The story
Crafted with passion, served with love
Where Statecraft Meets Craftsmanship
Kappo Ando is not the project of career restaurateurs following a trend. The team behind this Østerbro address is, to put it plainly, unusual. Jacob Ando — formerly Denmark's Minister of Justice — joins Levinsen, whose résumé runs through the kitchens of Søllerød Kro and Maison, and Mads Battefeldt, the sushi chef known from Sushi Anaba. Three distinct careers, one shared obsession with Japan.
A Shared Love of Japan, Expressed with Precision
The name kappo — a Japanese term for the style of intimate, counter-led dining where the chef works openly in front of guests — signals the intent clearly. This is not fusion for its own sake. The kitchen draws on solid classical craftsmanship and filters it through a genuine affinity for Japanese technique and sensibility. Levinsen's fine-dining background and Battefeldt's command of Japanese-inspired cooking give the menu a layered authority, while Ando's sommelier instincts shape a drinks programme built with the same care as the food.
Recognition That Means Something
White Guide awarded Kappo Ando a Very Fine Level distinction for 2026 — a meaningful signal for a restaurant this new, and a reflection of how seriously the Copenhagen dining scene has taken this collaboration. The recognition points not to novelty but to substance: a kitchen and a room that already feel considered and complete.
Copenhagen's Østerbro, Quietly Elevated
Kappo Ando sits on Øster Farimagsgade, in a neighbourhood that rewards those who pay attention. The restaurant brings together an unlikely trio and, in doing so, offers something Copenhagen's Japanese-inspired dining scene has rarely seen: a table where political acuity, classical French-Scandinavian training, and deep sushi expertise arrive on the same plate.
Recognition