Get a taste of star-studded Copenhagen

Good food is an important ingredient in any holiday. The discerning gourmet traveller deciding to try the tastes of Copenhagen, will never be disappointed. Danish cuisine blends European influences with its traditionally excellent dairy produce, organic vegetables and fruits and high quality local ingredients from sustainable farms and the surrounding waters.

This year the Danish capital has been awarded no less than 12 stars. This puts the city above Rome, Berlin, Vienna and every other Scandinavian capital when it comes to quality gourmet restaurants.

Let’s take a look at what’s cooking:

Noma has since 2007 been awarded two Michelin stars. It is based in a converted 19th century warehouse in the up-and-coming harbour area of Christianshavn. Its chef, Rene Redzepi, has brought back to Copenhagen the best of what inspired him whilst working in world class restaurants like El Bulli in Barcelona and The French Laundry in California. Here he combines these influences with finest ingredients from the Nordic countries and presents dishes full of taste and regional flavour. At Noma you are not likely to find Fois gras, sauces based on red wine or olive oil on the menu. Instead delicacies such as horse mussels and shell fish flown in from The Faeroe Islands, lamb and berries from Greenland etc. are on the food agenda - noma.dk.

The Paul restaurant is located in the most beloved part of all Copenhagen, Tivoli Gardens. A pleasure park with extensive gardens, a lake and live music, it is the most visited attraction in all of Denmark. The restaurant’s classic glass exterior and original designs were created by the famous Danish designer Poul Henningsen during the mid-forties. Its past glories as a favourite of Danish royalty, Hollywood actors and the local in-crowd has most certainly been revived thanks to this its charismatic chef. And no wonder, Essex-born chef Paul Cunningham has gone from strength to strength since arriving in Denmark. His cuisine serves a blend of French inspired dishes with delicious Danish specialties - thepaul.dk.

Formel B in the Frederiksberg area is well worth getting on the waiting list for. Book one of the 32 tables at this stylish Modernist decorated restaurant and enjoy their now famous 6-course dinner menu which is replaced every 2 weeks - formel-b.dk.

An interesting newcomer to the Michelin Guide this is year is Restaurant Geranium, a totally organic restaurant, this year receiving its first star. It is located in the Kings Gardens in the heart of Copenhagen - restaurantgeranium.dk.

Nimb, has just opened in Tivoli Gardens, too late to be Michelin rated this year, but a hot newcomer nevertheless.

The large Moorish style façade of Nimb with its towers and minarets have been brought back to its former glory. This now a luxury suites-only hotel, offers a gourmet restaurant, bar, vinoteque, dairy and its own chocolate factory. The renowned hotdog stands of Copenhagen will get some serious competition from Nimb’s Gourmet Hot Dog Stand. You will this summer be able to buy hand made sausages, brioche and homemade ‘remoulade’. Danish traditions dictates, that this should be accompanied by cold chocolate milk, in the case of Nimb, it will be made of Danish Summerbird chocolate and milk from the in-house micro dairy – all organic.

And there is much more cooking than the above mentioned in Copenhagen these days. Other great restaurants include, Kiin Kiin on Møllegade in the district of Nørrebro – the first Asian restaurant in Denmark to receive a Michelin star (kiin.dk) as well as the “classic” the Kong Hans Kælder which had has its star for so long now that people simply take it for granted. Kong Hans is known for its traditional French cuisine and is located right in the centre of Copenhagen near Kongens Nytorv and Strøget - konghans.dk.

Copenhagen celebrates Good Food too, with its own Copenhagen Cooking Festival, this year it takes place 22-31 August - Copenhagencooking.com.

How to get there:

bmi regional, Britain’s most punctual airline operates daily flights to Copenhagen from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Leeds Bradford airports, with flights available from just £68 one way including taxes and charges. Due to popular demand, the number of flights from Scotland to Copenhagen has recently increased. The airline operates an all jet-fleet with business and economy services, business lounge facilities, online check-in and the UK’s most generous frequent flyer programme, diamond club. For more information and to book flights, visit flybmi.com.

For more information on Denmark and Copenhagen, visit Visitdenmark.com.

To book accommodation:

See among others choicehotels.com and arp-hansen.com or visitdenmark.com.