Restaurants are tricky in Copenhagen. Knowledge on gluten is still growing. In other words, they may poison you by accident. It is important to ask your waiter or waitress to ask the chef about gluten and inform the chef about the allergy when the order is placed.
About half of the time I go out to eat, I ask the waitress ask the chef about gluten, which she does, and then she serves me a plate with a piece of bread on it. Here are some common lines I hear from waitstaff and other food industry workers when I tell them I have a gluten allergy: "What's that again?" "Gluten...that's milk right?" "Gluten. So wheat?"
While some waitstaff may be clueless about gluten, many (but not all) of the chefs know what's up. Most of the higher end restaurants will be very good about keeping gluten out of your food. Some even prepare gluten free bread for you! However, you still need to take measures to make sure your food is gluten free even if your server knows what gluten is. And remember, Copenhagen is socialistic, which means they are really good on equality, not service, so take the time to explain to your server what you can and cannot eat. It is up to you to make sure your Asian meal does not have soy sauce in it, that your shrimp is not served on rye bread and that there is no flour in the various sauces.
One more note, if you order gluten free and are eating more than one course, odds are the first course is gf, but you may want to check that courses 2 and 3 are gluten free if you have any doubts. I have had experiences at two (that I know about) restaurants where someone forgot about my gluten allergy somewhere along the way and put bread crumbs or malt-infused sauce on my main course.
Here are a few recommendations by cuisine:
Chinese (kinesisk):
Forget it
Japanese (japansk):
Sanshin Sushi in Frederiksberg - simple, fresh and serve gluten free soy
Karma Fudaraku in the city center - Fantastic and creative sushi. They go out of their way to make gluten free dishes. Unfortunately they did not have GF soy sauce the last time I went.
Sticks and Sushi with multiple locations in CPH - Very good quality sushi. Forget about their creative menus or 'sticks' though - you will only be able to do simpler options. Bonus: they have really good GF tamari sauce.
Umami in city center - Arguably the best sushi in town. Definitely the priciest. GF soy sauce ✓.
Don Don Sushi with multiple locations in CPH - Budget sushi that is not bad. Copenhagen doesn't really do bad food...
French (fransk)
Les Trois Cochons in Vesterbro is your best bet. They use very little flour for being a French restaurant, and the chefs are knowledgeable on gluten. They only do pre-fixe, but it is always really good.
Chez Laurent is the only place in town that I have found that has completely gluten free Breton galettes (similar to crepes but savory and made of 100% buckwheat). And they are delicious! I recommend the veggie one.
Note: the other two places I know of in CPH make galettes with wheat flour in addition to buckwheat. Beware.
Indian/Pakistani (indisk/pakistansk)
Indian food is generally a safe bet, since they use a lot of graham (lentil) flour. My favorite is La Coruna Tandoori in Vesterbro; they know about gluten there also.
If you are craving dosa (tandoori-cooked, rice and lentil-based flat bread), head to The
South Indian in Frederiksberg. They have several dosa options and can make them dairy free upon request.
I have also heard that Guru is very good at catering to GF diets, although I have yet to try it myself.
Italian (italiensk)
Italian is tough. There are a couple places around town that will let you bring your own pasta, and they will cook it for you. But you still run a high risk of cross contamination in any Italian kitchen. Scarpetta in Nørrebro is the only one I know of that offers gluten free bread.
New Nordic (Ny Nordisk)
There are many options for this and many are expensive, so they are forced to accommodate you with your allergy, and they generally do a good job. My new favorite is Höst in the city center because they make gluten free dark bread and the pre-fixe is affordable.
Persian (persisk)
Zafran in Nørrebro is the only one I know, and it is GF-friendly and delicious.
Spanish (spansk)
I have not yet found a Spanish place that offers gluten free bread. They all seem to know about gluten though, so bring your own bread and take your pick.
Thai (thai)
Thai food is a great option for celiacs in Denmark. They use flour and soy sauce in very few dishes, so it is generally a safe bet. Aroii (multiple locations) is a personal favorite.
Vietnamese (vietnamesisk)
Similar to traveling around Vietnam, availability of gluten free dishes at the Vietnamese restaurants in town vary. You can go just about anywhere other than Lele Street Kitchen.
Fast casual (and delicious) dining:
42 Raw is a fantastic option for gluten free food. Most of their items are naturally gluten-free, and the staff is quite knowledgeable about food allergies. They have four different locations now, including downtown and in Frederiksberg Centret (I have only included the ones in greater Copenhagen). Their salads are fresh and colorful, and their juices are top-notch. I would recommend the "lasagne". Yummy.
Waterfront Shopping
Tuborg Havnevej 4-8
2900 Hellerup
(Nearest S-train station: Hellerup)
Palæo offers several gluten free options in two central locations at Torvehallerne and on Pilestrade, as well as a new location in Frederiksberg Centret. They make great, fresh juices and homemade almond milk for cappuccinos. Their whole menu is gluten free, so there is no fear of cross contamination. The dishes there are creative and packed with veggies, like risotto made from cauliflower and spaghetti made of zucchini. You can get wraps - where the wrapper is a plain, flat omelet - filled with various meats and/or vegetables. They also sell a gluten free bread that consists solely of nuts, seeds, oil, salt, and eggs.
Frederiksberg Centret, Falkoner Alle 21
2000 Frederiksberg
(Nearest metro: Frederiksberg)
About half of the time I go out to eat, I ask the waitress ask the chef about gluten, which she does, and then she serves me a plate with a piece of bread on it. Here are some common lines I hear from waitstaff and other food industry workers when I tell them I have a gluten allergy: "What's that again?" "Gluten...that's milk right?" "Gluten. So wheat?"
While some waitstaff may be clueless about gluten, many (but not all) of the chefs know what's up. Most of the higher end restaurants will be very good about keeping gluten out of your food. Some even prepare gluten free bread for you! However, you still need to take measures to make sure your food is gluten free even if your server knows what gluten is. And remember, Copenhagen is socialistic, which means they are really good on equality, not service, so take the time to explain to your server what you can and cannot eat. It is up to you to make sure your Asian meal does not have soy sauce in it, that your shrimp is not served on rye bread and that there is no flour in the various sauces.
One more note, if you order gluten free and are eating more than one course, odds are the first course is gf, but you may want to check that courses 2 and 3 are gluten free if you have any doubts. I have had experiences at two (that I know about) restaurants where someone forgot about my gluten allergy somewhere along the way and put bread crumbs or malt-infused sauce on my main course.
Here are a few recommendations by cuisine:
Chinese (kinesisk):
Forget it
Japanese (japansk):
Sanshin Sushi in Frederiksberg - simple, fresh and serve gluten free soy
Karma Fudaraku in the city center - Fantastic and creative sushi. They go out of their way to make gluten free dishes. Unfortunately they did not have GF soy sauce the last time I went.
Sticks and Sushi with multiple locations in CPH - Very good quality sushi. Forget about their creative menus or 'sticks' though - you will only be able to do simpler options. Bonus: they have really good GF tamari sauce.
Umami in city center - Arguably the best sushi in town. Definitely the priciest. GF soy sauce ✓.
Don Don Sushi with multiple locations in CPH - Budget sushi that is not bad. Copenhagen doesn't really do bad food...
French (fransk)
Les Trois Cochons in Vesterbro is your best bet. They use very little flour for being a French restaurant, and the chefs are knowledgeable on gluten. They only do pre-fixe, but it is always really good.
Chez Laurent is the only place in town that I have found that has completely gluten free Breton galettes (similar to crepes but savory and made of 100% buckwheat). And they are delicious! I recommend the veggie one.
Note: the other two places I know of in CPH make galettes with wheat flour in addition to buckwheat. Beware.
Indian/Pakistani (indisk/pakistansk)
Indian food is generally a safe bet, since they use a lot of graham (lentil) flour. My favorite is La Coruna Tandoori in Vesterbro; they know about gluten there also.
If you are craving dosa (tandoori-cooked, rice and lentil-based flat bread), head to The
South Indian in Frederiksberg. They have several dosa options and can make them dairy free upon request.
I have also heard that Guru is very good at catering to GF diets, although I have yet to try it myself.
Italian (italiensk)
Italian is tough. There are a couple places around town that will let you bring your own pasta, and they will cook it for you. But you still run a high risk of cross contamination in any Italian kitchen. Scarpetta in Nørrebro is the only one I know of that offers gluten free bread.
New Nordic (Ny Nordisk)
There are many options for this and many are expensive, so they are forced to accommodate you with your allergy, and they generally do a good job. My new favorite is Höst in the city center because they make gluten free dark bread and the pre-fixe is affordable.
Persian (persisk)
Zafran in Nørrebro is the only one I know, and it is GF-friendly and delicious.
Spanish (spansk)
I have not yet found a Spanish place that offers gluten free bread. They all seem to know about gluten though, so bring your own bread and take your pick.
Thai (thai)
Thai food is a great option for celiacs in Denmark. They use flour and soy sauce in very few dishes, so it is generally a safe bet. Aroii (multiple locations) is a personal favorite.
Vietnamese (vietnamesisk)
Similar to traveling around Vietnam, availability of gluten free dishes at the Vietnamese restaurants in town vary. You can go just about anywhere other than Lele Street Kitchen.
Fast casual (and delicious) dining:
42 Raw is a fantastic option for gluten free food. Most of their items are naturally gluten-free, and the staff is quite knowledgeable about food allergies. They have four different locations now, including downtown and in Frederiksberg Centret (I have only included the ones in greater Copenhagen). Their salads are fresh and colorful, and their juices are top-notch. I would recommend the "lasagne". Yummy.
42 Raw
Pilestræde 321112 Copenhagen
(Nearest metro: Kongens Nytorv)
42 Raw42 Raw
Frederiksberg Centret, Falkoner Alle 212000 Frederiksberg
(Nearest metro: Frederiksberg)
Waterfront Shopping
Tuborg Havnevej 4-8
2900 Hellerup
(Nearest S-train station: Hellerup)
Palæo offers several gluten free options in two central locations at Torvehallerne and on Pilestrade, as well as a new location in Frederiksberg Centret. They make great, fresh juices and homemade almond milk for cappuccinos. Their whole menu is gluten free, so there is no fear of cross contamination. The dishes there are creative and packed with veggies, like risotto made from cauliflower and spaghetti made of zucchini. You can get wraps - where the wrapper is a plain, flat omelet - filled with various meats and/or vegetables. They also sell a gluten free bread that consists solely of nuts, seeds, oil, salt, and eggs.
Palæo in Torvelhallerne
Hall 1Rømersgade 18
1362 Copenhagen K
(nearest metro: Nørreport)
PalæoPalæo
Pilestræde 32
1112 Copenhagen K
(nearest metro: Kongens Nytorv)
Frederiksberg Centret, Falkoner Alle 21
2000 Frederiksberg
(Nearest metro: Frederiksberg)
Fantastic guide. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi I'm Gluten Free in Denmark (on Facebook)- Noreen :) Love your site ! will share at my workshop this weekend - check out my page for info - maybe you'd even come :)
ReplyDeleteVery helpful!! thank you!!
ReplyDelete