When Torvehallerne Kbh opened in September 2011 a stone’s throw from busy Nørreport Station, Copenhagen’s top restaurant owners and kitchen teams were standing in line for a piece of the action. Almost one year later, the modern market is living proof of Copenhagen’s reputation as the center of the Nordic food phenomenon.
A friendly atmosphere in copenhagen's covered gourmet market. — Photo courtesy of Jane Graham
A traditional spot for a market since the Middle Ages, the Israels Plads square lost its green market to suburban Valby west of downtown Copenhagen in the ‘50s. In addition to the two glass covered, purpose-built halls there are a variety of outside stands, and meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and even kitchen appliances can be bought here, as well as plenty of mouthwatering items for those not interested in actually cooking: From some kickin’ java to the cutest cupcakes and sandwiches. Regional specialties come from Italy, Asia and the Baltic island of Bornholm, an independent subgroup of the world-renowned Nordic kitchen.
Torvehallerne (which translates as simply ‘the halls on the square’) was modelled by its designers on the bustling markets of Paris and the south of France as well as Seattle’s own Pike Market: Vibrant spots for people to meet as well as to shop, where food is a dynamic commodity awash with color and aromas. One year on from its inception, Torvehallerne has come into its own; no mere copy of a Paris market, this is a must-see spot for those hungry for first-hand evidence of Denmark’s gourmet revolution.
