I love good food, but I’m terrible at planning where to eat when travelling solo. I’ll organise every unmissable attraction, then completely forget about lunch. Handily, one of the routes on the self-guided walking tour I was planning on doing with Around.Tours finished at Torvehallerne (Torvehallernekbh), which ended up making the decision for me.

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What is Torvehallerne?

Torvehallerne is a food market beside Nørreport in Central Copenhagen, spread across two glass market halls and some outdoor stalls. Inside you’ll find everything from fresh produce and Danish specialties to bakeries, coffee, chocolate and freshly cooked meals.

I have always found food markets to be the perfect place to eat, with friends you can all try different foods and share, and solo you can pick and choose whatever takes your fancy. If the weather is good you can sit outside with a Carlsberg, but when I visited I certainly had no trouble finding something delicious to eat.

What to Eat at Torvehallerne

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. 

Smørrebrød (Which I Didn’t Actually Order)

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 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. So if you fancy trying smørrebrød, Lavinia’s advice was to follow the locals and reach for a knife and fork.

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. Good-quality ham and cheese with freshly baked bread elevated a simple sandwich to another level. In a city known for its love of art, it was a masterpiece itself. 

Saving the best for last: Dessert at Torvehallerne

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.

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.

Taking a Break at Torvehallerne

 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 Copenhagen’s 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.

Is Torvehallerne Worth Visiting?

For me, Torvehallerne is absolutely worth adding as a stop on your Copenhagen itinerary. Instead of having to commit to one restaurant, I could take my pick from many and see what caught my eye. Considering that up until then I hadn’t found a restaurant in Copenhagen I enjoyed, a food market felt like a smart decision.

Regardless of what you intend to do on your city break, you’ll eventually reach a point where you’re hungry and don’t know what to eat, can’t agree on where to go, or simply want somewhere to sit down and relax. Torvehallerne solves all three problems.

My only complaint is the lack of seating. As I mentioned, there are seats both indoors and outdoors, but they are limited. I struggled to find somewhere to sit and eat my sandwich, and I was travelling solo. Most of the seating is outside, which obviously relies on the Copenhagen weather cooperating.

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