Guide to Smørrebrød and schnapps
How to Enjoy a Classic Smørrebrød Lunch in Copenhagen Like a Real Dane
Smørrebrød in Copenhagen. The three classics, how much lunch costs, and how to pronounce it.
Do you want to know what the 3 most traditional pieces of smørrebrød are in Denmark?
The ones we will always recommend? Well, here you go.
1. The pickled curry herring
served with a cream of shallots
2. Pan fried fish fillet
with remoulade and lemon
3. roast beef
with fried onion and horseradish
Enjoy! And do as a true Dane - order a snaps with the food!
How do the Danes enjoy their open-faced sandwiches?
Want a little more elaboration? Please continue reading. We are proud to serve some of the tastiest treasures from Danish food tradition here at Færgecaféen. We make everything from scratch based on the finest local produce we know; from the pickled elements you’ll find on our smørrebrød to our very own schnapps.
Haven’t tried smørrebrød or schnapps before? Don’t worry – we have made a small guide for you.
The guide to Smoerrebroed - or open-faced sandwiches
One of the finest Danish specialties is smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches), which we love! Smørrebrød is the essence of Danish cuisine, and if you haven’t tried it yet, it’s always some kind of bread—usually rye bread—with various toppings.
The toppings can be fish, meat, or greens, and creating the perfect smørrebrød is all about finding a topping that strikes the perfect balance between acidity, sweetness, and richness.
The 3 big classics within smoerrebroed
Three of the big classics within the Smoerrebroed tradition is (you find them all on our menu):
The pickled curry herring served
The pickled curry herring served with a cream of shallots. served with a cream of shallots. "Marinerede sild", or pickled herring, is about as Danish as it gets, and the curry version is an all time classic. The taste of Danish smørrebrød tradition in one bite!
Panfried fish fillet
Fish fillet with remoulade is another Smørrebrød classic. Fried white fish served on rye bread with "sauce remoulade". Although like tartar sauce, remoulade is often more yellowish, sometimes flavored with curry, and sometimes it contains chopped pickles. Either way it is always delicious!
Roast beef
Roast beef with fried onion and horseradish is a classic meat smørrebrød, which our grandparents loved. The roast beef is prepared rare/medium rare, so the chef can serve thin slices of silky and juicy beef on top of rye bread with fried onions (also a Danish Smørrebrød classic) and a cream of horseradish. A serving worth a real sailor!
The Captain's guide to schnapps
It’s no secret: We love schnapps! And let’s start by emphasizing that schnapps goes hand in hand with food—especially smørrebrød. Haven’t tried smørrebrød or schnapps before? Don’t worry—we’ve put together a short guide for you here.
At Færgecaféen, we always have at least 30 varieties of our own homemade schnapps. We call them Skippersnaps, and they’re well-rounded, sweet schnapps with flavors designed to complement Danish cuisine. Just ask your server, and we’ll find the schnapps that best suits you, your meal, and your mood—or discover your own favorites by trying our “Schnapps Battery,” a small selection of five different varieties (and remember, you can buy any of our schnapps to take home with you).
- You don't get drunk from sipping, as we say!
A long history of sailors and schnapps
If you feel the roar of the waves and the hiss of historic wings when you enter Christianshavn's Færgecafé, then you are on to something.
Strandgade 50 was built in 1850, and here a sailor's family rented out rooms to sailors from all over the world. But the sailor's own ship went down, and what does a clever widow do? She opens a home distillery of course!
The local police chief loved the widow's home brew, and perhaps that is why Christianshavns Færgecafé was among the first establishments in Christianshavn to receive an alcohol and restaurant license - and we have had it ever since.
What is a sailor without a ship?
Like a fish out of water! That’s why we acquired the good ship Christianshavnerfærgen, which is docked just outside our restaurant at Strandgade 50. The ferry is an antique Swedish passenger ferry built in 1880 as Stockholm’s first fire-spraying boat under the name S:T Erik.
Today, the ferry has been converted into a restaurant boat in Wilders Kanal. You can book the ferry for work meetings when you need a private setting. Throw a big party for all the bulwark sailors you know (max. 36 sailors down and 18 sailors up). Or for another occasion that needs good Danish food and a fresh, fun, and private setting.
Curious to have a look on board? Let us know, and we'll show you around.
