Denmark is famous with Anderson, Kierkegaard, mermaid and pastry. Great as they are on their own, still the joy of experiencing all good thing gets fuller after a cup of rich, slightly bitter divine nectar we call coffee.
Copenhagen in november is not the warmest place on Earth, no matter what slippers- and shorts-wearing locals say. Running around in the misty, windy weather, – or cycling around, if you want to fit it completely, – at some point is going to bring up a desire to get a hot beverage in the system. If it’s still too early for mulled wine – whether it’s not a Christmas time yet, or simply too early in the morning, – the instinct would suggest a cup of coffee. Lucky are those coffee-lovers who inhabit Danish capital, as coffee shops treat them oh so well.
On every corner you will see a bakery or a coffee shop: small ones, bigger ones, chain or “local” ones – for every taste, for any mood. One the door is open, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and pastry take you over. Just like Pandora’s box: once unlocked, you have to deal with consequences, such as lighter money pocket, and pants that are getting tighter every day. Unless you have an exceptional self-control, but who does when the smell is mouth-filling? Easy to accept this morning routine, and hard to give up.
On my first morning in Copenhagen I woke up in my tiny room in the Old Town, washed up and joined the stream of good sleepy copenhageners on their way to get the first cup of coffee and a freshly baked pastry from one of many coffee shops. My choice was one of the bakeries I discovered on some internet forum, and I wasn’t wrong with my choice. Can the morning start any better than with entering the place that smells like heaven on earth? Hardly. After a brief walk on cold and rainy streets of the old part of the town, the comforting feeling of warmth and the coffee-pastry smell welcomed me once I opened the door of my place of choice. Shelves full with various Danish pastry, and each piece is huge. Pretty barista served me perfectly-brewed double cappuccino, and left me to enjoy it with pastry that took ages to choose. Rich, velvety and mildly bitter taste of coffee, combined with merely sweet pastry set me on the wave of positive attitude and great motivation.
Other day I was leaving for Helsingør to see Hamlet’s castle, to be amazed how close Sweden is, and enjoy the town. So I picked the place that was the closest to my hostel. Despite an early hour, barista was so contagiously cheerful, that even if I wanted to, I would not be able to stay moody (I’m not the morning person, and in early hour of a new day I'd make the Grumpy cat look cheery compared to me). Great service, and strong, yet soft in taste, coffee and fresh pastry (although, unlike the first one, pastry for this place is baked elsewhere and delivered early in the morning, so can’t expect it to be warm)… Moments like these make good memories. Not grande, but those small pleasant ones we in the notebook, blog or in memos on the phone. Many mornings have passed since then, but I remember small tables by the window, passers-by with paper bags with pastry or bread in one hand, and sachets and laptop cases in the other one. The day ahead was as busy as ever – no one gets rid of work by going on vacation, not if you are a freelancer! – but for this short moment you know that all the rush, worries and planning can wait. 5 more minutes, please.
However, not all of my coffee-experiences in the great city of Copenhagen were positive. Being a passionate liquorice-lover, I try everything that has liquorice: from chocolate to ice cream, and now there is a coffee on that list. It was served in another chain coffee shop. Always crowded, it gained my trust, but never trust the pack! Instead of coffee late I’ve got late with close-to-no coffee, mixed with liquorice-flavored sirup. Disappointed, I had to comfort myself with traditional travelers food from Chinese bistro, which was, – unlike the coffee, – amazing.
Probably, Copenhagen is one of the best places for coffee-lovers if not in the whole Europe, then in Scandinavia for sure. Coffee of various levels of strength, shades of aftertaste, and great mood that it necessary will bring to you. Especially, if comes with famous Danish pastry. But please, no matter what, don’t take that liquorice-flavored one – you deserve better. :)
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