Archives for “cafe” tag

In spite of the rather wild interior (which puts itself somewhere between beautiful, cozy and über kitsch), this cafe is easily overlooked. I only came across it by chance, because I can’t resist open gates to backyards – I have to peek – and in this case I’m overly happy I did, because in this particular courtyard, in the rear building, lies Øko Café 32.

This isn’t an ordinary restaurant. The Café is connected to The Organic Production School and is run on a daily basis by students from the school, aged between 16 and 24, who want to learn more about operating, servicing and cooking based on an organic perspective (Øko = organic).

The menu is small and changes every day: dish of the day and soup of the day, and the dish of the day always comes in a vegetarian version too. In addition to this you can buy breakfast, sandwiches, cake, coffee, tea and non-alcoholic beverages.

The food isn’t fancy, but it tastes really good, it’s healthy, organic and cheap.

The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, and it feels a little like eating at home, except that you don’t have to cook or do the dishes. Every Thursday Øko Café 32 and Copenhagen Food Community arranges soup kitchen from 17:30 – 19:00 and everybody is welcome.

Opening times vary, so it is recommended to check their website.

The perfect way to end a day of shopping is by having lunch at Café Viggo. It doesn’t matter in what part of Copenhagen the shopping has been done, I don’t mind going all the way across town to sit down at Viggo’s and rest my tired shopping feet.

Café Viggo is a French bistro. They have a limited but highly delicious cafe menu of omelettes, galettes and sandwiches, plus a dish of the day, which you’ll have to ask the waiter about. At 16:30 the menu changes to the evening menu, inspired by rustic French cuisine, with classic dishes such as moules mariniere or confit of rabbit. You can get a three course menu for a very reasonable kr. 249. The kitchen closes for new orders at 22:00. On Fridays and Saturdays there’s DJ’s and dancing after the kitchen is closed.

On weekend evenings I recommend that you make a reservation.

The café itself is a mix of romantic and quirky. Red-and-white chequered tablecloths with candles and wall paintings of French cartoon characters like Astérix and Lucky Luke and Belgian Gaston Lagaffe and Natacha. The comic book theme is even extended to the lunch menus.

And as you will probably quickly figure out when you arrive, Viggo is the Danish name for Gaston Lagaffe.

‘Welcome to Café Lyst – where the sun is always shining’ it says on the wall when you enter the café.

Despite the fact that it’s located in a basement and it looks at bit dark, it is surprisingly bright once you’re inside. Lyst is friendly and super cosy, and the food is quite good.  You can meet young mothers sipping latte and showing off their babies, hipsters with hangovers, budding musicians and all the rest of us just out for a bite or a coffee.

Lyst is located on an open and sunny corner, so when weather permits it I’ll take my coffee outside. You’ll have to share your table because the outdoor seating consists of benches along tables, so don’t be shy.

Many of the dishes are served with ecological rugbrød (rye bread). If you never had Danish rye bread before then be aware that it is quite different from ordinary wholemeal bread.

From the snack menu I highly recommend the rugbrød with humus, tapenade and pesto: it’s really good!

Just away from the busy streets and the well visited public park; Kongens Have, a unique book store has been sitting here for a long time. I find it to be the most relaxing bookstore in Copenhagen and it is an inspiration for my own world travelling.

Aside from Lonely Planet and other travel guides, you can also find travel literature in both English and Danish, picture books, cooking books with foods from other countries and a variety of children books. If you are interested in music from other countries, the selection of Indian music, meditation music, reggae and other cool stuff should be big enough to satisfy your needs. Also Fair trade merchandise, clothes and different specialties is being sold.

Chill out and drink a cup of the…

The café is mostly just a few comfortable chairs and tables inside the room. But I love to come here and read a bit in the books before I buy them or just to sit with my laptop in silence.

Try one of the many events – which are mostly musical events from all over the world. You can easily look it up on their homepage.

They even celebrate birthday the same day as me… must be fate!