Hotel Pejsegaarden

Located within the former staff lodge to the Royal Palace, this elegantly stylish restaurant comes with floor-to-ceiling windows that afford views over the gardens and out to sea. A fun evening is on offer here, courtesy of both the charming service team – who inject a little humour into their interactions – and the chef, who reinterprets classic French recipes in a playful way, while also adding some nods to Danish tradition. Flavours are punchy and a perfect match for the colourful and, at times, intriguing presentation.

This restaurant sets itself the challenge of using only Danish ingredients – hence the name – so expect lots of different techniques and imagination in their dishes; naturally, fermentation plays a part, with jars neatly arranged around the dining room containing pickled produce ranging from green strawberries to chive flowers. There’s a relaxed atmosphere, with burnt oak tables, wool blankets and candles, while the period Latin quarter property has been everything from a school to a dairy.

There’s something of a futuristic charm to this newer area of the city set between skyscrapers and residential buildings overlooking the port. Locate one of the latter, Pakhusene, step inside the lift and hit ‘F’ to reach the 11th floor; here you’ll find a small room where tables line the floor-to-ceiling windows to one side and the open kitchen occupies the other. The Chef’s Tasting Menu is made up of familiar Danish flavours, with dishes ranging from bread with brown shrimps and horseradish to red deer, plum and truffle, and finishing with the likes of Jerusalem artichokes, kefir and apple.

One of the city’s most elegant restaurants, Gastromé sits within a smartly refurbished villa dating from 1911. The focus here is on the glass-walled kitchen, where luxurious ingredients – including those from their mini farm – are prepared using complex, modern techniques. The result is refined, elegant cooking that has a wonderful balance of both textures and flavours – some leaning towards local traditions and others of a more international bent. You might find grilled scallop with dashi, tomato and radish or wood pigeon with blackberry, pickled beetroot and parsnip.

The up-and-coming former industrial district of Kanalbyen plays host to this contemporary, design-led restaurant on the ground floor of a modern apartment building at the water’s edge; take in the view over the Lillebælt Strait, while the service team look after your every need. Behind the scenes Michael Nørtoft creates refined, technically accomplished fish and vegetable dishes with deceptively simple names – maybe ‘brill, asparagus and ramson’ or ‘blackberries, cep and fennel' – which belie the complexity that goes into their creation. To complement are some interesting wine and juice pairin

On the outskirts of town lies this intimate restaurant housed inside an eye-catching wooden dome. There is a certain romance to the interior, which also features plants and artificial grass for a nature-inspired theme. The smooth, professional team serve creative Nordic dishes that vary in style but consistently display an excellent level of skill and refinement.

The little sister to Michelin-Starred Substans is a simple place set beside the canal in a historic part of the city. Glasses and wine bottles grace the shelves, and exposed brickwork and unfinished floors set a relaxed, unpretentious mood. The food is a perfect match for the surroundings, with the colourful dishes showcasing organic Danish produce and representing great value – you might find cured hake with capers and relish, followed by spice cake with figs, ice cream and caramel sauce. In summer, you can dine alfresco on the pavement terrace.