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Copenhagen
Denmark's best fare comes in its open-faced sandwiches, known as smorrebrod, which are typically made of rye bread piled high with a wide variety of toppings (classic options include pickled herring, smoked salmon, cheese, cucumbers and thick sauces). Also legendary are Copenhagen's hot dogs (seriously); they can be bought from any one of many carts scattered throughout the city. Dining here can be rather expensive, so hang onto your hat when the check comes.
Six Tips for Dining Abroad
Tivoli Gardens: One of the most delightful spots in Copenhagen, Tivoli is a fantastic place for lunch and dinner (not just amusement park rides). The Paul is a Michelin-starred restaurant featuring Danish cuisine with a European twist. A visit to this restaurant, with its lighthearted conservatory ambience, is delightful (and a big splurge).A relative newcomer to Tivoli is Nimb, a beautifully restored historic structure on the grounds that now houses an extremely upmarket boutique hotel, deli, market, restaurant and brasserie. Aim for the latter which, though a bit pricey, offers fantastic views over the grounds (we could watch a pantomime performance while we dined on the terrace); the food is traditional Danish with a contemporary flair.
Of course, Tivoli also offers all manner of casual eateries and even a Hard Rock Cafe.
Rated the best restaurant in the world in 2010 by The S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants, Noma focuses on Nordic cuisine, incorporating ingredients like fresh berries from Greenland, deep-sea crabs from the Faroe Islands and wild salmon from Iceland. Called the best Italian eatery in Denmark, celeb-haunt Era Ora serves up 10 different antipasto platters. The restaurant is housed in a restored 18th-century building in the Christianshavn area. Reservations are required. Godt is everyone's favorite because the food is just plain excellent. The dining room seats only 20 people at a time, so reservations are a must! Kong Hans Kaelder, a Copenhagen institution, is five centuries old -- and Hans Christian Andersen once lived upstairs. The menu, which changes regularly, might include such delights as young squab with spring cabbage or grilled new vegetables and lobster. Reservations are highly recommended.