Torvehallerne

Foodies, rejoice. Torvehallerne is a one-stop shop for several meals, snacks, and gourmet groceries or gastronomical gifts. It’s an airy, light-filled building with all kinds of purveyors, from fantastic coffee shops, chefs cooking fresh pasta and serving it hot to you at the counter, a farmers market outside, a tapas bar, you name it. If you’ve ever been to Florence, think of Mercato Centrale, but in a nicer setting and housing more variety. Ride your bike there to grab a bite or to spend the day enjoying its bounty.

Copenhagen has been a culinary hot spot for more than a decade, defining New Nordic cuisine through such restaurants as Noma and Relae. Torvehallerne is a newish must-visit destination for foodies, coffee obsessives, craft beer enthusiasts, and, well, anyone who loves visiting local markets when they travel. A food hall filled with fresh produce, pour-over coffee purveyors, modern baked goods, beer (Mikkeler, pictured here!) and so much more, Torvehallerne is the kind of place you could visit every day you’re in Copenhagen. Not that I’m copping to that, but...

If you are staying in an apartment on your visit to Copenhagen, the Torvehallerne has a bounty of perfect produce as well as meat and fresh fish to stock your larder. But even if you don’t have a kitchen, you’ll want to stop by this popular market on Frederiksborggade, between the lakes and the historic sites on the eastern side of Copenhagen. A number of vendors in two parallel buildings sell pastries, smørrebrød, and other snacks and meals. When the sun comes out, you can expect the outdoor tables to quickly fill with Danes drinking beer and coffee.

Torvehallerne was recommended by the staff at Noma and was by far the best place to hang out and enjoy great, cheap food. It’s an indoor/outdoor market famed for the best fresh fish. If you are renting an apartment for your stay, and are able to cook, this is the place to go for the ingredients. What I loved is that the majority of the vendors also make food right there so you can enjoy different fresh bites. I recommend trying the Smørrebrød here. It’s a Danish open sandwich with many toppings to choose from. My favorite? Pate and thick bacon with pickles.

Erected on a cobblestone square amongst the tall residences built in the Haussmanian style so associated with Europe is the Torvehallerne market. There you can stroll through well-lit, glass-enclosed aisles and try fresh breads (Lauras Bakery); a well-frosted Princess cupcake (Agnes Cupcakes); a stiff espresso (Coffee Collective); Italian rotisserie pork and potatoes (Un Mercato); a charcuterie plate with gherkins and olives and paired with wine (Cleaver’s Meat Market). At Torvehallerne there are over sixty risk-free selections; Copenhagen’s well-deserved reputation as being a top foodie destination precedes it. After we ate we stopped at the Summerbird Chocolaterie stand, enticed by a bowl of chocolate covered almonds sprinkled with a blue pixie dust. (It was tinted chocolate powder.) Once drawn in we eyed the Snowballs (a Marzipan base, a Polynesian vanilla fill, and a dark chocolate reinforcement) glazed in all the colors of Spring; further examined the Valencia almonds (in particular the ones that looked like weathered stones - a Madagascar chocolate coat flecked with sea salt); and studied the Petite Fours shaped like the butterflies which gave rise to the store’s name. Not surprisingly we left with bags of chocolates readied to be taken home and shared with friends. (Well, at least the ones we didn’t end up eating ourselves.) Torvehallerne is a must-visit for anyone interested in the Danish gourmet food scene and enjoying nice, reasonably priced meals.

Torvehallerne is Copenhagen‘s delicious farmers’ market, open daily and offering tons of organic, sustainable and locally-sourced food fare. There are also free samples of certain items, so even if you don’t have a lot of money you can still enjoy some local flavor. Try organic ice cream, natural wines, artisanal honey, organic sausage, local cheeses and much more. There are even hand-made bath and body products.

Wander around the gorgeous indoor markets of Torvehallerne. Sample the food and then grab yourself a beer or glass of cava and take some time out in the sun (hopefully!)

A search for Danish porridge from Grød brought us to Torvehallerne, but I wasn’t at all expecting to fall in love with this place. The quality of the food sold at this market is supreme as the presentation of the produce, seafood, and everything else on offer makes it utterly enticing based on looks alone. Just as with everything else in Copenhagen, Torvehallerne is very clean and the booths are neat and orderly. Moreover, there are all sorts of enticing aromas wafting through the halls of this market: Danishes beckon to be devoured, meats cooking on the fire induce extreme mouthwatering, and the nostalgic scent of freshly brewing coffee epitomizes coziness and comfort. http://www.timetravelplans.net/european-market-culture/

This covered market, opened in 2011, is a food lover’s paradise. There are more than 60 stalls selling food from different countries—and even, with its paleo food stall, from different eras. Dine in or pick up something to go. For edible souvenirs of your visit to Copenhagen, it’s hard to beat.