The allure of Vesterbro, the district that spreads west from Copenhagen’s central station, is in the contrast it provides with the colourful waterside houses, cobbled streets and tourist-thronged sites of the city centre. Here, the hordes thin, the streets widen and you can tap into a Danish living vibe that manages to be laid-back yet sophisticated. There’s little evidence of the seedy nightlife that once made it a no-go area; now student dives and tattoo shops are interspersed with charming courtyard bars and design shops.
1. A good starting point is on the eastern border, where it meets leafy Frederiksburg. Granola (Værnedamsvej 5, aok.dk) is something of a local institution, a spot where families come for a pancake breakfast (45DKK, about £5), old ladies stop for a croissant, and earnest young intellectuals sit discussing books. The décor is refreshingly un-Scandi, though its menu and civilised touches are Danish through and through – order cinnamon toast and tea (part of the “sweet breakfast platter”, £10). The owner, Leif, also has a “hotel” around the corner – a one-room establishment atop his tiny Central cafe (centralhotelogcafe.dk, £190 B&B) that feels a bit like the cabin of a beautifully refurbished boat.
2. When you leave Granola you’ll step out on to Værnedamsvej, one of Copenhagen’s loveliest streets. People come here for the food – wine bar Falernum (number 16) and restaurant Les Trois Cochons (number 10) are justifiably popular – but also for Blomsterskuret (number 3), a flower shop that would tempt even non-gardeners with its displays; Dora (number 6), which stocks homewares by Georg Jensen and Hay; and Tout Petit (number 17), a little shop piled high with floral fabrics from which the owner rustles up coo-worthy outfits for babies andchildren. There’s even a concept shop, Playtype (also number 6), for font nerds, selling posters, mugs and T-shirts.
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3. If you walk the length of Vesterbrogade (window shopping for furniture in shops such as Nyhuus at number 115 or Designer Zoo at number 137 on the way) you’ll be ready for coffee by the end. Enghave Kaffe (Enghave plads 3, enghavekaffe.dk) is decorated with old motorbike paraphernalia (retro helmets, a vintage bike) and is run by three friendly Harley-Davidson riders who take their coffee seriously. Take a seat on the streetside benches for some people watching and you’ll probably find yourself next to a pram or two – Danes often leave sleeping babies outside cafes and restaurants in an admirable display of parental nonchalance. Nearby, Vintage Kids (Enghave plads 17) has cool vintage and second-hand clothing for children.
4. The Carlsberg Museum (visitcarlsberg.dk) probably isn’t the best museum in the world but it is part of an interesting development on Vesterbro’s western fringes. The famous lager’s enormous former brewing plant is slowly being transformed into a “microcity”, currently comprising a museum about the beer’s history, a couple of bars, a restaurant, a fun “pop-up” area where locals sell second-hand clothes and an “urban beach”. The complex also includes a Climbing Forest (klatreskoven.dk), which brilliantly showcases the hearty, eco-minded Danish world view in a hippyish climbing trail along wooden platforms and zipwires.
5. If you’re channelling local traditions you should have smørrebrød for lunch. This rye bread with toppings is often described as an open sandwich though that hardly does justice to the creations coming out of the kitchen at Ol & Brod (Viktoriagade 6, ologbrod.dk). A smart new restaurant with communal tables outside, it’s an offshoot of the area’s hip Mikkeller beer bar (practically next door) which supplies the refreshments. If you don’t like beer, the aquavit menu has more than 50 options.
6. Istedgade is Vesterbro’s best shopping artery. Stroll along it and you’ll find shops selling designer fashion, antiques and toys. Bicycle-lovers are especially well catered for – look out for the stylish cycling capes at Kyoto (kyoto.dk) and the sit-up-and-beg bikes at Cykelfabrikken (cykhttp://fastfotopicdesk:8079/cgi-bin/MogulServiceDesk?Action=GetAssetData&dbName=GNL+Picture+Management&userName=Gavin+McOwan&key=GD*45351642elfabrikken.dk). It’s worth exploring off the main road for little gems, too. Sort Kaffe & Vinyl (Skydebanegade 4) sells vintage and new records in a shop that doubles as a café.
7. About seven years ago, the former butcher’s and fishmonger’s shops of the Meatpacking District, south of Vesterbro’s Sønder Boulevard, started being regenerated as restaurants. It’s now a buzzy spot and a foody hub. The newest restaurant in the area is Kul (restaurantkul.dk, which champions the area’s gritty look (the buildings are listed so all establishments have white bathroom tiles on the walls and terracotta floors) but has a more international culinary outlook. Influenced by Californian-style cooking, chef-founders Henrik Jyrk and Christian Mortensen gambled on a bit of a local backlash to the now ubiquitous Nordic cooking style to create a menu that spans the globe – ribs with kimchee, for example, or Ibérico ham with tempura squid. Dinner including wine from around £42 a head.
8. For something a little more refined, head back to Vesterbrogade and Lidkoeb (lidkoeb.dk), a new sibling to the city’s famous Ruby cocktail bar (in the city centre). Here, a former apothecary’s shop has been transformed into an elegant three-floor drinking den. The downstairs, with leather banquettes and floor-to-ceiling arched windows, is for being seen sipping cocktails such as the håndslag – a mix of cachaça, pineapple syrup, fresh lime and celery bitters (£12); the middle floor has more of a living room feel, and up top is a Chesterfield- and rug-swathed den under the eaves for whisky lovers. It’s an immaculate take on a late-night drinking spot.
9. Where to stay
Bertrams at Vesterbrogade 107 (guldsmeden-hotels.com) feels more like a B&B than a hotel – warm staff, your own front-door key – and it’s in the thick of Vesterbro (ask for a room at the back if traffic noise might disturb you). It has a garden with tables for eating or reading at, bikes for guests to use and does fantastic organic breakfasts of granola, fruit and baked items (£15pp). Doubles cost from £99.
10. Local’s tip: Esben Pagh, manager, Lidkoeb, and Vesterbro resident
Märkbar (Vesterbrogade 106A) is a basement dive where the decor, clientele and staff are all rough and ready. There is no shortage of piercings, tattoos and rock ‘n’ roll attitude, but the people are friendly, the stereo rotates hard rock, and you can get a good pint. This is also one of the few places where you’re still allowed to smoke, so you may smell a little toasty after a visit.
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