Copenhagen’s Best Restaurants & Cafes with Outdoor Dining

As COVID-19 restrictions have eased in Denmark, places to eat and drink in Copenhagen are flourishing. Given that the sun is coming back out and the weather will soon (probably!) be warm, eating and drinking alfresco is a great option.

Where to go when you want a nice meal, whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just a few drinks? Copenhagen has a huge range of spots with outdoor seating, from small tables to long, communal boards and benches.

Here are the best restaurants and cafes with outdoor dining in Copenhagen:

Copenhagen Cafes with Outdoor Seating

Lille Petra Cafe

Part of Danish design brand &Tradition’s stunning showroom, Lille Petra is a cafe serving up well-made and tasty basic items like sandwiches, pastries, and coffee.

The courtyard attached to the cafe is lovely; green and leafy, with plenty of great Scandinavian design around to make sure your time is extra hyggeligt.

Lille Petra Cafe

Kronprinsessegade 4
1306 København K

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Sat & Sun Closed

Cafe La Pausa

With a large, sun-filled terrace, La Pausa is a fantastic spot for outdoor dining.

The menu covers breakfast to dinner, as well as coffee, wine, and cocktails. The plates focus on local and seasonal vegetables as well as simple, well-made items like fresh bread and sweet baked goods.

Cafe La Pausa

Ewaldsgade 7
2200 København N

Opening Hours:
Mon – Weds 8:00 am – 10:00 pm
Thurs & Fri 8:00 am – midnight
Sat 10:00 am – midnight
Sun 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Cafe Taxa

Sitting on the corner of Stefansgade and Hørsholmgade, just next to Jægersborggade, Taxa has a tasty menu and laid-back atmosphere. Their extensive outdoor seating is perfect for a sunny morning, and their cosy interior is just right in winter.

Though their burger and fries (especially the fries) are well-loved in the city, their brunch is a treat as well. Their most simple offering is a sourdough roll with butter, apple compote and cheese; top notch with a cup of steaming hot coffee!

Cafe Taxa

Hørsholmsgade 32
2200 København N

Opening Hours:
Mon – Thurs 8:00 am – midnight
Fri 8:00 am – 2:00 am
Sat 9:00 am – 2:00 am
Sun 9:00 am – 11:00 pm

Pixie

This busy Østerbro cafe is a sister-restaurant to Taxa, and the menus are almost identical. The vibe, however, is entirely local.

There’s a good deal of outdoor seating, and the atmosphere is always fun.

Pixie

Løgstorgade 2
2100 København Ø

Opening Hours:
Mon – Thurs 8:00 am – midnight
Fri 8:00 am – 4:00 am
Sat 9:00 am – 4:00 am
Sun 9:00 am – midnight

The Sixteen Twelve

Possibly the best brunch in Copenhagen! Sixteen Twelve takes a page out of Austalia’s menu, serving healthy portions of smashed avo and eggs benedict, with every dish containing elements of fermented, probiotic, and gut-healthy ingredients. Il Buco baked goods are also available.

Alongside your typical lattes and filter coffee, you’ll also find shots of apple cide vinegar and bone broth for a true wellness experience.

The Sixteen Twelve

Jægersborggade 8 KL TH
2200 København

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 9 am – 3 pm
Sat & Sun: 8 am – 3:45 pm

Apollo Bar and Kantine

Known for their aesthetically-pleasing food and interior, Apollo Bar and Kantine also happens to have one of the best, if not the best, outdoor eating spaces in all of Copenhagen. Tucked behind a gate off of the famous Nyhavn, Apollo is located in Charlottenborg Kunsthall, an art exhibition space.

While the restaurant itself is fairly small, the courtyard is large and gorgeous; you can get any meal there, but we highly recommend the breakfast.

Apollo Bar and Kantine

Charlottenborg
Nyhavn 2
1051 København K

Dyrehaven

This is truly a locals-love-it kind of cafe, located in Vesterbro. This place is a hopping pub in the evenings, but through the morning, lunch, and dinner services they have a great range of hearty and simple dishes.

Since they’re located on a corner, they have quite a large outdoor dining space that will make alfresco eating easy.

Dyrehaven

Sondre Boulevard 72
1720 København V

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri 9:30 am – 10:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sun 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

The Union Kitchen

A favorite of the trendy set, Union Kitchen is one of those places that actually lives up to the hype. Their brunch plate is the stuff of dreams, complete with avocado on toast, scrambled eggs, a waffle, croissant, smoked salmon and a bread basket. All this in the super-chic setting of a central Copenhagen cafe.

The outdoor seating is Parisian-style, so you can sit by and watch the world go by!

The Union Kitchen

Store Strandstrade 21
1255 København K

Opening Hours:
Mon – Thurs 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Fri 7:30 am – midnight
Sat 8:00 am – midnight
SUn 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Copenhagen Restaurants with Outdoor Seating

Bottega Barlie

With a rotating menu that focuses on fresh, seasonal vegetables, local ingredients, and Mediterranean-inspired dishes, Bottega Barlie has quickly become a local favorite.

Their leafy, lush courtyard is perfect for enjoying a meal any time of day.

Bottega Barlie

Fredericiagade 78
1310 København K

Opening Hours:
Sun & Mon Closed
Tues – Fri breakfast & lunch 7:30 am – 11:00 am, dinner from 5:00 pm
Sat breakfast & lunch 9:00 am – 11:00 am, dinner from 5:00 pm

Tapperiet Brus

The eatery and bar run by Copenhagen brewers To Øl is well known for their fun alfresco seating. On a warm night, it can get packed quickly.

Their beer menu is wide-ranging and always tasty. The food menu changes frequently but currently includes a schnitzel burger, veggie burger, and Korean-style chicken wings.

Restaurant Kanalen

If you’re looking to have a meal in historic Christianshavn, right along the water, this is your spot. With an old-fashioned and unpretentious atmosphere, as well as elevated food and service, Kanalen is beloved amongst both locals and tourists.

The alfresco dining area is lovely, with greenery all around and a view of the canal; it’s Copenhagen’s version of paradise on a sunny day!

Restaurant Kanalen

Wilders Plads 3
1403 København K

Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat 11:30 am – 10:00 pm

Corsa Pizza

With two locations in the city, delicious Neapolitan-style pizzas, and a menu full of authentic Italian classics like burrata and Aperol spritzes, there’s no better spot in Copenhagen to live La Dolce Vita.

If you’re eating at a less desirable time of year, the restaurant’s simple decor and walls plastered in Italian pop-culture and stills from The Talented Mr Ripley will be enough to transport you to a rocky beach in Sicily.

There are small tables outside perfect for an intimate meal and people-watching, or push a few together to get a little more rowdy.

Restaurant Lola

With chic surroundings and a charming garden, it’s no wonder that people have been waiting to get into Lola’s outdoor dining area.

The restaurant is known for their Indian dishes. Enjoy lunch or dinner, as well as some delicious drinks, in gorgeous surroundings.

Restaurant Lola

Christianshavns Voldgade 54
1424 Køpenhavn K

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri 11:30 am – 8:0 pm
Sat & Sun 4:30 – 8:00 pm

Copenhagen Bars with Outdoor Seating

Ved Stranden 10

Ved Stranden 10, an elegant wine bar that overlooks Christiansborg Palace, was one of the first to fully embrace natural wines in Copenhagen.

With one of the city’s most extensive cellars, Ved Stranden 10 is well-worth the visit. The extensive outdoor seating overlooking Slotsholmen Canal is icing on the cake.

Ved Stranden 10

Ved Stranden 10
1061 København K

Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 10:00 pm
Sun Closed

Pompette

Before co-founding Pompette, Martin Ho spent ten years working with natural wines and their producers across Europe and the US. On returning to Copenhagen, he was surprised by the high cost.

When Martin opened Pompette with his business partner Jesper Emil Norrie last year, they listed wines at 50 kroner per glass. “At 50 kroner, anyone can come on board,” Martin says.

The bar also serves a few small, delicious plates like burrata and fresh bread. There are quite a few tables outside, but get there early because it’s a popular spot!

Next door is Poulette, where you can get a friend chicken sandwich or a spicy Mapo tofu sandwich at the end of the night.

Pompette

Møllegade 3
2200 København N

Opening Hours:
Every day 2:00 pm – midnight

Riga Boden

A large, green, and casual outdoor space on Lithuaens Plads makes this bar the ideal place to get together for a long night with friends. They serve beer, wine, cocktails, and small snacks.

The vibe is very local and relaxed, and this place gets busy on the weekends, so make sure to get there early if you want a table!

This is also the kind of spot you can rent out for an event, so if you’re looking for an outdoor place for your birthday party, wedding, or anything else fun, check out Riga!

Riga Boden

Dannebrogsgade 53
1660 København V

Opening Hours:
Sun & Mon 1:30 – 8:00 pm
Tues – Sat 1:30 – 10:00 pm

Copenhagen Rooftops with Outdoor Dining

Tramonto

With an outdoor rooftop that has view over all of Copenhagen and the newly built-up Carlsberg Byen, Tramonto atop Hotel Ottilia is a great spot for a hearty, authentic Italian meal. The menu is full of seasonal dishes that bring a local Nordic twist to classic flavor profiles.

If you’re not in the mood for a full meal but want to take in the view, drop by for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. They also serve snacks, as well as charcuterie and cheese boards for a small bite while you take in the sunset.

Tramonto

Hotel Ottilia
Bryggernes Plads 7 (additional entrance at Pasteursvej 2)
1799 København

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri 12:00 pm – midnight
Sat & Sun 1:00 pm – midnight

Junglefish Bar at Manon Les Suites

Enjoy cocktails, wine, or beer on a beautiful, casual open rooftop terrace. During the summer weekends they occasionally have music on the rooftop, so check their website to see what’s on offer.

Manon Les Suites is known for their incredible indoor pool, but that won’t be open for some time; instead, sip something cold while taking in the sunshine.

Junglefish Bar at Manon Les Suites

Gyldenløvesgade 19
1600 København V

Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat 4:00 – 10:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00- 6:00 pm

Lobby Bar at SP34

Lobby Bar is part of the super-central and cozy Hotel SP34. Though the indoor part of the bar will not be open for some time, the rooftop terrace will be open for drinks for both hotel guests and additional patrons.

The terrace is quite small, but it’s leafy and charming. Lobby Bar has the largest port selection in Copenhagen, so consider this place ideal for a post-dinner digestif.

Lobby Bar at SP34

Hotel SP34

Opening Hours:
Sun – Weds Closed
Thurs – Sat 11:30 am – midnight

Feel like a food hall instead? Many of them have outdoor seating! Check out our guide to Copenhagen’s best food halls for the full list.

Text for Corsa Pizza by Sorcha McCrory.