At Schønnemann in Copenhagen there’s an authentic atmosphere with memories of a better, bygone world – where you can enjoy the best open sandwiches in Copenhagen.
Before the arrival of New Nordic, Danish cuisine is pretty much defined by the humble open sandwich, and Schønnemann, near the central shopping district, is in my opinion the best place in Copenhagen for open sandwiches.
Before the 1970s and the early 2000s, the cellar restaurant was often at the point of closing down, even if it was temporarily managed by celebrated chefs like Søren and John Puggard.

Experienced restaurant couple Juliette and Thomas Gaarn Rasmussen bought the classic lunch restaurant, founded in 1877, in 2015. The couple went back to their roots, and smørrebrød became trendy again.
In the old days, the farmers from the surrounding suburbs came to town to sell their goods. When finished, they left their horses on the square in front of the restaurant and visited Schønnemann to get some freshly brewed beer, some schnapps and a little something to eat. Today, the clientele is different, but everything else is as it has always been. A mixed crowd of young and old, ladies and gentlemen, businesspeople and hedonists are meeting expectantly for a lovely lunch. The atmosphere is informal, and people raise their glasses frequently around the tables, where the specialties of Schønnemann are served in high pace.

I visited Schønnemann earlier this year. Apart from the food, what I loved the most was the unabashedly old-school décor with white tablecloths, the dark wooden furniture and the flickering table candles. Most of the diners there were locals, most of which were blue-collar workers in suits from the nearby business district.
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Related: Tradishional Danish Smørrebrød Reinvented in Copenhagen
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The menu was brimming with classic Danish smørrebrød, warm dishes and exciting specialties – all made with the best ingredients and of course always freshly-made. According to its website, the food and the wonderful atmosphere have placed Schønnemann among the best lunch restaurants in the country, and they are constantly developing new dishes so that the seeds of tomorrow’s classics are laid.

I remember I was over-whelmed by the 110 choices of smørrebrød, including a staggering 21 types of herring. However, I had the feeling of being treated by ‘real waiters’ with time for their guests and went with the seemingly safe choice and ordered the Small Lunchset and a beer.

In my note-book, I wrote that its signature dish was ‘Madame Schønnemann’ consisting of calf tongue, chicken salad and mustard.

The eternal question is how many smørrebrød to order for a lunch. The answer on the Schønnemann website is, “Two is a good base and three should be enough – but with four you leave with a smile.”
Best Open Sandwiches in Copenhagen, written by Tor Kjolberg