No. 2

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Where the Canal Meets the Harbour

Right on the edge of Hammershøi Kaj in Christianshavn, with the Black Diamond library directly across the water and Copenhagen's skyline as a backdrop, Restaurant No. 2 occupies one of the most enviable spots in the city. The large waterfront terrace fills up quickly whenever the weather allows, and the interior carries the same clean, modern lines — stylish without being stiff.

Opened in 2014, No. 2 is part of a small restaurant family that includes AOC, and it wears the relationship honestly: think of it as AOC's more relaxed sibling, where the ambition in the kitchen stays high but the atmosphere is deliberately more informal and the price point considerably more accessible.

The Kitchen and the Team

Chef Nikolaj Køster has run the kitchen since opening, and co-owner Christian Aarø is a regular presence on the floor — knowledgeable, unhurried, and personally invested in the evening going well. That combination of a steady kitchen hand and engaged front-of-house is part of what earned No. 2 a Masters-level recognition from the White Guide, the guide's highest tier.

The cooking is modern Danish — seasonal, produce-led, and executed with craft that invites no criticism. The restaurant takes its vegetarian menu every bit as seriously as the main menu, which is worth noting: this is not an afterthought. A recent vegetarian dish of white asparagus with poached egg, smoked butter and sea purslane drew specific praise from the White Guide for the way crisp freshness and soft umami found balance together. On the meat and fish side, turbot with elderflower sauce and an organic Danish entrecôte with grilled onions and a rich jus have been standout plates.

Menus and Wine

The evening menu currently runs at 550 kr. for four courses, with a vegetarian version following the same structure. Dishes rotate with the seasons — green asparagus with king fish hiramasa and green gazpacho sauce, white asparagus with wild garlic capers and kombu sauce, summer venison with glazed pointed cabbage and cherry gastric, and Danish strawberries with olive oil semifreddo and white chocolate are among the current offerings.

The wine programme is curated by Aarø himself, drawing from both Old and New World producers, and guests can choose individual glasses, full bottles, or a matched wine menu — options run from a four-glass pairing to an exclusive five-glass selection. The cheese course, available as an add-on, is not to be skipped: a recent version featured firm Tegel from Almnäs Bruk in Västergötland, layered with crisp cheese waffles, onion compote and cheese cream.

The Whole Picture

No. 2 delivers what very few restaurants manage: serious Danish cooking, genuine hospitality, and a waterside setting — without requiring a special-occasion budget. The cocktail bar adds another dimension for those who want to linger after dinner.