The definitive sourdough guide to Copenhagen

The new year was still fresh and full of hope when the Sicilian/Danish Copenhagen based chef Christian Puglisi announced plans to to close his popular bakery Mirabelle in the Nørrebro neighbourhood by the end of January 2023, citing too many business challenges. Instead, the bakery will turn into a restaurant with roots in Sicilian cuisine.
 
Puglisi’s announcement came as a shock to the sourdough bread enthusiasts of the Danish capital. Where else to get the perfectly burnt and maillard caramelised sourdough loaf with the tangy, fermented and deep sourdough taste interspersed with a natural sweetness from the flour? 

In an interview, Puglisi commented: "My conviction is that the time of the gourmet bakeries is over." Fortunately, there are gems around the Mirabelle neighbourhood that contradict his statement. Take, for instance, Claus Meyer’s bakery in Jægersborgsgade, and the popular Andersen & Maillard on the corner of Nørrebrogade and Møllegade - a place that is always packed with bread lovers.

If you are hot on the trail for some nice sourdough experiences in Copenhagen, here are some other addresses you should know.

Flere Fugle directly translates as 'more birds', but this bakery in the North West district of Copenhagen is not a meeting place for ornithologists. Located in an old garage, that now houses one of the cosiest and best bakeries surrounded by small start-ups and creative entrepreneurs. In the summer, the courtyard has colourful lamps hanging over long tables – the atmosphere here in the charming part of North West is the closest you'll get to Brooklyn in the Danish capital. Flere Fugle serves an excellent lunch but is also a popular breakfast pitstop to order a BMO (fancy term for a roll with cheese - in Danish 'bolle med ost').

This bakery makes the most wonderful two-kilogram classic miche bread made from a mix of rye, wheat and purple wheat. You can also have lunch here as Rondo makes some epic sandwiches on baguette or focaccia. Don’t miss their BMO (bolle med ost) with the Thise Vesterhavsost – a semi hard cheese that is matured close to the North Sea. It has a deep, round and nutty taste with a hint of salt and is totally addictive.

This bakery is an offshoot of the Coffee Collective shops that can be found all over Copenhagen. They serve excellent coffee – but they're certainly no novices when it comes to bread either. The bakers work with old grain varieties and bake bread that makes you forget the world around you. It is both an aesthetic experience, because the breads are decorated with beautiful patterns, but also the taste is in a league of its own. And the textures: the tough resistance of the crust and then just a spongy and soft interior. An incomparable crumb. And of course they also do an epic BMO.

Lille means 'small' and while Lille Bakery certainly is a compact little place, it shouldn't be overlooked. The bakery is located in the old industrial area Refshaleøen only a bike ride from central Copenhagen. Be sure to take the route along Krudtløbsvej as you go there – it’s a charming and quirky corner of the city with houseboats and old warehouses. Once at the bakery you should definitely try the sourdough bread, of course, but if you have the appetite for more, go for a cinnamon roll.  Another little bakery to explore is Den Bette on Kirkegårdsvej 27 on the island of Amager. Den bette translates as 'the little one' in a dialect originating from Jutland in the western part of Denmark. The bakery sits in a part of the city that is not yet fully gentrified, so if you like a truly authentic and less glossy experience, check it out. Their bread is unforgettable. A real hidden gem in an authentic and unassuming part of the city.

This cool little bakery in a dingy street on Amager might just have the answer to all your food fantasies. Apart from some lovely sourdough buns with or without seeds you’ll find crispy croissants and other pastries that’ll make you sigh of pleasure. As if this wasn’t enough Alice also makes homemade ice cream and has about a hundred different wines on the shelves - all done by wine makers that care about mother nature. The coffee is also really good here. Bread, pastry, icecream, coffee and wine - what else do you need? A celebrity maybe? Noma chef and owner René Redzepi is said to be a regular - the owner of Alice is a former employee at the world famous restaurant.