While Michelin stars continue to rain down on Copenhagen, consolidating its reputation as the Nordic gastronomic capital, a new trend is reshaping the city’s food landscape: a surge in cheap bistros offering quality meals for under 200 DKK (approx. €27). This development is generating both enthusiasm and concern within Denmark’s restaurant industry.
Copenhagen now boasts 30 Michelin stars across multiple establishments, well ahead of Stockholm’s 17. Yet beyond high-end dining, restaurants such as Bavette, Le Petit Rouge, Bouillon, Le Grand Rouge and La Table are introducing a more accessible approach to eating out, with menus rooted in the French kitchen at noticeably lower prices.
Diverging views on quality and impact
Not everyone sees this trend in the same light. Jesper Uhrup Jensen, former editor-in-chief of Gastro magazine, argues that these inexpensive venues might actually lower the overall standard: “It is not a human right to get a steak for 78 kroner,” he said, adding that he fears such restaurants pull diners away from higher-quality establishments.
By contrast, Ole Troelsø, food editor and critic at Dagbladet Børsen, believes these bistros represent what he calls “folkekøkken version 2.0″—a new take on Denmark’s traditional popular kitchens. In his view, they enrich Copenhagen’s culinary ecosystem and may even push underperforming restaurants out of the market.
Small menus, simple concepts, broader audience
Restaurants like Bavette, located on Gråbrødre Torv, keep their offering simple: two main dishes—a flank steak (bavette) with fries and a vegetarian puff pastry with mushrooms—preceded by a green salad starter. This model allows them to maintain lower prices without sacrificing reasonable quality.
Troelsø points out that such places attract people who might otherwise opt for a burger chain or refrain from dining out altogether. “They offer good value for money,” he said, suggesting that they fill an important gap in the market.
Uhrup Jensen, however, remains sceptical: “I don’t think they add anything new. It’s more of the same—just at a lower price.”
The future of Copenhagen’s dining landscape
As more affordable French-style bistros open, the debate is likely to intensify. Are these restaurants democratizing Copenhagen’s acclaimed dining scene, or are they diluting the standards that have earned the city its stellar international reputation? For now, they seem to be carving out a space that appeals to locals and visitors looking for a taste of French cuisine without the premium price tag.
