Smørrebrød: Copenhagen's Open-Faced Sandwich Tradition

Ask what Copenhageners eat for lunch and the answer, more often than not, is smørrebrød. The word translates literally as “butter and bread”, and at its simplest that is what it is: a slice of bread, spread with butter, and topped generously with something savoury. In practice it is a whole tradition of open-faced sandwiches that runs from everyday workday food to elaborate restaurant plates.

The foundation is almost always rugbrød, the dense, dark Danish rye bread. It is heavier and more sour than most sandwich bread, and it is sturdy enough to carry substantial toppings without falling apart. On top of the buttered rye go the classics: pickled herring, often with onion and capers; cold roast beef; small breaded plaice fillets with remoulade; liver pâté, known as leverpostej; boiled egg with prawns; or roast pork. Each is finished with garnishes chosen to match, such as dill, chives, raw onion rings, a twist of lemon or a little pile of crispy fried onions.

Smørrebrød is not a sandwich you pick up in your hand. Because the toppings are piled high and often dressed, it is eaten with a knife and fork, and there is an accepted order to a proper smørrebrød lunch: herring and other fish first, then meat, then cheese. It is traditionally washed down with beer and, on more festive occasions, a small glass of snaps, the Danish spirit akin to aquavit.

In Copenhagen you will find smørrebrød at every level. Long-established lunch basements and traditional restaurants serve classic versions on white tablecloths, while modern kitchens and market stalls have reworked the format with new toppings and lighter breads. The food halls, such as Torvehallerne near Nørreport, are a good place to try a few varieties in one visit.

For visitors, it is one of the most accessible ways into Danish food culture, and prices in Danish kroner vary widely from a simple takeaway piece to a multi-course sit-down lunch. The advice most locals give is to keep the toppings simple and let the quality of the fish, the rye and the butter do the work, which is exactly how smørrebrød earned its place at the centre of the Copenhagen lunch table.