Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is often described as the Mecca of third wave coffee. It’s a city that takes its coffee very seriously, so I was pretty excited to be able to explore it for a month. I was going to two cafes a day on average, so I got a pretty good idea of what they offer, but surely could have missed some gems. It is certainly a city I will return to in the near future. The coffee culture is incredible (with prices to match unfortunately).
Best Coffees in Copenhagen
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April (Norrebro)
Enjoy a Michelin star-esque coffee experience : impeccable service, elevated and yet chill design setting and exceptional coffee beans.
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Prolog (Vesterbro)
First-class coffee in a hipster neighborhood. Highly recommended on a warmer or sunny day.
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La Cabra (Aarhus)
THE coffee reference in Denmark has their flagship in Aarhus, the second biggest city. Sorry Copenhagen.
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The Artisan (Norrebro)
Not only is their coffee delicious, but they also craft creative specialty drinks (including non-coffee based).
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Coffee Collective (basically everywhere)
A high-quality coffee shop chain that also offers delectable pastries and a luscious affogato.
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Andersen & Maillard (Norrebro)
While their coffee is excellent, the main reason to visit is, without a doubt, their tasty (and instagram-friendly) pastries.
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Darcy’s Kaffe (Norrebro & Frederiksberg)
Darcy adopts a different approach by working with the best roasters in the world to provide a fine selection of coffee beans from everywhere.
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Roast Coffee (City Centre)
You can pick your coffee from a wide selection of beans and you are just a block away from an iconic bakery, what else?
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Cub Coffee (City Centre)
A hidden coffee place in a quiet street with a very cozy interior and one of the best croissants in Copenhagen.
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Kaffedepartementet (Nordvest)
Distinctive Danish pastries and a delicious coffee outside of the city center.
April (Norrebro)
Pros: Amazing selection of rotating coffees,
Very knowledgeable baristas, Chill vibe
Cons: No pastries, Not necessarily the right spot
if you’re in a rush
Let’s cut to the chase here and call this my favorite shop in Copenhagen. This is a place with a very different experience to the typical cafe, so be prepared to spend some time here to enjoy the experience. There is no menu and the vibe is that of a Michelin star restaurant without the pretentiousness. April roasts their own beans and has a great selection to choose from in the shop as well as a subscription service available. I came here about a dozen times and tried different beans almost every time. The coffee is exceptional and the roasters and baristas do a great job of coaxing all the flavor and aromas out of the beans. A wonderful experience that anyone who is serious about coffee should try. I even ran into a barista from my favorite shop in Paris here. Great coffee truly brings people together I suppose!
April Coffee, Ryesgade 86A, 2100 København
Prolog (Vesterbro)
Pros: Great outdoor space, Good pastries
Cons: Limited space indoors so I’m not sure
how it works in colder weather
If you’re looking for a cafe on a sunny day that serves top-class coffee and a nice croissant to pair with then look no further. Prolog has been on the scene since 2016 and seems to have a loyal following. The reason is obvious. The coffee is outstanding and the baristas are well-schooled. A very nice rotating assortment of beans available for espresso and some of the best cappuccinos I’ve tried, like ever.
The pastries are from Hart Bageri, a gem for baked goods, but I have to say the croissants are on the larger side for me, so I prefer to share one. I came here several times and the coffee is always excellent. If you only have a weekend in Copenhagen, this needs to be one of the spots you try.
Prolog, Høkerboderne 16, 1712 København
Pros: Pretty Much Everything
Cons: It’s in Aarhus which is 3 hours away from Copenhagen
La Cabra (Aarhus)
La Cabra, aka the GOAT, doesn’t actually have a cafe in Copenhagen, and that is a damn shame. They do distribute beans to some of the cafes in the area, but if you want to visit their shop, you’ll have to make the trek to Denmark’s second biggest city. And I did, with the sole purpose of seeing where the magic happens.
They have a bakery a few doors down that has an even wider selection of their amazing pastries (mentioned in the NYC part of this site). I did prefer the NYC location croissant more, but this one is still good.
The coffee, of course, is great. The espresso based drinks have only a couple options, but they have some nice filter coffees that are definitely worth trying. I had a few V60’s here that were very interesting. I don’t think their coffee is better than April or Prolog, but on the same level, which is the highest level.
All this to say, if you’re only going to Aarhus expecting to try the best coffee in Denmark, you should stay in the city and go to one of the two shops I mention above. But it is a cool experience being there and Aarhus is a cute city with some interesting things to do.
La Cabra Coffee Roasters, Graven 20, 8000 Aarhus
The Artisan (Norrebro)
Pros: Great place to work, Nice view of the canal
Cons: I can’t think of any honestly!
This place was close to making God Tier so you can tell I think highly of it. Demi-God tier? The cafe is located right across from a canal so it’s a pretty zen experience to have your drink outside. The menu itself is robust, featuring specialty drinks such as matcha and mushroom lattes, as well as cocktails for those of whom coffee doesn’t do the job. The coffee doesn’t disappoint either. The beans they had on roast were from Peru and had a nice fruity acidity.
One unique experience you can book there is to roast your own beans with the team in one of their mini roasting machines. I definitely would have done this if I lived here and had a machine at home to roast with.
All the baristas are excellent and care deeply about what they do. Also, some nice snacks here. I had a ham and cheese croissant and a Danish classic smørrebrød. You can pretty much order anything here and it will be good. And a great place to work from.
The Artisan, Sortedam Dossering 45A, 2200 København
Coffee Collective (Multiple Locations)
Pros: You can find one in almost any neighborhood, The affogato!
Cons: Not much bean choice for espresso based drinks
One of the pioneers of specialty coffee, having started in 2007. Probably the most popular coffee shop in Copenhagen, Coffee Collective has evolved into a chain of shops sprinkled throughout the city. Basically, any neighborhood you’re in, it’s a safe bet that a Coffee Collective isn’t too far. The one I frequented was in Norrebro, on a street called Jæggersborggade, which is not only a lot of letters, but one of the coolest streets in the city. You can usually find a table to work at also and they do have wifi, which is always a plus.
The coffee used here is all sourced and roasted by them. They have a house blend which is used for their espresso based drinks and a few other single origins for filter coffees. The house blend is well above average, though it would have been nice to have some different choices to try something new. The affogato (a seasonal item) is a must try! A soft serve mixed with fresh batch espresso and sprinkled with crunchy Purple Wheat Crumble, it might be the best version of this I’ve tried. They also have a wonderful cardamom bun.
Coffee Collective, multiple locations. Our favorite: Jægersborggade 57, 2200 København
Andersen & Maillard (Norrebro)
Pros: A creative selection of delicious pastries
Cons: Rotating selection of beans, but not all were as good as others
Yes, yes they have good coffee that you should go and try because it wouldn’t be on this list if it didn’t meet the standard. But, my favorite thing about this place is the pastries. They have a pistachio croissant that’s shaped into a cube and has pistachio ganache in the middle. Try this. And if you like chocolate chip cookies, they have a good one that has a nice underbaked texture. One other thing that might get some attention is their ice cream made from espresso grounds, which you can have in a croissant cut in half as the cone. Personally, I think the parts are greater than the sum, but an interesting pairing nonetheless.
The place itself has a good amount of space inside and outside, making it a perfect place to work from. And I know I brushed past the coffee to get to the pastries, but the coffee is excellent and you should go have a cup.
Andersen & Maillard Coffee & Roastery, Nørrebrogade 62, 2200 København
Darcy’s Kaffe (Norrebro & Frederiksberg)
Pros: Awesome rotation of beans changing frequently
Cons: None
What do you do if you want to open your own cafe, but don’t want to deal with the whole messy business of sourcing and roasting the beans? This is the answer. Darcy works with the best roasters in the world and sources beans directly from them, giving him the advantage of not being stuck with beans that might have required a commitment early in the sourcing process, but didn’t turn out to be so great. I love this approach, especially when you have a good eye, or nose and palate in this case, for which beans are best. I’ve seen beans here from some of the best cafes in Denmark, France, New York, and beyond. When you come here you usually have a choice of the safe blend or something unusual so it’s always a treat to come by and see what’s on tap.
That’s to say nothing of their food, which has some fun spins on pastries. I would highly recommend getting a Danish classic, the bread and cheese. This is simply an excellent piece of bread, with a spread of butter on it and a sharp piece of cheese. Beauty in simplicity. The owner, Darcy, is a great sport and hosted a cupping during one of the food festivals in the summer. I always appreciate when cafes offer some sort of educational aspect.
Darcy’s Kaffe. Norrebro: Rantzausgade 2, 2200 København
or Frederiksberg: Vesterbrogade 169. Frederiksberg 1800
Roast Coffee (City Centre)
Pros: Many options available
Cons: Options are all above average, but didn’t try one that was amazing
Roast is a cute little shop in one of my favorite parts of the city. They had about 8 different options you can choose from, which I think is great and wish more shops would give you more choices. They also have a croissant that’s pretty good too, but they are located next to my favorite bakery in Denmark, Sankt Peters Bageri, which makes the best cardamom bun I’ve ever had, so pro tip, get your coffee and go there.
Roast Coffee, Vestmannagade 4, 2300 København
Cub Coffee (City Centre)
A cafe in a basement that might be trying to hide this amazing croissant. It’s the only pastry they have, but damn is it worth it! The coffee here is good, but with only one option, it’s not the best coffee in the city. Still, I feel it’s good enough to get mentioned here because the vibe is cozy, or hygge might be more appropriate. And that damn croissant.
Cub Coffee, Boldhusgade 6, 1062 København
Pros: Possibly the best croissant in Copenhagen
Cons: One espresso option
Kaffedepartementet (Nordvest)
I didn’t discover this place until I was nearing the end of my stay in Copenhagen and I had ticked off all the cafes I needed to try. The shop is cool and spacious, with an industrial feel. The coffee was excellent, with a few options for espresso and filter.
The only pastry they offer is a Danish classic, a Tebirkes. It’s two layers of flaky, buttery, laminated dough with a layer of sweet, delicious marzipan filling in between and poppy seeds on top. What’s not to like?
Kaffedepartementet, Rentemestervej 64, 2400 København
Pros: They roast their beans right in the shop
Cons: Might be out of the way for anyone not staying long in CPH
Honorable Mentions
Enghave Kaffe (Vesterbro)
Pros: In a very cool part of Copenhagen
Cons: Limited outdoor seating
Hip Hop (Frederiksberg)
Pros: Cool baristas
Cons: No indoor seating when I went