Villa Grande

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.

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.

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.

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.

The setting ticks all the boxes: an elegant 19th-century house with a peaceful terrace located in a charming cobbled courtyard, and a location close to Aarhus Harbour yet also within easy rich of the city’s main streets. Regional ingredients are to the fore in generously proportioned, good value dishes that lead with a Gallic edge. Alongside the likes of grilled entrecôte and crème bûlée you’ll find their own reinterpreted version of Danish stjerneskud – a hot and cold open breaded fish, salmon and shrimp sandwich. Wines from their exclusively French cellar include around 70 options by the gla

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.

This extraordinary building stands directly in the fjord and its unique interior is equally striking. Dinner is an engaging, multi-course affair that begins with snacks served at the gorgeous glass-topped bar. Then it’s through to the aptly named ‘Sail Room’ for the main event, though you may be taken to other areas of the building for some courses. The creative, sophisticated dishes showcase exceptional produce, including Limfjord mussels and wonderful local trout. The passionate service team help to make this a truly special destination.