Introducing my gluten free guide to Copenhagen! I’m excited to share this; Copenhagen is one of my favorite cities. In the past two years, I’ve visited Copenhagen twice, and both trips were so special. Luckily for me, eating gluten free in Copenhagen was much easier than other European countries I’ve traveled to. I enjoyed every gluten free restaurant I checked out.
There are so many things to do in Copenhagen, and Lonely Planet just ranked it as the best city to visit right now. If its colorful canals and Danish design didn’t already convince you to visit, let Copenhagen’s gluten free food be the reason you add this city to your bucket list 🙂
Copenhagen is situated right on the water, so it’s not surprising that seafood is a staple part of Danish cuisine. In fact, Copenhagen is home to Noma, one of the leading restaurants in the entire world, which features an entire seafood season on its menu. Nordic cuisine, such as locally caught or smoked fish, is huge in Copenhagen.
Don’t like seafood? No worries, lighter foods are popular in the city, too. A smørrebrød, or “open sandwich,” is a common pick for lunch; mouth-watering sausages and hot dogs that you can buy from food trucks are popular as well. Additionally, Copenhagen offers many healthy options featuring seasonal ingredients and fresh local cuisine. As someone with celiac disease, I was thoroughly impressed by all of the gluten free options that Copenhagen had to offer.
If you’re planning on eating gluten free in Copenhagen, I’ve got you covered. Here are some of my favorite GF picks to check out if you’re in the Danish capital. After the restaurant recs, I’ve also included information on what to do and see while you’re there, where to stay, and how to get around.
TORVEHALLERNE
Frederiksborggade 21 | https://torvehallernekbh.dk | Go for lunch or happy hour
Torvehallerne, or “glass market,” is one of my absolute favorite places. It is heaven for those eating gluten free in Copenhagen. Torvehallerne is part-market/part-eatery and offers a ton of incredible options. Torvehallerne is similar to Chelsea Market in NYC or TimeOut Market in cities worldwide; there are a lot of indoor food stalls and you can find literally anything you want to try. However, Torvehallerne is much smaller than the former. It offers a much less chaotic experience than TimeOut Market/Chelsea Market when strolling around – the peaceful ambiance is great. When it’s nice out, you’ll likely see people sitting outside, enjoying a bite with a beer or glass of wine.
Torvehallerne offers everything from pretty flowers and paleo food to porridge and paninis. There are many gluten free options available – Torvehallerne should be able to satisfy all of your cravings 🙂 Check out The Coffee Collective for an awesome latte, or hit up the Grød stall for gluten free porridge with a great selection of toppings. Both Grød and another Copenhagen chain, Palæo (mentioned below), have locations in Torvehallerne. I’d highly recommend visiting both stalls!
PALÆO
Multiple locations | https://www.palaeo.com | Go for lunch
Palæo is a popular restaurant that offers healthy paleo food and many gluten free options. Don’t worry, if you’re not paleo, I promise you will still find something you like here. The options are so good and very flavorful! It seems like the restaurant has updated their menu since my last visit, and I really want to try their wraps whenever I’m in Copenhagen next.
I’ve eaten Palæo’s open-faced “burrito” twice (pictured), and I’d highly recommend it. The “burrito” is an egg-based wrap with fresh vegetables and meat sauce. It’s delicious! I don’t know how they do it. Palæo also offers salads, sandwiches, burgers, and more. This restaurant is amazing for anyone following a gluten free, paleo, or low carb diet.
Fun fact: Palæo is so popular that its takeaway products (such as juices, juice shots, and snacks) are offered in Danish 7-11 stores as well! I can’t imagine 7-11 stores in the US carrying a wide range of health food products…Denmark is amazing 🙂
GRØD
Multiple locations | https://groed.com/en/ | Go for breakfast or lunch
Grød is an oatmeal lover’s dream! Offering gluten free oats and a ton of high quality toppings (rhubarb compote, Icelandic yogurt, and fresh apples, to name a few), Grød offers high-quality and filling porridge options.
I’ve never visited Grød in the evening, but after a certain time in the afternoon, Grød’s menu offers more savory options. I’d love to try one of the restaurant’s creamy risottos…yum! All allergens are clearly marked on the menu, which was extremely helpful for me. I’d love to return on my next trip!
BELLA SKY BRUNCH
Center Blvd 5 | Go for breakfast/brunch
Normally, I wouldn’t list a hotel eatery as a must-visit gluten free spot. However, dining at AC Bella Sky was a game changer! The hotel offers an extensive breakfast/brunch with many gluten free options.
There is an entire dedicated gluten free section with gluten free Danish staples, like rye bread, oats, and muesli. A wide variety of juices and coffees are offered, as well as delicacies such as elderflower lemonade (the lemonade was delicious!). Eggs, sausage, meats, cheeses, and tons of other options are readily available.
AC Bella Sky is a stunning hotel located right next to the metro and close to the airport. It’s a cool building with unique architecture, and it offers an amazing breakfast. I’d recommend going on your way into or out of Copenhagen! The food was absolutely delicious – gluten free and non-gluten free friends alike will be stuffed after leaving.
FRIENDS N BRGRS
Multiple locations | https://friendsandbrgrs.com/en/ | Go for lunch or dinner
Friends N Brgrs is a simple but yummy burger chain that has multiple locations in Copenhagen. This restaurant seems to be the same concept as Shake Shack or Five Guys in the US, but it tastes so much better and fresher.
Friends N Brgrs prides itself on sourcing the best ingredients it can find and grinding its meat in house. I could definitely taste the difference! When I discovered Friends N Brgrs for the first time, I was on a solo trip to Copenhagen during month four of my five month exchange semester. My meal there made me so happy and satisfied that I returned the next day for dinner as well.
Get a cheeseburger on a gluten free bun with caramelized onions, bacon, and fresh arugula. It is so, so good. Thank me later.
CAFE PELIKAN
84 Amagerbrogade| https://cafe-pelikan.dk/menu-english | Go for breakfast/brunch
I discovered Cafe Pelikan on my recent visit to Copenhagen when meeting a friend for brunch the Amagerbro neighborhood. It offers many gluten free options ranging from smoothies to brunch plates and is easily accessible by the metro. The cafe is small and cozy and the staff is friendly.
I had a refreshing fruit smoothie as well as a brunch plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and meat. Can you tell I was hungry? 🙂 Everything tasted great! The service was really fast, which was an added bonus.
JOE & THE JUICE
Multiple locations | Go for lunch
Home to gluten free sandwiches, yogurts, shakes, juices, and treats, Joe and the Juice is a great place to stop by for a casual gluten free snack or meal. It’s a trendy yet relaxing place to meet a friend, catch up on work, or simply grab a coffee.
I loved the chicken club sandwich I got when I visited. Their gluten free bread is so yummy! The lattes and treats are also solid choices.
Pro tip: there are a ton of Joe & The Juice locations throughout Copenhagen, and there is also one at the airport!! This makes finding gluten free options while traveling to and from CPH a lot less of a hassle.
FØTEX FOOD
Multiple locations | Go for GF snacks/groceries
Føtex Food isn’t a restaurant, but I wanted to include it in my GF guide because this grocery chain offers certified gluten free products. They carry the Schar brand and sell Schar’s gluten free cookies, bread, crackers, etc. Føtex also has fresh fruit, juices, smoothies, and more.
If you’re in a pinch or just want some affordable gluten free snacks, this is a great place to stop by for some basic essentials to take on the go.
Other places on my list that I unfortunately didn’t have time to visit were Mad & Kaffe, Souls, Marv & Ben, and simpleRAW. I have heard great things about all of these restaurants. If you visit one of these restaurants, please let me know in the comments or via Instagram..I’m honestly so curious!
Things to do:
- See Nyhavn, the main tourist area. It’s a beautiful harbor with colored buildings. Go early – it can get busy!
- Check out the in-ground trampolines near Nyhavn right on the water
- See the changing of the guards at Amalienborg Castle
- Go to Torvehallerne
- Relax at CopenHot
- Visit the Danish Museum of Art & Design, “Designmuseum Danmark”
- Walk around Kastellet park and see the famous statue, The Little Mermaid
- Have a picnic in Kongens Have park or by the water outside the Copenhagen Opera House
- Enjoy a ride at Tivoli Gardens
- Check out Rosenborg Castle, Frederiks Kirke, Our Saviour’s Church, the Stock Exchange building, and the Rundetaarn
- Walk through Freetown Christiania, an eccentric hippie commune
- Take a boat ride
- Visit Superkilen, a city park/playground with interesting Scandinavian design
- …and so much more! Feel free to email me or send me a DM on Instagram if you’re looking for specific recs 🙂
How to get around:
- The Copenhagen metro is amazing. It is quiet, clean, and efficient…pretty much the complete opposite of the NYC subway system, haha! The metro can take you pretty much everywhere. One feature of the metro system I particularly love is its time display. This display tells travelers how much time is left before the next metro arrives – down to half a minute. It is extremely accurate and I have never experienced any delays or long waits!
- Everyone in Copenhagen owns a bike and biking is one of the primary modes of transport. HOWEVER, I wouldn’t recommend using a bike right in the center of the city unless you are very experienced with biking. The bike lanes often move fast, and tourists can get seriously injured if they aren’t accustomed to the bike culture and pace.
- Taxis and trains are also available in the city. As of 2019, Ubers were not available.
- WALK! The city is extremely walkable, and this will also allow you to potentially visit locations and/or see sights that you might have otherwise missed. I loved walking around this city, it is so clean and every street is pretty!
Where to stay (I have stayed at both of these hotels during my personal travels – not sponsored):
- AC Hotel Bella Sky – great modern Scandinavian hotel right near a metro stop and the airport, but also a quick metro ride from the city center. The hotel is an architectural wonder and the rooms are comfortable – we had a great sleep despite our jet lag, which is a feat in itself! The rooms also offer views of the Copenhagen city center, which was nice and unexpected. As stated above, the brunch here is great for GF/non-GF travelers alike. I would love to stay here again and would recommend this for travelers with an early flight or those who want a quiet, convenient location that isn’t right in the downtown Nyhavn area 🙂
- Phoenix Copenhagen – another great hotel that is right in the center of the city, mere steps from Nyhavn, the changing of the guards, and other tourist attractions. Phoenix Copenhagen felt like a classic European hotel – smaller rooms with a more classic, luxurious feel rather than a modern Scandinavian feel. I’d recommend this for travelers who want to be located right near all of the major sights.
I hope you enjoy these gluten free Copenhagen recommendations! Enjoy, and feel free to comment or send me a message if I missed anything amazing! You can check out my other gluten free travel guides here.
Leave a Reply