Torvehallerne: A Food Lovers Haven in Copenhagen

  I’m terrible at finding restaurants when solo travelling; that’s just a fact. I love good food, but I have a habit of planning what I’ll be doing and what activities are unmissable, that I forget to plan time to eat. So, I often end up going to whatever is nearby and convenient at the time. I knew I would end up repeating this behaviour in Copenhagen, so I did come up with some contingencies. The first being to find food markets that had a lot of options to explore. Handily, one of the routes on the self-guided walking tour I was planning on doing with Around.Tours finished at Torvehallerne (Torvehallernekbh), and that ended up being the deciding factor for me.   

I timed my tour perfectly so I finished at Torvehallerne just as it got to lunch time. So after a few hours of exploring the city on foot I felt like I deserved a big treat, and at Torvehallerne, I was spoilt for choice. The market is actually split across two buildings, each filled with small stalls and restaurants for you to take your pick from. I decided to do an observation lap, just to make sure I had the lay of the land before committing my stomach to a decision. 

As I walked around, my tour guide, Lavinia, spoke to me through a prerecorded message and educated me on the market. A popular lunch in Denmark is the Smørrebrød, a sort of open-faced sandwich. Lavinia told me it’s pretty easy to spot tourists enjoying one, as they use their hands to eat, while Danish locals use a knife and fork. I’m glad I learned this before I chose my food because there’s a 100% chance I would have gotten it wrong. I’ve been eating sandwiches my whole life, I love a good sandwich; I would never have considered using cutlery. If you do fancy trying Smørrebrød, it’s worth remembering that to avoid being laughed at.

I settled for a sandwich (the closed-face type that I can eat with my hands without fear of judgement) from Patisserie Marie France. As basic as it may sound, a simple ham and cheese is a dish that tastes so good if you get real quality ingredients. Farm-fresh ham, artisanal cheeses, and freshly baked bread elevate the humble sandwich to another level. In a city known for its love of art, it was a masterpiece itself. 

But the best course was yet to come: dessert. If you ever want me to visit your restaurant, and I’m open to invites, the best way to entice me is by sending a photo of your desserts first. The chocolatey the better when it comes to the dish, and their dessert counter was what dragged me in. Filled with vibrant colours, I was wracked with indecision on what to buy.

I ultimately had to consult an expert and ask the server for her recommendation. She chose the Ferrero Nougat for me, and not for a second have I doubted her decision. The cake was delectable, with the perfect texture, and my spoon just glided through it. And the taste was on another level; I could have eaten a dozen and still wanted more.

It tasted divine, she clearly made the right choice. There are a lot of other stalls and vendors to explore, so there will be something for whatever takes your fancy. Perfect for when you’re in the “I’m hungry but don’t know what I want” sort of mood. However, it’s dangerous if you are inclined to eat everything. I was spoilt for choice, and frankly if I wasn’t careful I would have consumed a lot more cake.

  It was a bit tricky to find a seat once I had my food, but if the weather is good, there are a lot of benches outside for you to sit and enjoy your meal in the sun. I found a place to perch on the end of a vendor’s stall. It was the perfect place to reflect on my morning and people-watch. I took a moment to check the photos on my camera.

The photos of Gefion Fountain I was particularly happy with, so I started to take some notes. A notebook and pen are two items I never travel without. I know it’s old-fashioned, but in this digital age, it’s a nice way for me to process everything without being distracted, and I didn’t want to forget my morning learnings about Copenhagens art and the Little Mermaid facts.

As I sat and enjoyed my cake, I poured over the map to decide where to go next. I decided I wanted more green space, so I opted for the nearby Botanical Gardens. I have by no means a green thumb; in fact, I hate gardening. But I do find my mind is more relaxed when walking amongst the flowers.