Traveling to Europe can seem daunting with food allergies or celiac disease, but choose the visiting country wisely, and it can be even easier to find the foods you need while on vacation than eating out at home in the States. Copenhagen, Denmark, is one of those places. Being gluten free in Copenhagen isn’t very difficult at all, as you’ll see from this post. And with a little advance planning, it’s even simpler.
Why Visit Copenhagen
Copenhagen is an enchanting city filled with pockets which seem like time left behind, and others full of vibrant modernity.
From its humble beginnings as a fishing village in the 10th century to its modern-day status as Denmark’s bustling capital, Copenhagen offers a unique blend of historic and contemporary architecture that has earned world-wide renown.
Best known for the colorful facades of Nyhavn (the very old “New Canal”), the city is also dotted by the iconic spires of historic churches and fortifications of royal palaces.
The fact that Denmark has retained its royalty only adds intrigue to these special landmarks still in use today.
It also boasts an impressive music scene, hosting all kinds of artists; when we were there, Diana Ross took the stage.
The city’s reputation for being clean, green, and welcoming makes it a unique Norther European destination.
The seriously bicycle-friendly streets can’t be missed; it’s hard to describe the feeling of a place with more bicycles than cars. I highly recommend renting bicycles to do the city right!
The clean and safe metro system in the city is also quite robust and easy to manage.
Definitely utilize it when coming in from the airport if you’re staying anywhere close to a metro stop — it’s so easy and much less expensive than taxi or Uber.
The canals and boats ever-present in the city center are also a great way to see parts of Copenhagen you might otherwise miss.
You must take a canal tour on your visit to take in all the sights and learn more about the city’s great history.
Copenhagen’s culinary scene, highlighted by world-renowned restaurants and trendy food markets, is also a highlight (more on the gluten free foods I found below!).
Grab a table at any number of cafes and eat outside when the weather is nice — it’s a wonderful experience!
While we visited Copenhagen in the summer, it is said that the best times to experience Copenhagen are during the spring (April to June) and the autumn (September to October). During these seasons, the tourist traffic is lighter, the weather is mild (average temperatures ranging from 50°F to 68°F), and daylight lasts for about 12 to 15 hours!
Spring brings flowers and outdoor festivals, while autumn offers a picturesque backdrop of golden and burnt umber leaves and a cozy atmosphere which I imagine is truly divine. Winter — though colder and darker — brings festive markets, seasonal charm, and far fewer tourists braving the chill.
No matter when you choose to visit, Copenhagen’s perfect blend of preserved history, modern architecture, green sensibilities, and natural beauty promises a memorable travel experience, even with dietary restrictions.
Finding Gluten Free Food In Copenhagen
Traveling with Gluten Free Food
As always, I traveled with my own fresh-baked gluten free muffins and bread — my “just in case” stash. I do this for domestic trips and international trips, alike, because you just never know what you’re going to find and how long you’re going to have to look for it.
On this trip, I’d baked gluten free zucchini muffins which barely lasted beyond the flight, as everyone was grabbing for these!
I also baked off some of my new recipe for gluten free ciabatta breads. These make great travel breads for sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly, or just toast. I pre-sliced them too, so no need for any fancy utensils on the other side. I packed some travel sized jellies and peanut butter. It made great breakfasts for several days at our AirB&B!
I also ordered ahead on our Iceland Air flight to Copenhagen. There was a menu on-line with all the ingredients for every meal offered — refreshing in comparison to the unlabeled options we are so often presented with on domestic airlines.
When airline meals do not list the ingredients, do not trust a “gluten free” or other food allergy claim. It is still up to you whether to trust the environment in which the meal was prepared, but in this case, I felt confident enough in this vegan salad option to order it ahead for our long overseas flight.
How to Find Gluten Free Food in Copenhagen
I had researched some gluten free restaurant and bakery options before we left for Copenhagen, and made a list of several I was hoping to try. My favorite ways to find gluten free food while traveling are to use apps like the Gluten Dude App and Find Me Gluten Free. They each have pros and cons.
The Gluten Dude App
This app I trust completely. If a restaurant is listed, it is either 100% gluten free, personally vetted by Gluten Dude, or noted as “User Suggested”. The only drawback is that it is a smaller repository of listings (although growing daily!), so it doesn’t have every restaurant or bakery in every town all over the world listed.
There is both a list feature and a map feature.
This is where I always start my search because I know I can trust the places listed. If you would like to download this app for yourself, a lifetime subscription is normally $149, but by using THIS LINK, it’s only $99!
Find Me Gluten Free App
This app has been around a long, long time. It is user-generated in that the listings are there because of the tens of thousands of gluten free users have added them. There is no vetting or oversight though, and a lot of the listings and reviews are old.
It just takes some time to read through the listings and all the reviews to get a true feel for whether an establishment is safe and has foods you’d like to try or not. It’s a great place to map out other options near you, and it’s free (unless you want to subscribe to the premium option, which I do not).
Google Maps
Once I’m at my destination, our schedule always seems to be in flux, and timing is never what we had planned, so I usually end up relying on my back up plan too: Google Maps.
Just open Google Maps and type in “gluten free restaurants near me” and it will pull up a map of options with reviews based upon where you are at that moment. It’s super helpful for those last minute late lunches and times when you find yourself lost in a city! (You can see how helpful Google Maps can be in my Gluten Free in Paris post and my Gluten Free in London post).
Gluten Free Restaurants In Copenhagen
Our first night in Copenhagen we went straight to Nyhavn to see the iconic canal and its colorful buildings, preserved for tourists’ enjoyment, if not for their original fishing purposes.
As light as this photo looks, it was later in the evening at this point, as Copenhagen enjoys extra sunlight hours in the summer. There was lots of bustling activity, but few establishments still serving food.
There are plenty of restaurants along this canal, but note that Copenhageners tend to eat early, so restaurants tend to close up shop by 9pm, some even as early as 7 or 8pm. We were very lucky to find one open until 10 one night we were walking the city too late, deceived by the sun.
Gorm’s
We were in the Nyhavn area for dinner two evenings, and the one late night I was relegated to a tuna salad as my option at Fyrtøjet Restaurant, but it was safe. The other night though, I was treated to a gluten free pizza at Gorm’s.
While the sign makes it clear that the pizzas are prepared in a gluten environment (I appreciate that disclaimer), I spoke to the staff about how they handle the prep of their gluten free pizzas and was satisfied with the safety, all things considered.
It also helped that my server also had celiac disease and enjoyed their pizzas all the time; she had observed how they were made in the kitchen and was confident in their safety.
The toppings options were totally unique; the vegan one I chose had eggplant cream, sweet potato, kale, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, parsley and oil. Delicious! And the view of Nyhavn was a bonus! Note that Gorm’s is a chain the area, so there are other locations.
GRØD
Another chain I had researched and wanted to investigate is Grød. They are known for their porridge but they also serve acai bowls, granola, risotto, chia pudding, and daal. Their menu is clearly labeled gluten free for only certain menu items — upon my questioning, they were completely forthcoming about the fact that the porridge/oatmeal is not considered safe for celiacs, but their granola is made from different oats which are safe for celiacs, and that’s what they use in their acai bowls.
They also had two different oat milks on hand, one which they used for folks who needed gluten free oat milk, like me. 🙂
Tight Restaurant
A restaurant I really wanted to visit was Tight — “a Nordic kitchen with a southern twist”, and it didn’t disappoint. The atmosphere, staff, and location were fantastic.
We sat in front of the bar in an open-air space that looked out onto a small street with its picturesque ancient roots retained. The vibe was perfect.
The menu had gluten free labels (GF meaning it “can be made without gluten”), and included sandwiches with gluten free buns.
I ordered the homemade vegetarian burger which was served with roasted potatoes.
Thai Gourmet
Our experience at Thai Gourmet was not unlike a Thai restaurant most anywhere in that it was fairly easy to find something gluten free on the menu.
I find that Thai food is one of the easiest types of cuisines to order gluten free food, as they don’t tend to use a lot of soy sauce (unlike Chinese food and some other Asian cuisines), it’s largely rice-based, and there are lots of different styles of meals to choose from.
In this restaurant, although there was no separate gluten free menu, the server explained that all the curries were gluten free and several other dishes were as well. I stuck with a curry and was not disappointed.
We chose this restaurant because it was so close to our AirB&B and was open later than others, so it worked out, although it wasn’t the most traditional Danish food experience!
TorvehallerneKBH
The market by Nørreport in the city center is a treasure trove of delicious fresh fruits and vegetables begging to be taken back to an AirB&B if you’ve got one. And surrounding the outdoor market is a food market with dozens of stalls serving all manner and sorts of foods.
Anything from veggie tacos to acai bowls (Grød is here) to Mediterranean to sushi. You can find it here.
Reffen Street Food
Thirty-three stalls serve food to appeal to any taste. Tacos, burgers, ribs, fries … many have gluten free noted on their signs, but always ask first.
Open only until the end of September because it is open-air.
The Union Kitchen
Part cafe, part bar, part restaurant, the Union Kitchen was also super close to where we were staying, so it was easy to grab a latte in the morning there before other cafes were open.
I must say it was a mistake to turn that latte into breakfast one morning though, as it was the most expensive meal of our entire trip! They do offer gluten free bread (not very good, IMHO) and many items on the menu are already gluten free. There is also a Union Kitchen in the Copenhagen Airport.
Paleo
A dedicated gluten free chain with four outlets throughout the city. Known for their wraps, but they also have burgers and veggie options. It’s best to hit this for lunch though, as they close at 5:30 on weekends, 7:30 weekdays.
Nordic Noodle
Order in from the Nordic Noodle and they’ll deliver to you! Not a dedicated gluten free place, but they offer gluten free rice noodles and sauces as options on the menu. They bill themselves as an Asian-Nordic fusion restaurant offering Asian-inspired wok food with crisp Danish vegetables.
Osteria Alfredo
Traditional southern Italian food with lots of seafood. All the dishes — including pizza and pasta — can be made gluten free. The owner’s daughter is celiac, and this restaurant has become famous in the gluten free community for authentic Italian food, made gluten free.
Cafe Oscar
Traditional Danish cuisine with gluten free rye and gluten free bun options for +10K upcharge.
La Galette
Adorable restaurant environment serving traditional crepes and offering gluten free buckwheat crepes as an option. Savory and sweet crepe choices.
Gluten Free Bakeries in Copenhagen
H.U.G. Bakery
No highlight reel of gluten free Copenhagen would be complete without dwelling on this haven of gluten free sweets and breads. H.U.G. Bageri truly is a destination and it’s worth making, if you’re able.
The pastries were flaky, the breads were soft and packed with delicious seeds and other hearty flavors. The staff was kind and attentive.
There are just so many wonderful things to say about this gem.
Glean
This gluten free and vegan confectionary is best known for its cream balls, cones, buns, and dumplings. They also make fudge. Bring your sweet tooth!
For Emma
A bakery specializing in breads and buns, they are all gluten free and lactose free. They also offer cakes and a few brownies and cookies.
Landbageriet
A bakery offering gluten free and dairy free cakes, pastries and breads, but also uses spelt in some products, so order carefully.
Have you traveled gluten free to Copenhagen or do you live in Copenhagen? I’d love to hear your experiences and if you have other restaurants or bakeries to add to my list!
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