Copenhagen

Dining in Copenhagen reflects the city's rarefied aesthetic sensibilities and its constant itch for the new—making it Scandinavia's most creative test kitchen. Traditional Danish haute cuisine, heavily influenced by French classicism, was supplanted in the 1990s by a heady, often messy embrace of fusion. Torben Olsen led the charge with a series of global comfort-food bistros (such as Café Ketchup) that became popular hangouts. A cadre of his disciples, saddled with the kiddie desperado moniker "The Olsen Gang," went on to open its own network of restaurants, including the currently buzzing Quote. But what really turned Copenhagen into a serious dining destination—now flaunting 12 Michelin-starred restaurants—is its increasingly patriotic emphasis on local Nordic sourcing and New Danish cuisine. At Noma, the pioneer of this purist movement, the whole Scandinavian ecosystem is dished up for dinner. The rise of local culinary pride isn't just limited to high-end kitchens: Traditional smørrebrød (open-faced sandwich) restaurants have won new respect, and Danish brasseries such as Madklubben and Restaurant Nimb have made herring plates, fish cakes, and meatloaf stylish again. However, not everything edible is a salute to Scandinavia. International restaurants that reflect the city's new multiethnic face are also driving Copenhagen's dining scene. Kiin Kiin, for example, draws foodie crowds for its ambitious Thai cuisine, and Umami fills up with scene-stealers who know their unagi from their anago (59 Store Kongensgade; 45-33-38-75-10). Despite all this very busy eating, none of the city's statuesque natives seem to have gained a pound.