When my friend Tine arrived to see us the first morning, she set about telling what plans she had or our visit in Copenhagen. One of the things she mentioned we would have to try was smorrebrod. After all she had tried the southern BBQ at Sony’s, I insisted she try when she visited me here in NC. Smorrebrod is a favorite of the Danes and can be found at plenty of restaurants and pubs throughout the city.

Now I just assumed that smorrebrod would be similar to a buffet that we find here since it sounded like smorgasbord. After all, that is what a smorgasbord is. Well, I was so wrong. It is actually more akin to our open-face sandwiches found here. You can find them with a variety of meats and seafood and a variety of toppings. You will see the smorrebrod sign outside to indicate a place serves the sandwiches.

While enjoying strolling down the picturesque Nyhavn Canal our tummies started telling us it was time to eat. Needing a break and wanting a place to warm up a bit and rest our tootsies we ducked into the Kanal-Kafeen located right on the beautiful canal. The two-story building is tucked away in these beautiful and ancient buildings. Inside you will find small tables and chairs. There are huge wooden beams everywhere and the place is made of beautiful wood. Not much for the décor here, the rich beauty of the wood is what makes this place so wonderful instead. The owner greeted us and offered us a cozy table near a huge warm and inviting fireplace. The owner spoke very little English, but instead in Danish and his native Greek. The menu, though, did have descriptions in English.

Now I will be honest and confess that I may be adventurous in every other aspect of my travels, but when it comes to food I tend not to get quite as adventurous. We all started with a hearty onion soup. It was perfect to warm the insides and had plenty of rich, melted cheese on top. I just played it safe and went with just plain old roast beef with gravy on bread and a side of potatoes, hold the horseradish. John and Tine both with shrimp and caviar and a hollandaise type sauce and chips on the side. Tine and I both enjoyed our wonderful sandwiches, while I think John wished he had stuck with roast beef, since he kept eating mine. For drinks, I stuck with safe and boring Coke, while John tasted something similar to a birch or root beer-type soda, which he said, was enjoyable. The owner of the establishment was quite tentative and made every effort to speak to us to make sure we enjoyed everything. It was a gesture well-appreciated. They are open from 9am to 9pm. They only accept cash.