Bakeries

Hands down, Juno the Bakery. Founded by pastry chef Emil Glaser, the space was designed so you can see the bakers at work. What makes it special is the level of technique and consistency; they’re known for their cardamom buns, which are buttery, fragrant … perfect, and their sourdough and croissants are flawless. I usually order a cardamom bun, perhaps a pistachio croissant (if it’s available), and a sourdough roll with comté. Then I sit with a coffee and watch the production. KB

My go-to right now is Albatross & Venner in Torvehallerne. We have our original taqueria nearby, so I love walking over to grab a quick pastry – usually the spandauer – before work. I love that they’re baking every day in this tiny space, serving pastries that are often still warm from the oven. Insider tip: they sell fresh baguettes, which is rare in the city. RS

Coffee

Det Vide Hus in the heart of Copenhagen is a hidden gemmuch loved by locals, and it’s a favourite breakfast spot among Copenhagen chefs. Everything from seasonal pastries to the decadent ice-cream bars are made in house. MF

I am a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to coffee; I never understood why filter coffee became a pour-over, so I go to one of Original Coffee’s places and order traditional beans. For an independent place, go to Enghave Kaffe for some Danish hygge – the coffee is really good, as is the BMO (bun with cheese and butter). TH

Copenhagen is incredibly lucky when it comes to coffee. If I’m near Sanchez restaurant, I’ll go to Prolog Coffee Bar in the Meatpacking District because the coffee is always excellent, the team are lovely, and the atmosphere feels relaxed but focused. If I’m looking to sit and have a pour-over moment, I love April Coffee. RS

Breakfast

Apotek 57, located inside the Frama store, is one of the prettiest eateries in Copenhagen. Chef-owner Chiara’s Italian roots are at the heart of her food, with an emphasis on seasonal vegetables, fragrant herbs and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Try the porridge with apple, thyme and Piedmont hazelnuts. MF

Cycle to Nordhavn and start at Andersen & Maillard. Get a BMO, coffee and pastry – a classic Danish breakfast – then cycle to nearby Skudehavnen, where you’ll find small fishing huts, boatsheds and a harbour. It’s a pocket from the past; find a tranquil spot at one of the piers, have your breakfast and dip your toes in the water. TH

Atelier September is an effortless meeting point between design, creativity and good food. I love the breakfast selection: eggs, avocado, vegetarian dishes – all delicious. There’s an energy; you feel connected to the city’s cultural pulse simply by sitting there. KB

I don’t typically go out for breakfast, but if I do, I love Amator, where they specialise in omelettes served with slices of bread and wonderful sides. The menu is small, but they’re dedicated to making everything the best it can be, which I always appreciate. Get the omelette with chilli, and always end with a lemon tart. RS

Cheap eats

One of my favourite spots for a laid-back weekday meal is Slurp. Its ramen is exactly the kind of comfort I crave when I don’t feel like cooking: pure flavour and thoughtful but unfussy toppings. I’d recommend the house pork bone broth with chashu, spring onions and a soft‑boiled egg, or go for the miso‑based bowl for something a little lighter. It’s the sort of place I’d take my family for something quick and easy – relaxed and with genuinely good food. KB

I highly recommend Poulette and their spicy fried chicken sandwich. They’ve been around for some years now and are always consistent: very tasty, deeply comforting, and extremely filling and affordable. The sandwiches are made with their own spicy blend, the chicken is marinated in-house, and the crust somehow stays crisp. I also love that there’s nothing quite like it in Copenhagen. To elevate things beyond a quick meal, grab a glass of wine next door at Pompette and enjoy it outside. RS

Splurge meals

When I feel like spoiling myself, one of the best places is the newly renovated Krogs Fiskerestaurant overlooking the canals at the old fish market. It uses classic French techniques with the best local seafood and seasonal produce to make the most delicious food. The menu changes often but if you see anything with beurre blanc and four types of roe, choose that! MF

Mikkel Mårbjerg is one of a few chefs that represent modern Danish cooking – they call VIE in Nordhavn a modern inn. He gets his produce from his daughter’s regenerative farm, and you feel his love of vegetables. They cook cabbage like only a few do, served with langostino and bisque, and their potato bread with löjrom and creme fraiche is a must. If sandart (a local freshwater fish) is in season, please try it, and then finish with the almond cake and ice-cream – it’s divine. TH

For fine dining, it has to be Geranium. There’s a clarity and precision in every dish that’s hard to find elsewhere. Located on the eighth floor of Parken Stadium, overlooking Fælledparken, it holds three Michelin stars and is an experience from start to finish. The concept centres on a plant‑forward tasting menu, and the attention to detail is extraordinary. The pacing, the wine pairings, the service – everything is perfectly in sync. The bread course, with whipped butter and seasonal oils, and its signature raw scallop dish, have stayed with me. KB

I would definitely go to Akmē; it’s not necessarily three-star Michelin expensive, but it feels like a splurge (in the best way). I love that you simply go with the menu and let the team cook – there’s a real sense of trust in the experience. The food feels creative, and the hospitality is warm and genuine. Lately, it has become one of my favourite places for a special occasion, or even just to go to feel inspired. RS

The Meatpacking District

One of the best dinner spots in “the meat town” is fishy. Kødbyens Fiskebar, which sits under a fresco of a bull at the entrance to the old meat market, serves incredibly pretty dishes in this buzzy but unpolished food quarter: brill with a deep blush of rhubarb, topped with samphire and chive blossoms; bright orange roe crowned with scarlet nasturtium petals, to heap on a seaweed waffle; prawns in a buttermilk sauce marbled with emerald herb oil. It all looks exquisite and it’s not a hearty menu, although you could go for, say, the mussels steamed in a cream-laden cider.

Dolly Parton once said: “It takes a lot of time and money to look this cheap.” The nearby Superbon has only been around a few years but has the vibe of a generations-old family business, with its seemingly random but carefully curated 1970s velvet-and-chrome decor and 80s video games arcade on the way to the bathroom. The menu is Asian, delicious and affordable by Copenhagen standards – pork gyoza, soft-shell crab, lychee salad, bao with hoisin duck and pickled daikon, huge chicken leg with green sambal. Afterwards, go for an ice-cream at Ismagieret – the menu changes but you might try the amarena cherry or the marzipan with pistachio ganache. Young visitors could end their evening in one of the packed bars but you could also start your day with a cheese roll or a cardamom croissant at Hart Bageri, one of the bakery’s eight branches in the city. Opposite is Prolog Coffee, which has a range of speciality beans from Peru, Colombia and Kenya, and a small selection of Juno pastries, saving you from the social influenza of the queue at their Østerbro shop. TL

Cocktails

There are many great cocktail bars in Copenhagen, but none like Geoffrey Canilao’s crazy, cosy bar, Balderdash. The motto is: “Keep it hygge.” The Blonde Ambition with gin, elderflower, cardamom and bergamot is a forever favourite. MF

K-bar was one of the first places to take cocktails seriously in Copenhagen, and I’ve been coming here since it opened. I like to go there early for a classic negroni – there’s beautiful outside seating in the summer with a view to the old town. For a wine bar, I like Ancestrale, which is organic certified. I go here for a glass of red wine and cheese with hazelnuts and brown butter – one of its classics. TH

I go to Tadaima to dream as much as I do to buy pieces for my ever-growing collection of kitchenware. From porcelain egg cups to sculptural shelving systems, everything is carefully curated with a Japanese/Scandinavian minimalist aesthetic. It also has pieces from one of my favourite craftsmen/artists, the Danish glass blower Nina Nørgaard. MF

The best kitchen shop I know is Kunst og Køkkentøj in the centre of Copenhagen. Competent staff, a great cookbook selection, a specially made baking tin for rye bread, knives, baking equipment, and the best large tweezer I know. They wrap everything in brown paper, and you feel special when you leave the shop. TH

I like to visit Frama for homeware; I’m really drawn to the balance between warmth and simplicity in its designs. And I especially appreciate a lot of its soaps and scents. Frama is also associated with a number of restaurants and cafes that they have designed, so it’s always interesting to see how they curate spaces and atmospheres that feel calm and lived in. RS

• MF Marie Frank is a pastry chef and author of More Than Sweet: Desserts with Flavour, published by Quadrille at £28

• TH Trine Hahnemann is a chef, writer and author of Midnight Sun, published by Quadrille at £25

• KB Kristian Baumann is chef-owner of Koan and JuJu in Copenhagen

• RS Rosio Sanchez is chef-owner of Sanchez and Hija de Sanchez in Copenhagen

• TL Tim Lusher is editor of Feast magazine and the Guardian’s head of food