Most traditional Danish cuisines source their ingredients from local farms. Most of these dishes are what grows in the country during their short summers. Therefore, it is very common to find dishes with cabbages, meat, fish, rye bread, and root vegetables. You can also see a lot of wild berries in their recipes.
Danish food also features a lot of pork, dairy cooperatives, and potatoes. Therefore, it is common to see cheese and fermented milk products like ymer in the food. Breakfasts are simple, comprising bread, butter and cheese, while lunch combines a good deal of native Danish ingredients. You also see pickles and sweet sauces with savory meat or fish.
If you are visiting a Danish restaurant, here are a few favorite foods from Denmark you can try:
Foods you must try when you visit Denmark
When you land in Copenhagen or any other Danish City, you will definitely want some lunch, dinner, or breakfast. One thing you notice about Denmark’s meals is how fresh and unique they are.
Danish foods are Scandinavian cuisines, usually heavily laden with fatty fish, seafood, whole grains, root vegetables, and berries. Danish cuisines are more attractive because they are a healthy alternative for people looking to correct their metabolic syndrome.
Here are a few famous dishes you should try when you visit Denmark:
Smørrebrød
Smørrebrød is a traditional Danish sandwich that makes PB&J look pitiful. Served open-faced, the smørrebrød brings an imaginative combination of tasty ingredients collected all over Denmark.
This artfully crafted meal combines fresh ingredients and leftovers. Some of these include shrimp with lemon and mayonnaise. Other renditions of the smørrebrød include beef and arugula, blue cheese, bacon and apples, cucumber and tomato with boiled effs, and many more combinations.
The base (bread) used to make smørrebrød is always rye bread. This is a Danish staple that is nutritious and rich in fiber. The spread you use can be either butter or mayonnaise, though Danish chefs are now creating their versions of gourmet spreads for the smørrebrød.
For the toppings on the sandwich, you can use cured meat, pickled herring, Danish meatballs, smoked salmon, liver pate, or vegetables and herbs until the rye bread is overflowing.
In Denmark, you can get killer smørrebrød from Aamann’s Deli & Takeaway, Schonnemann, Hallernes Smørrebrød, or Domhusets Smørrebrød.
Pølser
Pølser is a kind of gourmet hot dog making Denmark’s ultimate street food. It is the Danish version of an American hotdog, but it has everything better this time. It is so common that your stay is considered incomplete until you have a freshly pølser and a beer.
The recipe consists of red Danish sausage, served in a bun and topped off with various toppings. The traditional pølser has an unusual red color since it is pure pork. You can get the hotdog with a side of mustard, fried onions, pickles, or ketchup.
When visiting Denmark, you can try the best pølser from John’s Hotdog Deli, Dop, or Andersen Bakery.
Stegt flæsk
After a countrywide vote, Danes choose the stegt flæsk as their national dish. Stegt flæsk is an authentic rural dish in Denmark, dating back to the 1700s.
The recipe consists of crispy fried, oven-roasted, or grilled pork belly slices with parsley sauce. Traditionally, these thick pork belly slices are served alongside potatoes. The pork slices could be ready-made from the butcher, or you can buy a good rib and cut them into pieces.
For the best stegt flæsk in Denmark, be sure to visit Dolly’s, Restaurant Klubben, Nyboders Kokken, Frk. Barners Kaelder, Teater Bodega or Hansens Gamle Familiehave.
Flæskesteg
Flæskesteg is a traditional recipe you can enjoy for lunch or dinner. It comprises roasted pork with a crisp rind. The name translates to pork roast and is a typical dish on Christmas.
While preparing flæskesteg, chefs make deep grooves into the rind, but not into the meat. They then add a lot of salt into the rind, down the grooves, and on the meat. Roasting happens in a horizontal position (skins on the upper side and off the grill), so the rind cooks evenly without burning.
The ingredients used in making flæskesteg include boneless pork roast, coarse salt, and bay leaves (optional). Restaurants then serve the Flæskesteg as part of a meal or as open-faced flæskesteg smørrebrød.
In Denmark, you can have the best flæskesteg at Restaurant Skindbuksen, Restaurant Klubben, Det Lille Apotek or Meyer’s Deli.
Frikadeller
Frikadeller are famous Danish meatballs that combine ground pork and beef (ground veal). Usually, the meatballs are small and have been a common food in Denmark for over 200.
The recipe features flour, breadcrumbs, eggs, butter, onions, and garlic.
Traditionally, these Danish meatballs accompany boiled potatoes and the traditional Danish brown sauce. However, you can also have the frikadeller with a potato salad, mashed potatoes, and vegetables or a crusty roll with mustard on the side. Pickled vegetables and rye bread are also great accompaniments.
You can get the best-tasting frikadeller in Denmark at Klubben or Café Petersborg.
Final Thoughts
The foods mentioned above are just a few of the many Scandinavian cuisines you can enjoy in Denmark. The dishes are from Denmark, and others are borrowed from other countries. The famous Danish pastries are a good example. So, next time you visit Denmark, make sure you have a taste of these best foods in Denmark, and you will not regret your visit.
