Maybe it’s because I grew up reading Hans Christian Andersen stories, I’ve always felt as though Copenhagen is a fairytale city. It’s hard not to feel that way during a Nordic summer, with its obscene amounts of sunlight and pleasant temperatures. Cycle around the city and you’ll see people swimming in the harbor, drinking natural wine alongside a canal, or simply soaking up the sun. It’s easy to see why Danes are often ranked as the happiest people in the world.
They certainly have some of the best coffee.
Copenhagen hosted World of Coffee 2024 and the trade show provided a good excuse to revisit one of Europe’s most exciting coffee cities. These are five of our favorite cafés in Copenhagen.
Darcy’s Kaffe
A blackboard outside Darcy’s Kaffe promises “good coffee” with an arrow directing passersby inside. It’s a sign well heeded.
In a city with some of the most influential roasters in Europe, Darcy’s specializes in bringing in coffee from a little further afield, whether it’s Koppi in nearby Helsingborg, Sweden or Belgium’s MOK.
The cup of Colombia, Cata, roasted by MOK, I had on drip was bright, sweet, and clean, but what I really loved about this café was the homey vibes and friendly service.
La Cabra
La Cabra may have started in Aarhus — Denmark’s second city — but the company’s roasting operations have been in the Danish capital since 2019.
Although the brand has more coffee shops in Aarhus and even New York, those hoping to try La Cabra in a retail environment need look no further than their Møntergade café, which is tucked in the corner of a clothing boutique.
What the location might lack in seating, it makes up for in exquisitely prepared microlots brewed by the cup.
April Coffee
Barista champion, roaster, author, and designer— Patrick Rolf needs no introduction to many fans of specialty coffee. But during World of Coffee, Rolf was mostly found working the bar at April Coffee’s café on Pilestræde. Despite having a nearly constant queue out the door, Rolf and his team calmly prepared the exceptional small-batch coffee they’re known for.
When we visited, we had a cup of Colombia, El Tesero, Pink Bourbon, brewed on April’s brand-new immersion brewer. The sweet, complex cup ranked among the best we had all week.
Coffee Collective
When I first visited Copenhagen in 2010 there was one Coffee Collective location. The 5-kilo coffee roaster took up half the space.
Fast forward 14 years later and the certified B-corp has an extensive retail presence around the city. I visited three Coffee Collective locations this time around. Although the kiosk might be the most photogenic, my personal favorite was Bernikow, with its atrium seating. During World of Coffee each Coffee Collective location focused on a specific coffee origin. Bernikow’s featured origin was Boliva. We were lucky enough to try Finca Takesi Geisha as both a pour-over and espresso.
Prolog
Copenhagen’s meatpacking district is something of a foodie paradise. There are bakeries and wine bars, pizzerias and fishmongers. There’s even an American barbecue place that’s better than you’ll find in many places in America.
At the center of it all, Prolog is keeping the neighborhood caffeinated. Even when slammed, the baristas were quick with a joke or a coffee recommendation. As one barista told me, it’s mostly fun to have thousands of coffee nerds descend upon a city.
Rather than add another pour-over to the queue, I order the batch brew: a Kenya, Gicherori AA. The black currant and stonefruit-forward cup was so good, I picked up a bag to take home.