CONTENTS
COPENHAGEN
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INTRODUCTION FOOD COFFEE CULTURE DESIGN ARCHITECTURE FASHION ART BIKE CULTURE HARBOUR SWIMMING PARKS & CITY LIFE RUNNING INDEX
12 38 58 90 116 144 172 194 214 232
CONTENTS
COPENHAGEN
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
INTRODUCTION FOOD COFFEE CULTURE DESIGN ARCHITECTURE FASHION ART BIKE CULTURE HARBOUR SWIMMING PARKS & CITY LIFE RUNNING INDEX
12 38 58 90 116 144 172 194 214 232
COPENHAGEN
INTRODUCTION
A PORTRAIT OF CONTEMPORARY COPENHAGEN
Copenhagen seems to be on everyone’s radar. Twenty years ago, the Danish capital was still relatively unknown to most people outside Denmark. Since then, much has changed. The New Nordic wave has placed Copenhagen firmly on the global culinary map, while the city’s fashion scene has grown into an international force, with Copenhagen Fashion Week now attracting thousands of visitors from around the world. Throughout the year, design days, art fairs, running events, and architectural festivals contribute to a common atmosphere, helping to position Copenhagen as one of Europe’s most inspiring and progressive cities. Copenhagen may be modest in size, with just over 650,000 residents in the municipality, yet the city feels far more dynamic than the numbers suggest. New restaurants, cafés, and bars open constantly. Small galleries and design stores pop up along side streets. Entire districts reinvent themselves. New architecture rises beside historic façades, while former industrial areas are transformed into neighbourhoods for contemporary urban life. Whether for food, fashion, design, architecture, cycling culture, or urban lifestyle, Copenhagen is in a league of its own. Capturing Copenhagen’s unique spirit is not easy, either in a book or in the city itself. Every part of the city has its own history and character. But that is the cool thing about Copenhagen: you are never quite finished with it. A first visit often becomes the beginning of a longer relationship, quickly followed by the urge to return. Even for those who know the city well, Copenhagen continues to surprise you. This book offers insight into contemporary Copenhagen, while respecting the foundations on which the city stands. Those foundations matter. The purpose is not to show you everything; that would be to misunderstand the city. Rather, the purpose is to open the door to Copenhagen through the places, people, lifestyle, and atmosphere that define it today.
(L) LA CABRA, LA BANCHINA, BONNI (R)BOTTEGA DI GRAZIANO
8
9
COPENHAGEN
INTRODUCTION
A PORTRAIT OF CONTEMPORARY COPENHAGEN
Copenhagen seems to be on everyone’s radar. Twenty years ago, the Danish capital was still relatively unknown to most people outside Denmark. Since then, much has changed. The New Nordic wave has placed Copenhagen firmly on the global culinary map, while the city’s fashion scene has grown into an international force, with Copenhagen Fashion Week now attracting thousands of visitors from around the world. Throughout the year, design days, art fairs, running events, and architectural festivals contribute to a common atmosphere, helping to position Copenhagen as one of Europe’s most inspiring and progressive cities. Copenhagen may be modest in size, with just over 650,000 residents in the municipality, yet the city feels far more dynamic than the numbers suggest. New restaurants, cafés, and bars open constantly. Small galleries and design stores pop up along side streets. Entire districts reinvent themselves. New architecture rises beside historic façades, while former industrial areas are transformed into neighbourhoods for contemporary urban life. Whether for food, fashion, design, architecture, cycling culture, or urban lifestyle, Copenhagen is in a league of its own. Capturing Copenhagen’s unique spirit is not easy, either in a book or in the city itself. Every part of the city has its own history and character. But that is the cool thing about Copenhagen: you are never quite finished with it. A first visit often becomes the beginning of a longer relationship, quickly followed by the urge to return. Even for those who know the city well, Copenhagen continues to surprise you. This book offers insight into contemporary Copenhagen, while respecting the foundations on which the city stands. Those foundations matter. The purpose is not to show you everything; that would be to misunderstand the city. Rather, the purpose is to open the door to Copenhagen through the places, people, lifestyle, and atmosphere that define it today.
(L) LA CABRA, LA BANCHINA, BONNI (R)BOTTEGA DI GRAZIANO
8
9
COPENHAGEN
CHAPTER TWO
FROM ROUTINE TO REFINEMENT
Let’s be real: Danes love coffee. They are among the most coffee-drinking people in the world. In fact, this applies to the entire Nordic region. Finland usually ranks number one, but Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are all in the top five. In other words, coffee is not just a drink, it’s a lifestyle. And few places make this as clear as Copenhagen. Take a morning ride through the city. On the cycle lanes, people balance takeaway cups in one hand and bicycles in the other. Outside bakeries and coffee bars, small queues form from early morning. Behind the windows, people sit with laptops or simply take a short pause in their day. Coffee is part of the city’s rhythm, a small daily ceremony repeated thousands of times. For many years, filter coffee was almost the only form of coffee in Denmark; you know, the classic dark office coffee, brewed in large pots and served without much ceremony. That began to change during the 1980s, when the first French-inspired cafés started appearing in Copenhagen. Suddenly, espresso machines stood on the counter, and new words entered the Danish coffee vocabulary: espresso, cappuccino, and café au lait. In the 1990s, the development accelerated. The café latte became almost a symbol of Copenhagen’s new urban culture. Cafés turned into meeting places for students, creatives, and the city’s growing urban generation.
COFFEE CULTURE: FROM ROUTINE TO REFINEMENT
People stayed for hours, talking, working, or simply watching life pass by. Coffee became a social platform, a kind of modern living room in the middle of the city. But the real revolution arrived in the early 2000s. This was when so-called third-wave coffee began to take hold in Copenhagen. The focus shifted from coffee as a simple daily drink to coffee as craftsmanship. The origin of the beans, roasting profiles, and brewing methods suddenly became central elements. A decisive moment came in 2007, when the Coffee Collective was founded by, among others, a former world barista champion. They introduced direct trade and a distinctly lighter roasting style. This marked the beginning of a new generation of coffee bars and, not least, roasteries. As specialty coffee gained ground, more Copenhagen coffee shops began roasting their own beans, giving them full control over flavour, quality, and collaboration with coffee farmers. This created an environment where baristas, roasters, and coffee enthusiasts constantly challenged one another and raised the level. Copenhagen quickly developed into one of Europe’s most important centres for modern coffee culture. Today, several of the city’s roasteries are not only local favourites but international reference points in the world of specialty coffee. Names such as Prolog, La Cabra, and April have become known far beyond Denmark. Their beans are served in coffee bars from Tokyo to New York, and baristas from around the world travel to Copenhagen to experience the scene, learn brewing and roasting techniques, and taste the newest roasts. This is a remarkable shift for a city where coffee was once simply something you drank quickly at the kitchen table or in the canteen. Today, Copenhagen has become a global coffee hotspot, a place where coffee is treated with the same respect as wine or gastronomy, and where a single cup can tell stories of craftsmanship, climate, terroir, and culture.
(L) COFFEE COLLECTIVE GODTHÅBSVEJ (R) LA CABRA NORDHAVEN
40
41
COPENHAGEN
CHAPTER TWO
FROM ROUTINE TO REFINEMENT
Let’s be real: Danes love coffee. They are among the most coffee-drinking people in the world. In fact, this applies to the entire Nordic region. Finland usually ranks number one, but Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are all in the top five. In other words, coffee is not just a drink, it’s a lifestyle. And few places make this as clear as Copenhagen. Take a morning ride through the city. On the cycle lanes, people balance takeaway cups in one hand and bicycles in the other. Outside bakeries and coffee bars, small queues form from early morning. Behind the windows, people sit with laptops or simply take a short pause in their day. Coffee is part of the city’s rhythm, a small daily ceremony repeated thousands of times. For many years, filter coffee was almost the only form of coffee in Denmark; you know, the classic dark office coffee, brewed in large pots and served without much ceremony. That began to change during the 1980s, when the first French-inspired cafés started appearing in Copenhagen. Suddenly, espresso machines stood on the counter, and new words entered the Danish coffee vocabulary: espresso, cappuccino, and café au lait. In the 1990s, the development accelerated. The café latte became almost a symbol of Copenhagen’s new urban culture. Cafés turned into meeting places for students, creatives, and the city’s growing urban generation.
COFFEE CULTURE: FROM ROUTINE TO REFINEMENT
People stayed for hours, talking, working, or simply watching life pass by. Coffee became a social platform, a kind of modern living room in the middle of the city. But the real revolution arrived in the early 2000s. This was when so-called third-wave coffee began to take hold in Copenhagen. The focus shifted from coffee as a simple daily drink to coffee as craftsmanship. The origin of the beans, roasting profiles, and brewing methods suddenly became central elements. A decisive moment came in 2007, when the Coffee Collective was founded by, among others, a former world barista champion. They introduced direct trade and a distinctly lighter roasting style. This marked the beginning of a new generation of coffee bars and, not least, roasteries. As specialty coffee gained ground, more Copenhagen coffee shops began roasting their own beans, giving them full control over flavour, quality, and collaboration with coffee farmers. This created an environment where baristas, roasters, and coffee enthusiasts constantly challenged one another and raised the level. Copenhagen quickly developed into one of Europe’s most important centres for modern coffee culture. Today, several of the city’s roasteries are not only local favourites but international reference points in the world of specialty coffee. Names such as Prolog, La Cabra, and April have become known far beyond Denmark. Their beans are served in coffee bars from Tokyo to New York, and baristas from around the world travel to Copenhagen to experience the scene, learn brewing and roasting techniques, and taste the newest roasts. This is a remarkable shift for a city where coffee was once simply something you drank quickly at the kitchen table or in the canteen. Today, Copenhagen has become a global coffee hotspot, a place where coffee is treated with the same respect as wine or gastronomy, and where a single cup can tell stories of craftsmanship, climate, terroir, and culture.
(L) COFFEE COLLECTIVE GODTHÅBSVEJ (R) LA CABRA NORDHAVEN
40
41
COPENHAGEN
CHAPTER TWO
45
EDITOR’S PICKS
1 p 46
44
COFFEE: RECOMMENDATIONS
2 p 48
Copenhagen New Mags
4 p 52
44
3 p 50
1 COFFEE COLLECTIVE 2 PROLOG 3 LA CABRA 4 APRIL
COPENHAGEN
CHAPTER TWO
45
EDITOR’S PICKS
1 p 46
44
COFFEE: RECOMMENDATIONS
2 p 48
Copenhagen New Mags
4 p 52
44
3 p 50
1 COFFEE COLLECTIVE 2 PROLOG 3 LA CABRA 4 APRIL
COPENHAGEN
CHAPTER TWO
COFFEE: RECOMMENDATIONS
51
La Cabra
La Cabra Coffee is a modern coffee company established in Aarhus in 2012. Since then, La Cabra has become a widely recognized coffee roaster with dedicated home users and subscribers in more than 60 countries and coffee roasteries in New York, Bangkok, and Oman. In Copenhagen, La Cabra can be found in two of the city’s most sought-after locations: the ever-hyped Møntergade in the historic centre and the rapidly evolving Nordhavn district. Set within a former industrial port area, the Nordhavn café feels perfectly in tune with its surroundings, where raw red-brick warehouses meet sleek glass-and-steel architecture—a fitting backdrop for one of the most influential coffee brands.
COPENHAGEN
CHAPTER TWO
COFFEE: RECOMMENDATIONS
51
La Cabra
La Cabra Coffee is a modern coffee company established in Aarhus in 2012. Since then, La Cabra has become a widely recognized coffee roaster with dedicated home users and subscribers in more than 60 countries and coffee roasteries in New York, Bangkok, and Oman. In Copenhagen, La Cabra can be found in two of the city’s most sought-after locations: the ever-hyped Møntergade in the historic centre and the rapidly evolving Nordhavn district. Set within a former industrial port area, the Nordhavn café feels perfectly in tune with its surroundings, where raw red-brick warehouses meet sleek glass-and-steel architecture—a fitting backdrop for one of the most influential coffee brands.
COPENHAGEN
Jonas Gehl (JG) CEO and co-founder at Prolog Coffee
CHAPTER SIX
Q A
Coffee
(Q) How would you describe the coffee culture in Copenhagen? (JG) The coffee culture is important to the people of Copenhagen, as it is in so many other cities. It’s often the centre of a community, whether it’s a meeting with a friend, business-related, or just “you and the barista.” As such, I think the coffee culture is something which is appreciated and cared for, whether you are into specialty coffee or “just” meeting over your usual cup of joe. (Q)
How does Prolog stand out?
(JG) We do have our own identity, centred and shaped around quality. Our version of a coffee bar is, first and foremost, welcoming, but also a place that sparks curiosity. For that reason, we place great emphasis on hospitality. We look for the same qualities in our coffees; the final cup should be delicious, but also evocative and engaging to the senses. This comes from our vision: “To add to the quality of life by giving people better coffee experiences.” (Q) Do you see Copenhagen today as one of the world’s leading coffee destinations? (JG) Each city and country has its own uniqueness and qualities in terms of coffee culture, and it’s difficult to compare and rank. Where I think we do particularly well is in terms of the quality of the roasted coffee. The Nordic countries are the cradle of the “light-roasted coffee,” which, over the last 10–20 years, has reverberated throughout the world. I still think you get some of the world’s best light-roasted coffees in the Nordic countries, including Copenhagen. (Q)
What do you love most about Copenhagen?
(JG) It’s peaceful, green, safe, clean, relaxed, and has a beautiful waterside and a great food and beverage scene —and it’s close to nature. (Q)
What does Copenhagen represent to you?
(JG) Coming from the countryside of Denmark, Copenhagen represents possibilities and a horizon.
Jonas Gehl 54
(Q) In what ways does Copenhagen stand out from other major cities? (JG) Compared to other European cities, Copenhagen is very similar in its composition and feel. I think the Copenhageners have a high expectation of quality in their daily life, and that the city also displays a certain wealth. I would hypothesize that both attributes are mirrored in the city’s outlets and amenities. (Q) How would you describe Copenhagen to someone visiting for the first time? (JG) I would hold off describing it until they had spent a day in Copenhagen. After this day, I think they would describe it as clean, beautiful, and with great bakeries.
COPENHAGEN
Jonas Gehl (JG) CEO and co-founder at Prolog Coffee
CHAPTER SIX
Q A
Coffee
(Q) How would you describe the coffee culture in Copenhagen? (JG) The coffee culture is important to the people of Copenhagen, as it is in so many other cities. It’s often the centre of a community, whether it’s a meeting with a friend, business-related, or just “you and the barista.” As such, I think the coffee culture is something which is appreciated and cared for, whether you are into specialty coffee or “just” meeting over your usual cup of joe. (Q)
How does Prolog stand out?
(JG) We do have our own identity, centred and shaped around quality. Our version of a coffee bar is, first and foremost, welcoming, but also a place that sparks curiosity. For that reason, we place great emphasis on hospitality. We look for the same qualities in our coffees; the final cup should be delicious, but also evocative and engaging to the senses. This comes from our vision: “To add to the quality of life by giving people better coffee experiences.” (Q) Do you see Copenhagen today as one of the world’s leading coffee destinations? (JG) Each city and country has its own uniqueness and qualities in terms of coffee culture, and it’s difficult to compare and rank. Where I think we do particularly well is in terms of the quality of the roasted coffee. The Nordic countries are the cradle of the “light-roasted coffee,” which, over the last 10–20 years, has reverberated throughout the world. I still think you get some of the world’s best light-roasted coffees in the Nordic countries, including Copenhagen. (Q)
What do you love most about Copenhagen?
(JG) It’s peaceful, green, safe, clean, relaxed, and has a beautiful waterside and a great food and beverage scene —and it’s close to nature. (Q)
What does Copenhagen represent to you?
(JG) Coming from the countryside of Denmark, Copenhagen represents possibilities and a horizon.
Jonas Gehl 54
(Q) In what ways does Copenhagen stand out from other major cities? (JG) Compared to other European cities, Copenhagen is very similar in its composition and feel. I think the Copenhageners have a high expectation of quality in their daily life, and that the city also displays a certain wealth. I would hypothesize that both attributes are mirrored in the city’s outlets and amenities. (Q) How would you describe Copenhagen to someone visiting for the first time? (JG) I would hold off describing it until they had spent a day in Copenhagen. After this day, I think they would describe it as clean, beautiful, and with great bakeries.
Q A
Fashion
(Q) What words come to mind when you think of Copenhagen? (SD) Creative, human-scale, progressive, relaxed, and design-driven. Copenhagen manages to feel both calm and dynamic at the same time. It’s a city that values aesthetics and functionality equally, which you see in everything from architecture and food to fashion and urban life. (Q)
What makes Copenhagen special?
(SD) Compared to many major cities, Copenhagen feels more accessible and human. Distances are short, people bike everywhere, and the city is built around everyday life rather than just business. At the same time, the creative industries punch far above their weight internationally. The fashion industry here is collaborative rather than overly competitive, and that openness has been key to building a strong and recognizable global fashion identity. (Q) How would you describe Copenhagen to someone visiting for the first time? (SD) I would describe Copenhagen as a city where design, food, fashion, and everyday life are closely connected. It’s easy to navigate, full of beautiful architecture and waterfronts, and there is a very relaxed atmosphere, even in busy areas. You’ll find world-class restaurants next to small neighbourhood cafés and independent boutiques. It’s a city that invites you to slow down a little while still feeling culturally vibrant and inspiring.
141
Q A
Fashion
(Q) What words come to mind when you think of Copenhagen? (SD) Creative, human-scale, progressive, relaxed, and design-driven. Copenhagen manages to feel both calm and dynamic at the same time. It’s a city that values aesthetics and functionality equally, which you see in everything from architecture and food to fashion and urban life. (Q)
What makes Copenhagen special?
(SD) Compared to many major cities, Copenhagen feels more accessible and human. Distances are short, people bike everywhere, and the city is built around everyday life rather than just business. At the same time, the creative industries punch far above their weight internationally. The fashion industry here is collaborative rather than overly competitive, and that openness has been key to building a strong and recognizable global fashion identity. (Q) How would you describe Copenhagen to someone visiting for the first time? (SD) I would describe Copenhagen as a city where design, food, fashion, and everyday life are closely connected. It’s easy to navigate, full of beautiful architecture and waterfronts, and there is a very relaxed atmosphere, even in busy areas. You’ll find world-class restaurants next to small neighbourhood cafés and independent boutiques. It’s a city that invites you to slow down a little while still feeling culturally vibrant and inspiring.
141
COPENHAGEN
160
CHAPTER SIX
V1 Gallery
Founded in 2002 in the Meatpacking District, the V1 gallery became known for championing artists working across graffiti, post-internet aesthetics, illustration, photography, and contemporary art—often blurring the boundaries between subculture and institution. Today, V1 has expanded into three interconnected spaces: V1 Gallery, Eighteen, and V1 SALON. While V1 Gallery and Eighteen host rotating exhibitions from both emerging and internationally established artists, V1 SALON functions more like a cultural clubhouse, combining original artworks, books, editions, talks, and signings in a more intimate setting. Together, the spaces reflect the evolution of Copenhagen’s creative scene itself, where underground culture, design, fashion, and contemporary art increasingly overlap.
ART: RECOMMENDATIONS
COPENHAGEN
160
CHAPTER SIX
V1 Gallery
Founded in 2002 in the Meatpacking District, the V1 gallery became known for championing artists working across graffiti, post-internet aesthetics, illustration, photography, and contemporary art—often blurring the boundaries between subculture and institution. Today, V1 has expanded into three interconnected spaces: V1 Gallery, Eighteen, and V1 SALON. While V1 Gallery and Eighteen host rotating exhibitions from both emerging and internationally established artists, V1 SALON functions more like a cultural clubhouse, combining original artworks, books, editions, talks, and signings in a more intimate setting. Together, the spaces reflect the evolution of Copenhagen’s creative scene itself, where underground culture, design, fashion, and contemporary art increasingly overlap.
ART: RECOMMENDATIONS
COPENHAGEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
HARBOUR SWIMMING: A DAILY RITUAL
What ties it all together is a broader cultural shift. Copenhagen doesn’t treat water as spectacle. It treats it as something integrated, as part of daily life, not separate from it. There’s also a certain democratic quality to it. Harbor baths are free. The water is public. You don’t need a membership or a reservation to take part, at least not in the most basic sense. You just need to show up and jump in. That openness has shaped the culture in subtle ways. It is not about exclusivity—it’s about access. At the same time, a more curated layer has emerged around it, including floating saunas, guided gus sessions, and architecture-driven bathing clubs. These spaces elevate the experience without disconnecting it from the city. Copenhagen’s approach has not gone unnoticed. Cities like London and Paris are now investing heavily in cleaning their waterways and reintroducing public swimming. The idea that a capital city can offer safe, central, year-round swimming is no longer utopian. It’s tangible— and tested. But what Copenhagen has, beyond infrastructure, is a certain mindset. Swimming here is not just about exercise or leisure. It’s about proximity: to nature, to the seasons, to your own body. It’s about stepping out of the controlled indoor climate and into something less predictable. The harbour is no longer just a backdrop. It has become a daily ritual, a place where the city slows down, and where people disconnect from the hassle of daily life.
(R) KALVEBODWAVES BY JULIEN LANOO
198
199
COPENHAGEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
HARBOUR SWIMMING: A DAILY RITUAL
What ties it all together is a broader cultural shift. Copenhagen doesn’t treat water as spectacle. It treats it as something integrated, as part of daily life, not separate from it. There’s also a certain democratic quality to it. Harbor baths are free. The water is public. You don’t need a membership or a reservation to take part, at least not in the most basic sense. You just need to show up and jump in. That openness has shaped the culture in subtle ways. It is not about exclusivity—it’s about access. At the same time, a more curated layer has emerged around it, including floating saunas, guided gus sessions, and architecture-driven bathing clubs. These spaces elevate the experience without disconnecting it from the city. Copenhagen’s approach has not gone unnoticed. Cities like London and Paris are now investing heavily in cleaning their waterways and reintroducing public swimming. The idea that a capital city can offer safe, central, year-round swimming is no longer utopian. It’s tangible— and tested. But what Copenhagen has, beyond infrastructure, is a certain mindset. Swimming here is not just about exercise or leisure. It’s about proximity: to nature, to the seasons, to your own body. It’s about stepping out of the controlled indoor climate and into something less predictable. The harbour is no longer just a backdrop. It has become a daily ritual, a place where the city slows down, and where people disconnect from the hassle of daily life.
(R) KALVEBODWAVES BY JULIEN LANOO
198
199