Locale 21

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Little Piece of Italy on Ny Østergade

There is a particular pleasure in having a good Italian trattoria close at hand — the kind where you can drop in for linguini alle vongole at lunch or linger over a bistecca and a Barolo on a weekday evening. Locale 21, the project of Morten Kaltoft and Mikkel Egelund, delivers exactly that on Ny Østergade 21 in central Copenhagen. White Guide recognised it at "Very fine level" in 2026, noting that with this dining spot, "Italy has come even closer to our plates at home" — a neat summary of what the place is actually about.

The Menu: Classic Structure, Seasonal Detail

The kitchen follows the traditional Italian progression without apology. Antipasti open the meal: oysters with colatura vinaigrette, anchovies on crostini with butter, vitello tonnato, a salada de polpo, and scallops with spinach and breadcrumbs. The primi course is where the Italian trattoria format shines most clearly — pappardelle with rabbit ragù and marjoram, linguini with vongole and datterini, a risotto of asparagus and peas, and a daily primo that shifts with what is good. Secondi include a bistecca with spinach and lemon and a seabass with datterini, spinach, and mussel sauce. Desserts stay true to form: tiramisu, affogato, lemon sorbet, a selection of homemade gelato, and a plate of three cheeses.

For those who prefer to let the kitchen decide, a shared set menu is available — four servings at lunch and six at dinner.

The Wine List

The wine programme is serious and wide-ranging, and it is clearly a passion here rather than an afterthought. Italian bottles are well represented — Brunello di Montalcino from Mastrojanni and Poggio di Sotto, multiple Barolo producers including Massolino, Vietti, and Giuseppe Rinaldi, Etna Bianco and Rosso from Sicily, and whites from Campania and Tuscany. Alongside the Italian selections, the list ranges confidently through Burgundy, Jura, Beaujolais, the Loire, Alsace, and beyond, with grower Champagnes and natural wines woven throughout. Wine pairing is available, making it straightforward to let the list guide the evening.

The Proposition

Locale 21 is not trying to be anything other than a well-executed Italian trattoria — and that focus is exactly what makes it worth the table. The format is familiar; the sourcing and the wine list give it its edge.