The Best Cafes & Bars in Copenhagen
Copenhagen’s cafés and bars often double as cultural spaces—community hubs, jazz venues, or natural wine hangouts that feel like neighborhood living rooms. Coffee roasters publish what they pay farmers, breweries turn social enterprise into a business model, and wine bars stock only what they can trace back to small, low-intervention growers. Whether you’re sipping an espresso, soaking in a sauna between glasses of orange wine, or listening to live jazz, the city’s drinking culture is as thoughtful as it is lively.
Wine bottles on display at Ancestrale. Courtesy of Ancestrale.
Coffee Collective
Best for: Coffee aficionados seeking ethically sourced brews
Location: Multiple locations across Copenhagen
Price: $
North Stars:
Coffee Collective has been a pioneer in direct-trade coffee since 2007, publishing exactly what they pay to farmers—often well above the global market rate. Their first café and roastery on Jægersborggade remains a hub for single-origin enthusiasts, but you’ll also find outposts at Torvehallerne market, Frederiksberg, and Godthåbsvej. Each location is sleek, minimalist, and serious about the craft, serving silky cortados, filter brews, and seasonal espresso roasts. Bags of beans come labeled with farm details, processing method, and flavor notes, so you know precisely who grew what you’re drinking.
Pour-over coffee setup. Courtesy of Collective Bakery.
La Banchina
Best for: Natural wine lovers and harbor bathers
Location: Refshaleøen
Price: $$
North Stars:
La Banchina is equal parts dockside hangout, wine bar, and sauna. With just 14 indoor seats, the place spills onto the pier in summer, where guests lounge with natural wines and unfussy, Italian-leaning small plates. The menu changes daily, but organic vegetables, fish, and pasta are staples. The wood-fired sauna adds a Nordic twist—go for a swim in the harbor, then warm up with a glass of skin-contact wine as the sun sets over the water.
Summer Pier shot at La Banchina. Courtesy of La Banchina.
People Like Us
Best for: Socially conscious beer lovers seeking inclusive spaces
Location: Nørrebro
Price: $
North Stars:
People Like Us is a craft brewery run as a social enterprise, employing people from marginalized communities, including neurodivergent individuals. Instead of brewing everything in-house, they collaborate with Danish partners like ÅBEN and Flying Couch to produce hazy IPAs, pale ales, and stouts. The Nørrebro taproom feels welcoming and low-key, with regular events that emphasize community as much as beer. It’s a space where social sustainability isn’t a slogan—it’s the business model.
Corner shot at People Like Us. Courtesy of People Like Us.
Pompette
Best for: Casual evenings with natural wine and snacks
Location: Nørrebro
Price: $$
North Stars:
Natural wine bar Pompette keeps things straightforward: affordable glasses, rotating bottles, and small plates like cheese, charcuterie, and seasonal vegetables. The name means “tipsy” in French, which matches the atmosphere—relaxed, fun, and unpretentious. Located in Nørrebro, it’s the kind of spot where locals drop by on weeknights, proof that good wine doesn’t need to feel exclusive.
Inviting front view of Pompette with outdoor seating. Courtesy of Pompette.
Ved Stranden 10
Best for: Elegant wine evenings by the canal
Location: Indre By
Price: $$$
North Stars:
Located in a historic canal-side building, Ved Stranden 10 offers one of the city’s most respected selections of natural wines. Inside, it feels more like a friend’s stylish living room than a formal bar, with mid-century chairs and candlelight. Regular tastings and events make it a gathering point for Copenhagen’s wine community, and in summer, guests spill onto the quay with bottles and glasses. It’s refined without being stiff.
Exterior view of Ved Stranden 10. Courtesy of Ved Stranden 10.
Ancestrale
Best for: Intimate wine experiences with sustainable bites
Location: Vesterbro
Price: $$–$$$
North Stars:
This small, dimly lit bar focuses on natural wines and seasonal, shareable plates. At Ancestrale, the kitchen serves whatever ingredients looked best that day—whether mussels, mushrooms, or a simple tart—so expect a constantly changing. Zero-waste practices and relationships with local farmers keep things tight, while the size of the place makes it feel more like a dinner party than a night out.
Ancestrale’s wine wall, beautifully arranged. Courtesy of Ancestrale.
Svaneke Bryghus
Best for: Eco-conscious drinkers interested in carbon-neutral brewing
Location: Bornholm (available in Copenhagen)
Price: $
North Stars:
Svaneke Bryghus stands as Denmark’s first brewery to achieve CO₂-neutral production, utilizing biogas, solar energy, and wind power. Their commitment to sustainability extends to water recycling and CO₂ capture from fermentation. While the brewery is located on Bornholm (so NOT in Copenhagen), their beers are widely available in the city.
