Restaurant Palægade

Palægade is a restaurant in Frederiksstaden, a few streets from Kongens Nytorv and Amalienborg, that is best known for its smørrebrød. It describes itself as serving classic and modern open sandwiches in the middle of Copenhagen, and it is part of the Formel B Group of restaurants. It is a good choice for visitors who want to try the Danish lunch tradition in a comfortable, slightly more contemporary setting than the old cellar taverns.

At lunchtime the menu is built around smørrebrød, with traditional open sandwiches alongside more modern interpretations. Order two or three pieces per person and add a beer or snaps for the classic experience. In the evening the kitchen switches to a Danish-French menu, so the restaurant works for dinner as well as a long lunch.

Palægade suits couples, small groups and business lunches, and it is a sensible stop between sightseeing at Amalienborg, the Marble Church and Nyhavn. Ask the staff to explain the menu if smørrebrød is new to you, as the order of eating, from fish to meat to cheese, is part of the tradition.

Lunch is served every day from 11:30 to 17:00, with last arrival at 14:45. Dinner is served from Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to midnight, with last arrival at 20:30, and there is no dinner service on Sundays. Book online through the restaurant's website, especially for weekend lunches and during the Christmas season, when Danish lunch restaurants fill up quickly.

The restaurant is at Palægade 8, a side street in Frederiksstaden. Kongens Nytorv metro station is a short walk away, as are Nyhavn, Amalienborg and the Marble Church, which makes it easy to fit a meal here into a day of sightseeing in the royal quarter.

For first-timers, smørrebrød is eaten with a knife and fork rather than by hand, and it is usual to begin with herring or other fish before moving on to meat and finishing with cheese. Many Danes drink a cold beer with lunch and add a small glass of snaps with the herring, although this is entirely optional. Lunch at Palægade can easily stretch over two hours if you follow the full tradition, so plan your afternoon accordingly, and remember that last arrival for lunch is 14:45.