different sensibility than Redzepi — more accessible, more explicitly influenced by the cooking traditions of the regions surrounding the North Sea (Germany’s coast, northern France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia). The menu changes seasonally.
Pricing: 650–950 DKK for two to three courses, or 1,050–1,350 DKK for a full tasting menu. Wine pairings start at around 600 DKK. This places Barr in the upper-mid range — expensive by most countries’ standards but genuinely affordable relative to the three-star options.
Booking: Four to six weeks ahead is realistic. The restaurant accepts reservations online via their website. Weekend dinner tables in summer require more lead time — six to eight weeks is safer.
Verdict: If you want to eat in the building where New Nordic cooking became globally famous, Barr is the honest answer. The food is very good rather than revelatory, the room is warm, and the North Sea culinary focus gives it a distinct identity.
Koan (Strandgade 93, same building, upstairs) opened after noma’s closure and holds one Michelin star. It runs an omakase-style format with around 20 seats. Menu at 1,500–1,800 DKK for food. Booking is competitive — four to eight weeks ahead.
The mid-range New Nordic tier: 500–1,200 DKK
Höst (Nørre Farimagsgade 41) is the most widely visited mid-range New Nordic restaurant in Copenhagen, partly because it is very good and partly because it has a room that photographs well — warm wood, dried herbs, deliberately rustic elements that signal Nordic cosiness. The menu runs to five or six courses at 595–795 DKK for food only, with a shorter two-course lunch format available.
The cooking is confident and well-sourced without approaching the intensity of starred restaurants. Sea buckthorn appears alongside Danish pork; fermented elements provide acidity; portions are generous. It is not attempting to be noma and is better for not trying.
Booking: Two to four weeks ahead for dinner. Lunch is easier. The restaurant takes reservations online.
Amass (Refshalevej 153, Refshaleøen) is the restaurant opened by Matt Orlando, who was head chef at noma before departing to run his own kitchen. The location — a repurposed industrial space with a garden on a waterfront site on Refshaleøen — is as explicitly about place as any restaurant in the city. The kitchen grows many of its own vegetables, composts its waste, and documents its sustainability metrics publicly.
Tasting menus run 900–1,100 DKK for food. The format is flexible — the menu changes frequently based on what is ready to harvest. Wine and beverage pairings are available at additional cost.
Booking: Two to four weeks ahead. Combine with visiting Reffen street food market or a walk along the waterfront. Getting there requires a bus or a 30-minute walk from central Copenhagen; Refshaleøen is not metro-accessible.
Bæst (Guldbergsgade 29, Nørrebro) sits at the boundary between New Nordic and Italian-influenced cooking. Christian Puglisi — who opened Relæ before its 2021 closure — runs a wood-fired kitchen using organic Danish charcuterie, mozzarella made in-house from Danish milk, and sourdough. The result is recognisably related to New Nordic in its sourcing philosophy while being completely different in its culinary references.
No Michelin stars; the Michelin guide has passed over Bæst for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone in the Copenhagen food community. Consistently busy regardless. A meal of pizza, shared plates and wine runs 450–700 DKK per person. Walk-in seats at the bar are occasionally available after 21:00 on weeknights.
Kadeau (Wildersgade 10B, Christianshavn, one Michelin star) sources almost entirely from Bornholm, the Danish island in the Baltic that provides some of Denmark’s most interesting agricultural produce. The commitment to a single island’s larder is as strict an interpretation of the New Nordic sourcing principle as you will find. Menu at around 1,200 DKK for food. Book four to six weeks ahead.
The affordable end: New Nordic principles under 500 DKK
Pony (Vesterbrogade 135, Vesterbro) is a small-plates restaurant in a small room — around 30 covers — with a menu that changes based on daily produce availability. Small plates run 85–175 DKK each. A full meal of four to six plates with drinks comes to 350–550 DKK per person. The approach is genuinely informal; the kitchen does not perform for the room.
It is not a tourist restaurant and it does not present itself as one. The cooking has a clear point of view — seasonal, local, technically accomplished at a scale that does not require theatre. Book ahead (two to three weeks).
Manfreds (Jægersborggade 40, Nørrebro, next to the former Relæ address) was opened by Christian Puglisi as a natural-wine and vegetable-forward bistro. The menu is largely plant-based, the wine list is entirely natural, and prices for a full meal run 400–650 DKK per person. It is the neighbourhood restaurant version of New Nordic — exactly what the manifesto envisioned happening below the fine-dining level.
Neighbourhood smørrebrød: The New Nordic movement’s influence on traditional smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches) is now ubiquitous in Copenhagen’s better lunch restaurants. Aamanns (Øster Farimagsgade 10) is the most often cited example — traditional smørrebrød with New Nordic sourcing and presentation, 160–240 DKK per open sandwich. Schønnemann (Hauser Plads 16) is the historical reference — been open since 1877 — with a slightly more traditional range. Both are lunch-only.
The three-star tier: Geranium and Alchemist
These are covered in full detail in the noma and fine dining guide. In brief:
Geranium (Kronprinsessegade 13, in the national football stadium): Three Michelin stars. The Universe menu is 2,800 DKK per person for food, with wine pairing adding 1,800–2,200 DKK. The most technically refined restaurant in Copenhagen.
Alchemist (Refshalevej 173C, Refshaleøen): Three Michelin stars. 3,500 DKK per person for food, drinks pairing 2,000–3,000 DKK. Five-act theatrical experience, 50 impressions. Not a quiet dinner.
A note on what happened to Relæ
Relæ (Jægersborggade 41, Nørrebro) was one of the most influential restaurants in the second wave of New Nordic cooking — opened by Christian Puglisi in 2010, it held one Michelin star, charged significantly less than comparable starred restaurants, and ran a kitchen model that explicitly engaged with labour ethics and sustainability. Puglisi decided to close in 2021 to focus on farming at Gammel Strand.
The closure was not a failure — Puglisi chose a different direction. His ongoing projects (Bæst, Manfreds and the farm) continue the same principles in different formats. The Jægersborggade address became Jæger, a different concept.
For visitors who came to Copenhagen specifically for Relæ, Bæst is the closest continuation of Puglisi’s approach in an active restaurant. Manfreds is the closest in format — a bistro with ethical commitments and natural wine.
Practical comparison table
| Restaurant | Category | Price per person (food) | Booking lead | |---|---|---|---| | Geranium | 3-star Michelin | 2,800 DKK | 28 days exactly | | Alchemist | 3-star Michelin | 3,500 DKK | 4–6 months waitlist | | AOC | 2-star Michelin | 1,200–1,600 DKK | 4–6 weeks | | Kadeau | 1-star Michelin | ~1,200 DKK | 4–6 weeks | | Barr | Former noma space | 650–1,350 DKK | 4–6 weeks | | Amass | Sustainability focus | 900–1,100 DKK | 2–4 weeks | | Höst | Mid-range tasting | 595–795 DKK | 2–4 weeks | | Bæst | Nordic-Italian | 450–700 DKK | 3–5 weeks | | Pony | Small plates | 350–550 DKK | 2–3 weeks | | Manfreds | Bistro, natural wine | 400–650 DKK | 1–2 weeks |
Frequently asked questions about the best New Nordic restaurants in Copenhagen
Is Relæ still open?
The original Relæ (Jægersborggade 41, Nørrebro) — opened by Christian Puglisi in 2010 — closed permanently in 2021. Bæst (also Puglisi, Guldbergsgade 29, Nørrebro) is the closest continuation of his approach in an active restaurant.
What is the price range for New Nordic restaurants in Copenhagen?
Entry-level New Nordic bistros and lunch menus: 150–400 DKK per person. Mid-range restaurants like Höst and Barr: 600–1,100 DKK per person. One-star restaurants: 1,200–1,800 DKK for food. Three-star restaurants: 2,800–3,500 DKK for food only. Wine pairing at fine-dining level typically doubles the food cost.
Which New Nordic restaurants are easiest to book?
Pony, Höst and Barr are easiest at short notice — two to four weeks in low season. Kadeau and AOC require four to eight weeks. Geranium requires exactly 28 days and fills on the day reservations open. Alchemist requires months of waitlist lead time.
What is Amass and is it worth it?
Amass was opened by Matt Orlando, a former noma head chef. It runs tasting menus at around 900–1,100 DKK for food, with a kitchen garden on site and a strong sustainability focus. Worth it if you can combine with visiting Refshaleøen. Book two to four weeks ahead.
Are there any New Nordic restaurants with a good vegetarian menu?
Manfreds (largely plant-based), Bæst (strong vegetarian options), Amass (plant-forward option alongside main menu) and Geranium’s summer vegetable menu are all strong choices. New Nordic’s vegetable focus makes it naturally friendlier to vegetarian eating than most European fine-dining traditions.
What is Bæst and where is it?
Bæst (Guldbergsgade 29, Nørrebro) is Christian Puglisi’s wood-fired restaurant using organic Danish charcuterie and house-made mozzarella. A meal with drinks runs 450–700 DKK per person. Book three to five weeks ahead; occasional walk-in seats at the bar after 21:00 on weeknights.
Is Pony still operating and what is the concept?
Pony (Vesterbrogade 135, Vesterbro) operates as a small-plates restaurant with a menu that changes based on daily produce. Small plates run 85–175 DKK, and a full meal with drinks comes to 350–550 DKK per person. A New Nordic food tour covering similar territory across multiple stops is an alternative way to sample the range without committing to a single address.
Frequently asked questions — Best New Nordic restaurants in Copenhagen: from starred kitchens to honest bistros
Is Relæ still open?
The original Relæ (Jægersborggade 41, Nørrebro) — opened by Christian Puglisi in 2010 — closed permanently in 2021. Puglisi stepped away from restaurant operations to focus on his farm, Gammel Strand. The address later became Jæger, a different concept. Fans of what Relæ represented should look to Bæst (also Puglisi, still operating on Guldbergsgade) for the closest continuation.What is the price range for New Nordic restaurants in Copenhagen?
Entry-level New Nordic bistros and lunch menus: 150–400 DKK per person. Mid-range restaurants like Höst and Barr: 600–1,100 DKK per person for a full tasting menu with drinks. One-star restaurants (Kadeau, Jordnær): 1,200–1,800 DKK for food. Two- and three-star restaurants: 2,000–3,500 DKK for food only. Wine pairing at fine-dining level typically doubles the food cost.Which New Nordic restaurants are easiest to book?
Pony (Vesterbro small plates), Höst and Barr are the easiest to book at short notice — two to four weeks in low season, three to five weeks in peak summer. Kadeau and AOC require four to eight weeks. Geranium requires exactly 28 days and will fill on the day reservations open.What is Amass and is it worth it?
Amass (Refshalevej 153, Refshaleøen) was opened by Matt Orlando, a former noma head chef. It has a kitchen garden, composts obsessively and offers tasting menus at around 900–1,100 DKK for food. The setting — a large industrial space on the waterfront — is unusual for a restaurant at this level. Worth it if you can combine it with visiting the Refshaleøen area. Booking two to four weeks ahead is usually achievable.Are there any New Nordic restaurants with a good vegetarian or plant-based menu?
Several. Bæst has strong vegetarian options from its organic kitchen. Amass runs a plant-forward tasting menu alongside its main menu. Höst can accommodate vegetarians with advance notice. Geranium's vegetable season menu (summer) is plant-based. The New Nordic obsession with vegetables and foraging makes the cuisine naturally friendlier to vegetarian eating than traditional French or Italian fine dining.What is Bæst and where is it?
Bæst (Guldbergsgade 29, Nørrebro) is Christian Puglisi's wood-fired Italian-influenced restaurant using organic Danish charcuterie and house-made mozzarella. It sits at the intersection of New Nordic principles and Italian technique. It is perpetually booked in advance and has no Michelin stars, which does not reflect on its quality. Walk-in at the bar is occasionally possible late on weekday evenings.Is Pony still operating and what is the concept?
Pony (Vesterbrogade 135, Vesterbro) operates as a small-plates restaurant with a menu that changes regularly based on available produce. It is considerably cheaper than most New Nordic restaurants listed here — small plates run 85–175 DKK each, and a full meal of four to six plates with drinks comes to 350–550 DKK per person. The approach is informal and the room is small. Book ahead.
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