What to eat Denmark? culinary specialties and gastronomy

The Nordic people are used to eating early. Lunch, frokost, is usually served between 12 and 3:30 pm but we dine aften from 5:30 pm! After 9pm, it can be difficult to be received in a restaurant even if this custom is changing and adapting to the development of tourism. The good news is that, in their great majority, restaurants are open on Sunday.

In the Faroe Islands, restaurants are often closed on weekends and public holidays, except in July and August. Fortunately, the gas stations are open and have a mini-market that can help you out. Also, some supermarkets (Bonus, FK, Á Handil, Á Landavegur) open from 7am/9am to 10pm/11pm.

The restaurant budget is generally high and it is recommended to book a table, essential in the starred restaurants, up to one or two months in advance, or in very touristy places like Nyhavn in Copenhagen. Credit cards are accepted everywhere.

The Danes are used to eating lunch on the go, so this is an opportunity to do as they do and try smørrebrød and pølser or to be tempted by the sweet treats and other prepared dishes - to eat in or take away - from bakeries such as Meyers bageri. These are less expensive, but still hearty enough. You'll find cheap food at large indoor markets. Museum restaurants are an excellent alternative: good food, quick hot and cold, moderate prices.

In the Faroes, supermarkets offer a lot of quality products: fresh breads, cheese, marinated herrings of all kinds or salmon, fish rillettes, sweet specialties... enough to make an excellent cheap picnic!

The carafe of water placed on the table is not a Danish or Faroese habit.

Important to know: order and payment are made at the counter.

There are at least twenty ways to prepare herring! In brine, marinated, in a sweet and sour sauce, with chopped hard-boiled egg... Frikadeller or meatballs, made of equal amounts of veal and pork, flour, milk, eggs, onions and spices. Stegt flæsk med persillesovs, the national dish prepared with crispy pork in parsley sauce and accompanied by potatoes.

In the Faroes, fish is still the most popular dish, especially salmon and cod. Good to know: dried or grilled cod skin is a specialty! As for lamb, it can be eaten in a thousand ways: áarstovubógvur (shoulder of mutton), mjóryggur (loin), skerpikjøt (dried/fermented mouse or leg, sliced to make sandwiches), garnatálg (Faroese version of haggis, the Scottish stuffed sheep's belly), slátur (mutton pudding).. But the most unusual, the ræst or "fermented" ... In fact, it is a process of drying in the fresh air, between 5 and 9 months and therefore conservation! Eating seabirds: puffins or guillemots are usually marinated or poached in water or milk, their flesh, dark in color, has a slight taste of fish! Local recipe: roast puffin stuffed with grapes.

The disgusted smileys! The windows of restaurants display the report of the control carried out each year: the Smiley Certificate. For the vast majority of them, you will see proudly displayed a happy smiley named Elite! Since 2008, four additional emoticons, from happy to disgusted, indicate if the restaurant has received a notification or a fine. The strong point of Danish restaurants is the strict hygiene conditions and food standards.

Children are welcome. The restaurants provide baby seats, high chairs and changing tables. Adapted menus are available.

Smoking is not allowed inside restaurants or bars, but Danes enjoy sitting on a terrace in any season where smoking is allowed. The exception is made for cafés that have a license to sell alcohol and are less than 40^m2 in size! In this case, smoking inside is still allowed! Of course, the cigarette butt goes back with its owner or ends its life in an ashtray, but never, never, never on the ground or in a sewer!

Opening hours vary depending on the establishment, but in general, bars and cafés open from noon or 3pm and close at midnight. On Fridays and Saturdays, they are open until 2am. Bars are very busy from 4pm to 5pm when people leave work.

No sale of alcohol in the stores after 5pm.

Draught beer is the cheapest alcoholic beverage and can be found everywhere in Denmark. Each inhabitant consumes an estimated 64 liters per year. It is estimated that there are over 200 microbreweries and around twenty popular beers, mostly located around Copenhagen. Among the best-known are Carlsberg and Tuborg. In Copenhagen, the average price of a beer is DKK 60-90. This is 34% more expensive than in France.
A cocktail costs DKK 100/130; a coffee DKK 35-40. The best way to save money is to take advantage ofHappy Hour. Although it can be a little early between 4 and 6 p.m., some places start between 8 and 9 p.m. and go until midnight!

In the Faroes, cafés are much less common than in Denmark, and many close at the end of August. On the other hand, there are two breweries: Føroyar Bjór and Okkara, whose beers are sold at Rúsdrekkasøla outlets or at local beer outlets around the islands.

In Denmark, excessive alcohol consumption among young people is a real problem. It seems that 15-17 year olds are the heaviest drinkers in Europe in this age group. One of the main reasons is the easy access to alcohol from the age of 16.

Drinking is part of the Danish culture and the social relations of high school students. There are many examples. Every year, they gather near Copenhagen to celebrate the new school year and have a big drink. On their confirmation day, Blå mandag, it is traditional to give young teenagers a drink.

Also, later in life, young Danes cannot avoid Fredag's bar (Friday bar), which is very popular at universities and companies. Going to these bars is often seen as a necessary step to integrate into society.

Sunday opening is a custom in Copenhagen. People like to get together with their families for brunch.

Aquavit, a brandy that will blow your mind, traditionally accompanies smørrebrød. Long neglected, it is becoming very fashionable again.

In Denmark, orders are almost always taken and paid for at the counter. But the waiters clear the tables.

In the Faroe Islands, all alcoholic beverages over 2.8% vol. are imported and sold by Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins, which has a national monopoly on alcohol. Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins has six outlets. Spirits sold in the Faroes must not exceed 60% vol. This explains why the duty-free liquor shelves at the airport are crowded!

Check the customs regulations for more information on importing beverages.

You must be 18 years old to buy alcoholic beverages in bars and discos.

Minors are allowed to go to restaurants unaccompanied by their parents or other persons responsible for their education.

Establishments indicate when children are not allowed, which is quite rare in Denmark, with the exception of some cocktail bars and nightclubs! http://www.protection-of-minors.eu/fr/country/DK

Smoking is not allowed inside restaurants or bars, but Danes enjoy sitting on a terrace in any season where smoking is allowed. The exception is made for cafés that have a license to sell alcohol and are less than 40^m2 in size! In this case, smoking inside is still allowed!

Of course, the cigarette butt goes back with its owner or ends its life in an ashtray, but never, never, never on the ground or in a sewer!