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Carlsberg Byen, located right between Vesterbro, Valby, and Frederiksberg, is one of our favorite neighborhoods in Copenhagen. This area has an incredible history, which is evident in its unique and compelling architecture – passing through the iconic elephant gate feels like stepping into another world. Old meets new in Carlsberg Byen; this area is the former site of the Carlsberg brewery, and most of these buildings were built in the 1800s and were used for the beer production. Now, many of the historic structures have been preserved and renovated into modern apartments and concepts, like the Hotel Ottilia and the AIRE baths and spa. This area also boasts some of the city’s best new restaurants.
Note: Guide updated in May 2023.
This beautiful neighborhood was previously closed off to the public, but now that the brewery has moved, they have opened up the space and revitalized it. It’s a very active area, filled with apartment buildings, offices, fitness centers, schools, shops, a hotel, a spa, and, of course, lots of restaurants. Carlsberg Byen curates and carefully selects high-quality concepts to come into the neighborhood, championing independent artisans and passionate craftsmen. It’s a diverse and international part of town, and the restaurants here reflect that. You’ll find our favorite burger in Copenhagen at Gasoline Grill, Japanese izakaya and ramen at kōnā, beer and bar food at Carl’s Øl og Spisebar, sourdough pizza at Surt, brunch at Cadence, coffee at Coffee Collective, pastries at Københavns Bageri, wine at Lĭquo, smørrebrød at Aamanns Genbo, plant-based eats at Beyla, and fine dining at Studio.
The area won’t be finished for a couple more years, but it’s amazing to watch the neighborhood develop. Every time we come back it feels like a new restaurant has opened. Keep reading to see our full guide to Carlsberg Byen!
Looking for more great spots for food and drinks in Copenhagen? Check out our city map of Copenhagen!
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The Best Restaurants in Carlsberg Byen
Surt
Pizzaiolo Giuseppe Oliva opened restaurant Bæst with Christian Puglisi in 2013, where he helped develop the pizza recipe. In 2019, he branched out to open his own restaurant. Now, Surt is one of Copenhagen’s best pizzerias. “Surt” is the Danish word for “sour” – all of the dough here is handmade daily from a sourdough starter, and the fluffy, crispy crust is unlike anything we’ve tried before. The sourdough is extremely thin, and has a nice crispy structure while still having a soft and bouncy texture. These extremely thin pies are topped with seasonal toppings from local, small-scale farmers, such as leeks, mushrooms, and herbs. For lunch, Surt serves a “Sur Pie”; the dough for this pie is fermented twice as long (so it has more of a sour flavor), and it’s cooked in a pan directly on the burning embers of the fire.
SURT Address & Contact Information Bag Elefanterne 2, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Studio
Studio, which was previously located inside The Standard building on Havnegade, has moved premises to Ottilia Jacobsens Plads in the historic neighborhood of Carlsberg Byen. In 2021, chef Christoffer Sørensen (formerly of Dragsholm Slot) became head chef and partner of the restaurant, and Jesper Nielsen (formerly of Henne Kirkeby Kro) continues as the restaurant manager. The ambitions are high: Sørensen and his team hope to reclaim the Michelin star that Studio received back in 2014 (when Torsten Vildgaard was head chef). The cuisine at Studio remains Nordic, with some French inspiration. Sustainability is a big focus – all of the ingredients are seasonal and local, most sourced from the small farmer Soren Wiuff. The seafood is all sustainably caught from Scandinavia, and all the meat is Danish. This is certainly a Michelin candidate to watch.
STUDIO Address & Contact Information Paulas Passage 5, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
kōnā
Philipp Inreiter, the chef from Slurp (our favorite ramen shop in Copenhagen), opened a new restaurant in Carlsberg Byen at the end of 2020. kōnā (translated: corner) is a Japanese eatery with an izakaya, a cocktail bar, and a ramen bar. Order katsu sandos, fried chicken karaage, and yakitori upstairs, or head downstairs for ramen. Slurp Ramen has a permanent residency at the counter, serving a special bowl (the ‘Nduja Miso ramen) that is only available in Carlsberg Byen. To drink, enjoy yuzu lemonade, Japanese highballs, or Austrian natural wines.
KŌNĀ Address & Contact Information Bag Elefanterne 15, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram
Beyla
Beyla is a casual, plant-based eatery, and a sister restaurant to the vegan hotspot Bistro Lupa, the Torvehallerne street food concept Souls, and fine-dining restaurant ARK. Owner Jason Renwick also owns the mushroom company, Funga Farm. Although the food is completely plant-based, the chefs are not vegan themselves. It just happens to be that the menu primarily features delicious vegetables instead of meat. Our favorite dishes were the blue oyster mushroom toast with arugula and marinated tomatoes, and the Korean-style fried mushrooms with gochujang chili. These guys are mushroom magicians.
BEYLA Address & Contact Information Købkes Pl. 34, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Gasoline Grill
Our favorite burger chain, Gasoline Grill, is located on the large open square in Bryggernes Plads (translated: the brewers’ place). This is Gasoline’s biggest venue, with bar stools and a U-shaped counter for eating inside, and picnic tables and foosball outside. In addition to serving our favorite cheeseburger in Copenhagen, Gasoline Grill’s menu also includes a delicious hot fried chicken sandwich, crinkle cut fries, milkshakes, and beers. All of their ingredients are organic and locally sourced. In the morning, you can swing by for a croissant and a cup of Prolog Coffee.
GASOLINE GRILL Address & Contact Information Bryggernes Plads 1, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Lĭquo
Located on the corner of J.C. Jacobsen’s Have is Lĭquo, a wine bar from the team behind Surt – Giuseppe Oliva (pizzaiolo and owner of Surt), Andrea Cerruti (head chef at Surt), and Ugo Braggio (former sommelier at Rudo and Bæst). The name Lĭquo comes from the Latin word for “liquify.” The bar specializes in wine from all over Italy (available by the glass or bottle), and also serves vermouth, negronis, and other drinks. To eat, there is charcuterie, cheese, snacks, and small dishes. Don’t miss the carne salada with fermented green tomatoes and cured egg yolk, or the waffle with pecorino cream, ramson, and hazelnuts.
LĭQUO Address & Contact Information Fadet 35, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Københavns Bageri
Københavns Bageri (Copenhagen’s Bakery) is a bakery from Rasmus Kristensen and Anders Lorenz, the founders behind the popular neighborhood bakeries Benji (in Nørrebro) and Alice (in Amager). These two icons in the Copenhagen baking scene have joined forces to create a new bakery inspired by old-fashioned treats from the olden days. They serve products deeply rooted in the old Danish baking history, arts, and traditions. Whether you’re craving a bit of nostalgia, or just looking for something buttery to satisfy your sweet tooth, this is the place for you. Be sure to try a slice of the “kringle” – a layered pastry filled with almond remonce, prunes, macarons, and cardamom.
KØBENHAVNS BAGERI Address & Contact Information Flaskehalsen 22, Copenhagen, Denmark Instagram
Coffee Collective
Located on the ground floor of Pasteurs Tårn (Pasteur’s Tower) is the newest location of Coffee Collective, the high-quality Copenhagen coffee chain. Coffee Collective paved the way for specialty coffee in Copenhagen when founders Peter Dupont, Klaus Thomsen, and Casper Rasmussen opened their first shop on Jægersborggade 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.” In addition to coffee, you’ll find treats from their bakery, Collective Bakery, which supplies pastries and breads to their shops. Don’t miss out on their espresso soft serve when it’s available during the summer.
COFFEE COLLECTIVE Address & Contact Information Fadet 8, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Cadence
Cadence is a bakery and café with Aussie-inspired brunch dishes from the people behind The Sixteen Twelve (a coffee shop and eatery on Jægersborggade). Grab loaves of bread, pastries, cookies, or lattes to-go, or sit down for reinvented brunch classics like smashed avocado toast, sweet potato hotcakes, and grilled polenta. In the afternoon, you can find house-made kombucha and natural wine alongside small shared plates.
CADENCE Address & Contact Information Ny Carlsberg Vej 40, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram
Aamanns Genbo
Aamanns Genbo is the latest installment in the Aamanns smørrebrød empire, from founder Adam Aamann and executive chef and co-owner Max Surdu. Genbo is a smørrebrød restaurant with take-away food, an organic sourdough bakery, and a small café. The restaurant is open all day, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition to open-faced sandwiches, you’ll find salads, yogurt, house-made granola, grilled toasts, and desserts on the menu. As with the rest of the Aamanns restaurants, 60-90% of the food is certified organic.
AAMANNS GENBO Address & Contact Information Kildepladsen 8, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
Carl’s Øl og Spisebar
The neighborhood that was once a brewery would be incomplete without a proper beer bar! Carl’s Øl og Spisebar is appropriately located inside a converted malt silo, where grains used to be stored for Carlsberg’s beer production. You can drop in for a beer and a snack if you’re looking for a quick bite, or you can try some of the bigger dishes if you’re looking for a full dinner. Carl’s also serves a smørrebrød lunch, and brunch on the weekends. The bar has twenty beers on tap (including a special sour beer made with leftover sourdough from Surt), and lots more by the bottle.
CARL'S ØL OG SPISEBAR Address & Contact Information Bag Elefanterne 20, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
This is just the beginning for Carlsberg Byen! Stay tuned to our rumors page to find out what restaurants will open here next.
Other Attractions in Carlsberg Byen
Hotel Ottilia
Named after Carl’s wife, Ottilia Jacobsen, Hotel Ottilia is a hidden gem in the Copenhagen hotel scene. Ottilia is part of the Brøchner Hotels group, and the historic building housing the hotel dates back to 1881. Perhaps the most recognizable design feature of the hotel are the charming circular windows in the bedrooms overlooking Bryggernes Plads (and Gasoline Grill!) in the courtyard. The lobby has a chic, industrial vibe, with artistic light fixtures, communal tables for working, and plenty of cozy nooks and couches to cuddle up in. Guests will surely become acquainted with this space since the hotel offers a nightly wine hour here, with a free glass of wine (or two!) for all guests. Hotel Ottilia’s fitness center is open 24/7, and they also have fitness kits you can bring to your room if you want to work out privately.
Guests are invited to the organic breakfast buffet in the rooftop restaurant each morning, with freshly baked bread, yogurt with homemade toppings, cold-pressed juices, smoothies – and bubbles on the house! This rooftop is also the best place to catch sunset in Carlsberg Byen, with 360º views of Copenhagen. Hotel Ottilia also has bikes available for rent for those looking to explore the city on two wheels.
HOTEL OTTILIA Address & Contact Information Bryggernes Plads 7, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
AIRE Ancient Baths
The high-end spa chain AIRE (with locations spanning from New York to Barcelona) has just opened a Copenhagen outpost of their ancient bath house. Time stops at AIRE – this relaxing oasis is the perfect escape from the busy city life. Take a deep breath, step inside, and be magically transported to a place of peace and tranquility. The cavernous underground spa is illuminated by candlelight and filled with thermal baths of varying temperatures – from ice cold to body temperature to boiling hot. Recharge in the steam room, float in the salt bath, and massage your feet on smooth pebbles as you walk through an icy foot bath. End your AIRE experience with a massage, or their signature couples’ wine bath.
AIRE ANCIENT BATHS Address & Contact Information Ny Carlsberg Vej 101, Copenhagen, Denmark Website Instagram Facebook
There are also fitness studios, furniture stores, parks, and fashion designers in Carlsberg Byen. In the coming years, even more concepts will open, including a food hall and a movie theater. We can’t wait to watch this vibrant neighborhood continue to develop.
What’s your favorite restaurant in Carlsberg Byen? Let us know in a comment below.
Disclaimer
This is paid promotion by Carlsberg Byen. The selection of places to feature was curated by us.
Super informative and really well done. I didn’t know there were so many great places in Carlsberg Byen!
It’s definitely a neighborhood worth exploring!
Such a great guide of a very unique part of Copenhagen!