The Scandinavians are known for being some of the most passionate coffee drinkers in the world. There is a huge coffee culture in the Nordics, centered around craftsmanship, sustainability, and accountability. What sets these independent, third wave coffee shops apart from your big chains like Starbucks (aside from the taste!) is that they care deeply about the entire chain of the coffee production from bean to bar, from the farmer to the roaster to the barista. Additionally, many of the founders and owners of these coffee bars have been in competitions and are award-winning baristas and coffee roasters – they have perfected the art of the brew, whether you prefer drip coffee, pour-overs, or espresso-based drinks. From the first movers who opened over ten years ago (hey, Coffee Collective!), to the newcomers that opened a shop this year (looking at you, April!), here is a guide to the best cafés in Copenhagen.
Looking for more great spots for food and drinks in the Danish capital? Check out our city map of Copenhagen!
The Best Coffee Shops in Copenhagen
Coffee Collective
Coffee Collective paved the way for specialty coffee in Copenhagen when founders Peter Dupont, Klaus Thomsen, and Casper Rasmussen opened their first shop in 2008. Over the last decade, they have set the standard for how a Danish light-roasted coffee should be made, and are passionately “focused on sustainability from seed to cup.” Jægersborggade is the original location of Coffee Collective, and their other shops are located at Torvehallerne, Bernikow, Godthåbsvej, Sankt Hans Torv, and inside Telefonkiosken at Nørreport Station. Don’t miss out on their espresso soft serve when it’s available during the summer.
COFFEE COLLECTIVE JÆGERSBORGGADE Address & Contact Information Jægersborggade 57, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
April
At first, April Coffee only operated as a roastery, but then award-winning coffee brewer Patrik Rolf opened his own shops, in Østerbro and the city center. The sleek, sophisticated spaces feel much more like a designer store or an art gallery than a coffee shop. Drop in to sample April’s full range of high-quality products from pour-overs to espresso-based drinks, and buy innovative brewing gear for travel.
APRIL COFFEE Address & Contact Information Ryesgade 86, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Prolog Coffee Bar
If you’re looking to learn more about the third wave of coffee, Prolog Coffee Bar might be the perfect first chapter. The name stems from “prologue” (the beginning of a book), and Prolog begins their coffee story by first looking to the farmers where they sustainably source their beans. Sebastian Quistorff and Jonas Gehl opened the coffee bar in 2016, and it instantly became one of the hottest places for specialty coffee in town. The Kødbyen (Meatpacking District) shop is located in a narrow little venue in the bustling and vibrant neighborhood. There are just a few seats inside and a couple of tables outside, but that doesn’t stop the herds of coffee nerds from sitting on the pavement outside and enjoying a cup of joe.
PROLOG COFFEE BAR Address & Contact Information Høkerboderne 16, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Darcy’s Kaffe
One of Copenhagen’s coziest coffee shops, Darcy’s Kaffe is situated on a sunny corner on Rantzausgade. Owner Darcy Millar serves a rotating selection of coffee from April, Koppi, La Cabra, Coffee Collective, and more, and sells bags of beans to go. Darcy’s also bakes some pastries in-house, and offers tasty seasonal toasts. This café is the definition of hygge, and the perfect place to people watch.
DARCY'S KAFFE Address & Contact Information Rantzausgade 2, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Andersen & Maillard
Andersen & Maillard’s espresso-glazed croissants and Instagram-worthy pastries have drawn a crowd since their opening in 2018. But what we are most impressed with at this café is the high-quality coffee roasted by Hans Kristian Andersen and his team in Nørrebro. One day we tasted two Ethiopian pour-overs from the same farm side by side, one natural coffee and one washed, to see the different flavor notes the processing brought out of the beans. A fascinating experience for a true coffee lover!
ANDERSEN & MAILLARD Address & Contact Information Nørrebrogade 62, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Alice
The cozy little hole-in-the-wall in Amager, Alice, first opened as an ice cream shop, but has expanded to add a café on the corner with coffee, pastries, natural wine, and charcuterie. Don’t miss the flawless butter croissant – moist on the inside, crunchy on the outside, with perfectly layered dough. Owner Anderz Lorenz exclusively serves coffee from Koppi Roasters in Sweden. On the menu, you’ll find rotating drip coffees as well as espresso-based drinks.
ALICE Address & Contact Information Markmandsgade 1, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram
Det Vide Hus
Café Det Vide Hus is a charming little café on Gothersgade which sells coffee and baked goods, as well as artisanal, handmade ice cream bars during the summer. Owner Claus Dalsgaard and his staff also sell high-quality groceries to go, like coffee beans from April, Coffee Collective, and La Cabra, and dairy products from Søtoftes Gårdmejeri.
DET VIDE HUS Address & Contact Information Gothersgade 113, Copenhagen, Denmark Instagram Facebook
What’s your favorite coffee shop in Copenhagen? Let us know in a comment below.
So much good coffee and so many wonderful places to enjoy a cup!
We are lucky to live in such a well-caffeinated city!
Copenhagen definitely has many good coffee shops. I agree that all the mentioned places deserve a spot on the list. I would also add Hart bageri / Hart Brød + Bar because they sell the great Tim Wendelboe coffee. Also, I would recommend CUB (Copenhagen Underground Brewers) Coffee Bar.
Hi Sara 🙂 Thanks! Glad you liked the list. Hart is on our bakery guide to Copenhagen, but we didn’t include them on this list since their shops feel more like a grab-and-go bakery than a coffee shop – not much seating, even in normal times, haha. But we do love to buy bags of Tim’s coffee from them! And we’ve only been to CUB once but need to go back! Also planning to try Sonny once they reopen. 🙂
How do these places compare to say Tim Wendelboe or Supreme Roastworks in Oslo? April’s visual appeal and design is amazing!
I’d say April and Coffee Collective are definitely as focused on quality as Tim Wendelboe and Supreme Roastworks! Even though Coffee Collective is technically a chain with six locations, they maintain a high level. The owners behind Coffee Collective are industry leaders, just like Wendelboe.
Just to say that Cafe Det Vida Hus is currently closed – no reopening date given.
They are planning to reopen soon! 🙂
You’ve missed Social Brew on the list, When we were there in early March This was our go to spot in the middle of the city, Top brunch, good service and amazing Coffee. Try it if you haven’t already. Hopefully we are back in the summer to go through some of these on the list. Thanks
Droid
Thanks for the tip!