Copenhagen Rings in the New Year

Just getting a chance to look through my photos from last weekend and thinking back to what a wonderful host Copenhagen was. We were spoilt with delicious food, so many boutiques my fingers would struggle to count (maths was never my subject), cafés ready with hot chai, the Tivoli filled with Christmas magic and of course a mass of fireworks going off in every which direction come new years eve. We weren’t spoilt with weather which felt quite British, but luckily I’m used to that! Oh and although the sea was calm on both journeys to and from Denmark, try to avoid teenagers drunk on duty free booze, if you want to sleep that is.

If Father Christmas toy factory does exsist then we have all got the wrong message somewhere along the way (Chinese whispers?) as I now very much doubt it is at the North Pole but instead at the Tivoli in Copenhagen. Filled with tiny light bulbs, cabins filled with toys, decorations and sweet treats, reindeer, a Moscow style St Basil Cathedral (filled with a pyramid of dancing bears – robots of course) and rides around every corner. I think this may have to become an annual trip!

Café N

Bio Mio Buffet

Raw 42

Halifax Burger

Food Recommendations

Bio Mio – All organic food and lounge like interior. We went for the buffet which is a little expensive but before you know it you will have your plate (or bowl) filled with freshly baked warm bread, soy yogurt with choice of toppings, cake, fresh juice, cooked breakfast (including vegan sausages), dips and salads.

42 Raw – Copenhagen branch. I had already visited the London café so was intrigued to go to the original. I had the brown rice risotto (not actually raw) but Thomas tried the raw lasanga and was surprised by how tasty a lasanga sans meat, cheese, pasta and not cooked can be! I stocked up on cookies and they do a great juice.

Firefly Garden – A vegan restaurant that’s more suited to evening meal where you put on evening attire. A really intriguing menu which when presented on a dish looks like a work of art. The chef really liked citrus so beware if you don’t want lemon or orange flavours with your dinner. Here I had my first cheesecake in a year. It was good…

Café N – A little out of the center of town and a dinky place on a small street. If you make it there feast on the huge vegetarian plates or as I did order the homemade soup of the day. Great juice too and as they put it ‘fucking good strong coffee’, which turns out to be pretty good! Bonus points for having a wonderful clothing boutique oposite with vintage designer and non designer clothes, small designers and modern jewellery

Riccos – We visited the Studiestræde branch which is in the basement with a little boutique. The chai here is so good and the hummous sandwhich served on a homemade bun was pretty amazing too. Unfortunatley not all Riccos and born the same and a few are a bit more chain-like and don’t sell the same amazing goods. Make sure your in for a treat, head to Studiestræde.

Halifax Burger – Aha not a veggie place! I was immediately attracted to this place by they’re amazing graphic posters. Now that is good branding! This is the place for burger lovers where you can pick what style of burger you’d like (example – mexican: filled with guacamole, jalepenos, cheese, hot sauce) then pick your meat or “meat”. There are two veggie options chickpea and a new vegan pea patty not shown on the menu. Then you pick your sauce and sides. Go for the posters alone, then for the food!

Chai Wong – Following on with another non-veg restaurant and this time I’m serious with the no-veg as there are no vegetarian options on the menu (unfortunately all too common in Scandinavia). We visited this beautiful restaurant on new years eve as a treat, after hearing it was recently created by the guy that runs the Michelin Star Kiin Kiin in Copenhagen. Good recommendation! Unlike Kiin Kiin you don’t have to order a set menu and the dishes are pretty reasonable (for Scandinavia). I was able to alter the Thai red chicken curry to be sans chicken and I was a happy camper! Chai Wong also offers bed tables where you can lay down in a curtained canopy and enjoy your food by candlelight.

A Boat between Buildings

Tivoli by Night

Tivoli by Night

Other tips

♡ If you have time take a trip to Louisianna of Modern Art , it’s just outside the city and there was great exhibits on. It’s on our plan for our next trip!

♡ If the weather allows, rent a bike! It’s no surprise the top cycling cities are all flat.

♡ Stay at the Axel Guldmann Hotel. Cosy rooms, ecological in almost everyway, close to the central station and a spa that you can enjoy for around 250 DKK.

♡ If you are interested in Ecological products or organic food, Copenhagen is the city for you! We saw hotels, restaurants, food stores and even ecological hairdressers wherever we went.

♡ Beer buff and or geek? Look no further than Mikkeller a tiny celler of a bar brewing they’re own beer and serving over 200 types. A little of a tourist trap as we heard many different languages spoken and a lot of different accents.

♡ The Tivoli. Need I say more?

All Images – © Rebecca Hawkes 2013

Tags: Art, Beer, Cafés, Christmas, City, Copenhagen, Cycling, Eating Out, Food, Guide, Magic, New Years Eve, photography, Photos, Recommendations, Reindeer, Restaurants, Tivoli, Tourism, vegan, vegetarian

• January 4, 2013
• Food, Photography, Travel
• 4 Comments