Restaurants and cafés by the water

This place is not a secret anymore but it’s popular for good reason. This 14-seat walk-in only all-day café, bar and restaurant might have Copenhagen’s best waterside location. Just go and spend your entire day eating and drinking at this spot combined with a dip or a sauna session.

Noma’s burger (plus more) restaurant right by the canal on Christianshavn. The burgers are world class, and the location is definitely also up there.  

Don’t tell anyone about this tiny little café on water lock in the South end of the harbour. It’s the perfect spot for a sunny snack, a morning coffee or an afternoon beer. They occasionally have food popups during the summer, so check their Instagram. 

Copenhagen's lively street food market and urban area for start-ups, innovation and creativity boasts over 50 food stalls, bars, and creative workshops. It follows a sustainable 'Reduce and Reuse” dogma wherever possible, is accessible by bus, boat, board and bike, and has superb front-row views the city.

When exploring Copenhagen by the water, don't miss out on a visit to Broen’s Street Food - an obvious choice for a scrumptious hangout by the harbour. Perhaps slightly more upscale than neighbouring Reffen, the vibe and and gourmet focused stalls are to die for. In Winter, look out for its hugely popular ice rink too.

Brand new restaurant opened by one of the most talented young chefs in Copenhagen in an old gunpowder house in the historic area of Holmen/Refshaleøen. Aure sits by one of the city's scenic canals and just got its first Michelin star by the Guide Michelin Nordic 2024. Its acclaimed dishes are seafood oriented.  

Copenhagen’s best sushi restaurant headed by Danish Chef Mads Battefeld serves just eight guests and sits right by the water in the city district of Nordhavn. The venue primarily features sustainably sourced seafood from the Nordic region and, as described by 50 Best Discovery, to dine here is to bathe in the very essence of the ocean!

Very nice restaurant with a lovely menu set in one of the most quintessential Copenhagen spots by the harbour. We're talking a traditional kitchen with a modern twist and a venue known for its love for high quality seasonal produce and good taste. And, of course, you can even dock your boat outside while you dine...

Set in three old carriages, once part of Tivoli's Christmas market, on the quay at Wilders Plads, this quirky harbour hangout, which you might spot on your harbour trip, is called “your living room on the dock” - which could be true, if your living room is set in an old circus carriage, that is. Go there for a piece of smørrebrød in the sun and to meet the locals. 

Explore Korean street kitchens, temples, barbecue culture and the royal court cuisine and combine this with the wonderful ingredients that the Nordic seasons offer - and you'll get a Nordic/Korean two-star Michelin trailblazer Restaurant Koan located on Langelinie. Whether you're SUP boarding or not,  this place is in a class of its own!

You can only almost see the water from the lovely world-focused Restaurant Lola, but we promise it’s close by. Set in an old mill on the ramparts at Christianshavn, this is where you'll find the well-known Danish 'Smørrebrød' for lunch and dishes inspired by Asia and Latinamerica for dinner. So if you're in the mood for something spicy and not boring, Lola it is.

‘Smørrebrød’ on an old boat in Nyhavn. Could it be more Copenhagen? Probably not. If you're keen to try the Danish classic with a slightly a modern twist, then head to Restaurant Judie. Set on the first floor of a floating theater ship, the location is formidable, the décor typically Nordic and the views of both the harbour area and the bustling inner city splendid. 

Not in Copenhagen, but just north of the city, this is an essential ice cream spot should you find yourself close to Skovshoved Harbour on a boat or paddle trip up the coast. They do fine burgers here as well. The old garage also just happens to be one of several iconic buildings in the area built by Danish Architect Arne Jacobsen back in the 1930s.

Go local and pay a visit the small green wooden cabin housing 'Christianshavns Bådudlejning & Café for lunch or dinner from a bistro-inspired menu, or settle for a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or a beer from a local Christianshavn brewery. This place on Christianshavns canal has been operating as a rowing boat hire, café and music venue ever since 1905!

Located on Hammershøj Kaj at Christianshavn with excellent views of the Black Diamond and the city's spires and turrets, No.2. has an uncompromising approach to raw materials. Along with 15 other local restaurants, this contemporary and stylish venue on Copenhagen's quayside also received a Bib Gourmand award by the Guide Michelin Nordic in 2024.

Set in Nordre Toldbod's old custom house at Langelinie, this popular gastrohouse features seven independent kitchens. It is inspired by street food markets worldwide and brings together homemade delicacies from various global cuisines under one roof. The maritime venue offers great views of Refshaleøen and the Opera House, and in the backyard Kastellet and the Little Mermaid and is easy to get to both by sea and land. 

So many choices... but the tiny ice cream truck from lovely ice cream makers, Hansens Is, at Islands Brygge also deserves mentioning, as it is the perfect paddle pit-stop on your SUP- or kayak trip through the harbour. Enjoy!