The bookshop cafe on Vestergade does a low-key weekend brunch among the secondhand books. The egg plate with dark rye and seasonal salad is simple and honest; the atmosphere is quiet and bookish compared to the louder brunch cafes.
Must order: Egg plate with dark rye and seasonal salad
Address: Vestergade 20, 8000 Aarhus C
The rooftop cafe on top of Salling is the most scenically located brunch in Aarhus. The food is casual but the view of the cathedral, the harbour and the Aarhus skyline makes it the standard reference for a first-morning brunch in the city.
Order: Smørrebrød plate with panoramic cathedral view
The vegetarian Mexican restaurant runs a weekend brunch programme with breakfast burritos, chilaquiles and avocado toast on fresh tortillas. The most distinctive brunch offer in the city for non-meat-eaters.
Order: Breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs and black beans
The certified organic vegan cafe runs a dedicated weekend brunch with grain bowls, avocado preparations and seasonal plant-based plates. The fermented cashew cream on the grain bowl is the kitchen's most distinctive preparation.
Order: Seasonal grain bowl with fermented cashew cream
The most French morning in Aarhus. The croissant is made with Danish butter and laminated the previous evening; the café au lait is stronger than the Danish norm. No full brunch menu; this is a patisserie morning, not a brunch restaurant.
Order: Croissant au beurre and café au lait
The most beautiful brunch room in Aarhus, surrounded by Kahler ceramics and with a menu that takes the Nordic brunch seriously. The smørrebrød board is the centrepiece; everything is made in-house including the rye bread.
Order: Smørrebrød brunch board with house sourdough, seasonal vegetables and Danish charcuterie
The best eggs Benedict in Aarhus, served all day in a bright cafe on Vestergade. The hollandaise is made fresh in the kitchen and the smoked salmon comes from a local smokehouse. Queue at weekends; worth it.
Order: Eggs benedict with smoked salmon on a toasted English muffin
