Issue 22. * May 24th, 2023 

Here we are—another instalment in the long line of the newsletter that is Copenhagen Unfolded.

This time we'll take a good look at the city within the city. Frederiksberg is one of a kind. Always welcoming and accessible, with its green oases, authentic cultural gems and royal history, the neighbourhood has a special calm and confidence about it. And now summer is coming on and everything is truly green. Come see for yourself 😉

• The green city in the middle
• Small boutiques and high-end shopping
• Coffee and/or cocktails
• Hip Hop Interview
• Classic bistros and Michelin stars
• The old, the new, and the mesmerizing - Cultural Frederiksberg 

👍

Frederiksberg has the reputation of being a neighbourhood carrying a bohemian vibe, so break out your silky scarves, huge sunglasses, and maybe even a broad-rimmed felt hat if you really feel it. Craft coffee, handmade accessories, and green oases are waiting. let’s start walking the street of Frederiksberg.

THE GREEN CITY IN THE MIDDLE

Frederiksberg is often called the green city or the green neighbourhood, and rightly so. The city is full of parks, green areas and cosy squares. And even though it lies in the middle of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg has a surprisingly calm and relaxing vibe. 

Maybe the most famous park in Frederiksberg and a definite must-see area is Frederiksberg Gardens. It used to be the private park of King Frederik VI, who also stands guard at the main entrance of the park (you see where the park and the city get their names from?). Some of the most notable features of the park are the cosy canals that snake through it, Frederiksberg Palace that towers over the park, the Chinese pavilion and, of course, the viewpoint into the elephant exhibit in Copenhagen Zoo. 

Photo: Daniel Rasmussen

Right across from Frederiksberg Gardens, you'll find Søndermarken, almost the same size but with a more natural layout. Søndermarken also has a lookout into the Zoo but is probably more known for The Cisterns or Cisternerne, the old underground water reservoir of the city, now turned art space.

A more hidden gem of a park is Landbohøjskolens have, part of the University of Copenhagen. The park is filled with over 6000 different plants and most of them have a nametag with their Latin and danish name on. You'll find both traditional danish plants, and some you wouldn't normally find in Denmark.

SMALL BOUTIQUES AND HIGH-END SHOPPING

Frederiksberg radiates luxury, high-end and glamour, and the shopping scene is focused on small boutiques, often carrying local brands and high-quality, and handmade products. You’ll find anything from world-class design and fashion to regional Danish delicacies. 

You could start with the street Værnedamsvej, also known as a "mini-Paris", named one of the coolest streets in the world by Time Out Magazine. Here you’ll find a lot of independently owned stores like Helges ost or the French delicacy store Le Gourmand. The Danish fashion brand Wood Wood also has a store on this street. 

Photo: Daniel Rasmussen

Beyond Værnedamsvej, you'll some truly delicious delicacy stores, with all sorts of tasty food items and ingredients. Like Auren's Deli which focuses on organic and homegrown produce. Or Oliviers & Co. who specializes in Mediterranean delicacies, like cold-pressed extra virgin olive and truffle oils and vinegars.

COFFE AND/OR COCKTAILS

If there's one thing that says Frederiksberg, it’s the vast amount of cafés. As with the shops in Frederiksberg, many of the cafés are often run by local enthusiasts who are focusing on quality. Here is something for everyone who loves a good cup of coffee and café aesthetics that are a bit out of the ordinary.

If you want coffee on the go, stop by Rist Kaffebar on Værnedamsvej. The small café is located right on the edge of Frederiksberg and is rustically decorated with exposed brick walls and a bar covered in various kinds of wooden boards. Here you can stock up on excellent coffee and baked goods as you endeavour into Frederiksberg's charming streets.

If you prefer to sit somewhere and enjoy the vibes of Frederiksberg Allé, you can visit Oliver's Oase, located in a tiny building right next to Frederiksberg Church. The building, which dates from 1902, is only a 12 square meters footprint and served as a public toilet back in the years. But after 15 years out of use, the owner Oliver saw an untapped potential in the space and turned the place into a café and coffee shop.

When the clock strikes 17 and it's time for a drink, you can stop by the cocktail bar bird. On Gl.Kongevej, where you will be served classy cocktails accompanied by the sweet sound of classic and new jazz music from the bar's extensive vinyl collection.  

There are many more great coffee shops and drink spots in Frederiksberg, and you can get the full list of our faves here.

HIPHOP COFFEE

When talking about coffee in Frederiksberg, we can’t really avoid talking about HipHop, located on Frederiksberg Allé right by the metro stop. A little tucked away, but whose neon sign is not to be missed, lies the small coffee shop HipHop. With graffiti on the walls, skateboards, and hip-hop music pouring out of the speakers, this is not immediately what you associate with Frederiksberg.

The owner of the coffee shop, Luke, is behind the bar himself and welcomes everyone with a “Hey Wassup man,”. Luke has a long history in the coffee industry. It started 14 years ago as a simple supplement to get through his studies and has now culminated in his own coffee shop in Frederiksberg. Along the way, Luke has worked with coffee in several places in the United States and Australia and has been part of opening several coffee shops before returning to Denmark for the second time. Here he landed at Prolog and learned their style and their philosophy around roasting coffee beans.

It is essential for Luke that he can see himself in his work, so after almost 13 years in the coffee industry, where he has been under the ambitions and values of others, he decided that a change was in order: Either going to actually start something for himself, or completely change industry.

HipHop opened on June 4, 2022, and has recently expanded to roasting their own coffee and starting wholesale. We met with Luke at HipHop for a good cup of coffee and to learn more about how HipHop and Frederiksberg are connected.

Photo: Mellanie Gandø

Let’s start by you telling us a little bit about yourself. Who are you, and what is your role here in Hip Hop?

For sure, man. I’m 33 years old. I’m from California, and I have a wife and a bunch of kids that are amazing. My role is a little bit of everything. You’d say I’m like the owner and the manager, but I work at the bar as well. I love dialling in coffee, and serving coffee, and being able to train staff. We have a team of five people, and right now, the goal is to make sure that everyone feels cool so we are ready to make the next big jump.

What can you expect from a visit to HipHop?

Hopefully a very surprising experience. Cafés in Copenhagen are so neat. And they’re so tidy. And it’s beautiful. It’s so cool. There’s nothing wrong with it. But it’s not really me. And I just really want to fight against that a little bit. At HipHop, you can walk in, you can have your dog with you, or your kids can be loud. No one has to feel embarrassed.

Maybe I’m biased, but Hip-hop music is not exactly what I associate with Frederiksberg. Can you explain How HipHop, Coffee and Frederiksberg are connected?

The whole idea around HipHop and why I think it works so well is because it’s supposed to be the ultimate opposite of this Scandinavian thing. So HipHop, in its essence, is supposed to be the antithesis of this very clean, put-together whatever. So it being located here in Frederiksberg is really funny actually because here it’s, I wouldn’t say super posh, but it’s like a posh bit of an old part of Copenhagen. But you know what’s funny? There are so many people that live in Frederiksberg, but I didn’t know there were so many young families here. And they come in with their kids and like to order coffee or whatever. I think the easy environment in the café is just striking a chord with people because I have so many nice chats with people and get to know their stories.

How would you describe the perfect day here in Frederiksberg?

Dream day. Bring the dog for a coffee. Walk up to Søndermarken, and have the dog out there for a little bit. Let him get all tired. Then walk down, get lunch at Gasoline on Værnedamsvej, and head home and read with the kids. Perfect day, man.

Do you have a hidden gem in Frederiksberg you would like to share with us?

If you go just past Dora and take a right, there’s an ice cream shop. Østerberg. That’s one of my kid’s favourites. But I also love getting ice cream there. They’ve had jackfruit ice cream, which is very cool. It’s very tropical. We used to eat fresh jackfruit in Florida. It was really nostalgic to eat that. No one else has those kinds of flavours.

CLASSIC BISTROS AND MICHELIN STARS

Frederiksberg is a really diverse city when it comes to the culinary scene. You can find anything from small and cosy french bistros to high-end Michelin-star restaurants.

Formel B is almost an institution in Frederiksberg and a cornerstone in the Copenhagen food scene. About two decades ago, they were granted at Michelin star, and they have held on to the ever since.  Formel B has a dynamic menu of 10-12 courses, where you put together your own menu according to your wishes. We like zero food waste and so do Formel B, and they strive to get everything out of any produce or protein that enters their kitchen.

Mêlée is a French bistro-style restaurant, with a very different vibe from Formel B. Mêlée focuses on simplistic and french inspired cuisine. There are no menus, as the restaurant wants guests to choose their own food. You can choose between three to four starters, main courses and desserts. In addition, a blackboard with changing specialities. The atmosphere is relaxed, with a small number of tables, so you will be sure get an intimate experience.

THE OLD, THE NEW, AND THE MESMERIZING

We love a  good cultural experience. Luckily, there are plenty of them in Copenhagen. So many, in fact, that it can be difficult to decide where to start. The trick is to plan the perfect route so that you can experience as many unique cultural offerings as possible.

The best part is, that you don’t have to plan transportation between the cultural sites. Here, some of the best cultural sites are like beads on a string; within walking distance from each other.

You can start your tour at Bakkehuset, a classic Golden Age inspired house that used to house the literary couple Kamma and Knud Lyne Rahbek, but now serves as a museum dedicated to showcasing literary artifacts and items from the Golden Age. Then you can head to Møstings Hus, whose older, historic rooms provide an intriguing contrast to the modern contemporary art exhibitions.

Photo: Torben Eskerod

Afterwards, take a beautiful walk through Frederiksberg Gardens and end your cultural journey at the unique museum Cisternerne, housed in the abandoned subterranean reservoir that once contained the supply of drinking water for Copenhagen. This underground space has been repurposed for exhibiting contemporary art, and the experience of walking around the underground space is as mesmerizing as the unique exhibitions the museum presents.

OVER AND OUT

Ja, det var ikke restauranter, barer, museer og alt det der, men det skal nok komme. Vi skal bare være lidt tålmodige.

Men alligevel! Den gode nyhed er, at der på trods af nedlukning og restriktioner er masser af gode oplevelser at hente. Det kræver bare en lidt anden tilgang, end vi er vant til.

Vinterbadning og byudforskning kan også noget. Vi lover! 

Vi tilbage om to uger med mere af alt det bedste fra København.

Kasper, Frederik and Julie, Copenhagen Unfolded

Copenhagen Unfolded is published by VisitCopenhagen. Our goal is to tell the world about Copenhagen and the great experiences that are to be had here. Be sure to also check out www.visitcopenhagen.com and our social channels.

This issue of Copenhagen Unfolded is put together by Kasper Syhler, Frederik Ibsing, Clara Fuglsang Søgaard, Julie Horn and Andrea Sonne.

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