When I was little I was either lost in my own imagination, or in the pages of a book. I still love slipping away into another world, page by page. As I’ve gotten older my love of food has grown to rival that of reading, so when I was told to go to Paludan Bogcafé, I was there in a heartbeat.
When I was in Copenhagen my friend up in Stockholm gave me a list of places to go — this was one of her favorites, and I can easily see why. Paludan Bogcafé is a book and coffee shop, although it feels like a real haven to take shelter from the outside world.
Located in the old part of the city, the medieval Latin Quarter, the cafe is in the university district. There’s a university library across the street, and there are students everywhere. The vibe is academic, but not pretentious or stuffy. Paludan started as a combined bookstore and publisher that provided the students with books at reasonable prices, and at the turn of the millennium the café opened, which completed the experience of a beloved, cozy environment. A charming “third space,” if you will.
When you enter the shop you’re presented with several directions to go — stay in the main cafe area, or go upstairs into what’s more of a dining room area. The other area, where you also order food, reminds me more of the traditional coffee shop. And surrounding you throughout the entire space are walls and walls of books. The overall feeling is like being tucked away in your own private library.
But let’s talk about the food. Because it’s insanity.
I went with the Parisian Hamburger, which is a Danish traditional pariserbof — basically it’s an open faced sandwich on bread, and is one of the most delightful things I’ve had in a long time. The burger was perfectly cooked, and was served with pickles, beetroots, capers, horseradish, red onions, and egg yolk. (I wasn’t keen on the red onion or yolk, but hey, just me.) The serving size was huge, and was a hearty meal that wasn’t too overwhelming.
My friend got the chicken sandwich, which was loaded with bacon and a curry dressing, and was super flavorful. Truly a delight. Served with oven baked potatoes and chili mayo, this was one of the highlights of the trip, and I only had the leftovers… at the dinner table, because I couldn’t wait.
Overall, the menu is long and varried, and there’s something for everyone. I thought the prices were fair, and this would be a great place to take a break from your adventures… which is what we did. There’s free wifi in the space, and I thought it was a cozy little spot in the city. My only regret on my trip to Copenhagen was I didn’t have enough time to spend here, although we did visit twice.
For more information check out their website: http://www.paludan-cafe.dk/