Café Petersborg's most iconic dish: crispy-skinned pork belly (stegt flæsk) served hot with plain boiled potatoes and a silky, herb-forward parsley sauce. The pork is neither fatty nor lean—the balance is perfect. This is the most Danish of Danish dishes, and this is the place that does it right. Available for dinner and as a special on Tuesdays for lunch.
Tips from diners
Order this if you want to taste the most traditional Danish meal. Come on a Tuesday when it's offered as a lunch special.
The classic Danish starter: crisp, tart herring arranged atop rye bread with thin red onion rings and scattered dill. Café Petersborg serves this exactly as it's been served for centuries—no modern riffs.
Tips from diners
Order this at lunch with an akvavit if you want the full 300-year-old experience.
Café Petersborg makes their liver pâté in-house daily, achieving a smooth, rich texture. Served with sharp cornichon slices and crispy bacon. A warm, substantial smørrebrød that's been on the menu since the restaurant opened.
Tips from diners
This is a true taste of old Copenhagen—don't skip it if you're trying to understand Danish food culture.
A lunch smørrebrød: tender roast beef layered on dense rye bread with tangy, fresh remoulade and crispy fried onion shreds. Straightforward and reliable—this is what Café Petersborg has been serving since the 1700s.
Tips from diners
This is one of the most affordable smørrebrød in Indre By and genuinely good. Order it if you want a classic lunch.
A traditional Danish dinner dish: diced beef and potatoes fried together until caramelized, topped with a fried egg and tangy beet relish. Humble, filling, and comfort-food at its finest. The kind of thing Danish families have eaten for generations.
Tips from diners
Order this if you want something warm and filling for dinner. It's unfussy and satisfying.
Café Petersborg's roots go back to the middle of the 1700s, when the building on Bredgade housed a Russian Consulate—the restaurant's name comes from the Russian sailors who frequented the basement dining room. Today, it remains one of Copenhagen's most authentic traditional Danish dining rooms: four interconnected rooms with dark wood beams, oil lamps, and handwritten checks delivered by staff who've worked here for decades. The lunch menu is an overwhelming selection of smørrebrød; dinner serves Danish classics like biksemad (meat and potato hash) and stegt flæsk med persillesovs (fried pork with parsley sauce). No pretension, no updating—just time-tested Danish comfort food.
Call ahead, especially for Friday or Saturday dinner. Walk-ins are possible on quiet weekdays, but don't count on a table.
Lunch is 11:30–14:00 with an extensive smørrebrød menu. Dinner is 17:00–21:00 with Danish hot dishes. Daily specials are written on a chalkboard.
The interior is unchanged since the 1700s—four rooms with dark wood beams, oil lamps, and handwritten paper checks. This is one of the few restaurants in Copenhagen that feels genuinely historic.
Smørrebrød costs 118–150 DKK. Dinner mains cost 165–200 DKK. Prices are reasonable for the quality and the experience of eating in a 300-year-old room.
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