out&about: Copenhagen’s Smorrebrod

Just a few steps down and behind dingy lace café curtains, businessmen in smart suits sit elbow to elbow with tourists on the pew-like bench that lines the long wall at Skindbuksen. Lunch in Copenhagen is a scene and the small wood-paneled bar located at No. 4 Lille Kongensgade Street has been feeding the city its midday meal for nearly three centuries (est. 1728). The crowd doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to return to work, or even play as lively conversations are well-lubricated by frosty pilsners and bracing shots of aquavit. Space is tight and tables practically abut, offering multi-lingual eavesdropping as dining entertainment.

Aside from the coziness of the room and the abundance of beverage, Copenhagen’s tradition of lunching on open-faced sandwiches lends itself to festive interaction. Just glance at any menu around town, and it’s clear that the Smørrebrød ritual has progressed far from “smør og brød” or “butter and bread.” While many shops around town sell beautiful pre-assembled versions of these sandwiches from counters for convenience, grab a table at a restaurant and have some make-your-own fun. Order a couple varieties from a long list of traditional favorites or take a friend along to share a “Platte” usually including half a dozen or so of the greatest hits.

Whatever your choice, a basket of thinly-sliced sourdough rye called “rugbrød” along with good Danish butter is served alongside the “pålæg” or “on-lay.” Dark and dense, smeared with the pale, slightly aromatic butter, the bread makes a study base for the flavorful toppings. Custom dictates a three-course lunch include a fish selection, followed by a meat, and finally a cheese eaten with fruit. Popular seafood choices are pickled herring with onions, capers, and dill or a crispy breaded filet of pliace – European flounder served with a mustardy tartar sauce locals refer to as remoulade. Meats can include buttery, tender roast beef with crispy onions and snowy horseradish, creamy chicken salad topped with salty bacon, or warm roasted pork, cracklings attached foiled by tart red cabbage.

Popular and versatile, Smørrebrød platters make a fine appetizer at dinnertime as well. Under 100,000 twinkling lanterns, in Copenhagen’s classic amusement park Tivoli Gardens, we settled into another landmark for a late supper. Located in a whimsical space just behind the colorful Pantomime Theater, Grøften’s was opened in 1874. With low ceilings supported by hefty wooden beams and large glass windows perfect for watching the evening stroll, the atmospheric eatery serves strong versions of hearty Danish favorites like crispy and tender schnitzel and glistening braised lamb shank. Before the mains arrived, as I dug into the aptly-named “Teaterplatte,” I realized I was eating more than a sandwich – each bite was a new memory in this enchanting city.