Restaurant Klokken on Mindegade serves classic Danish smørrebrød at lunch and a Danish dinner menu in intimate private booths, with roast beef, plaice and chicken salad as the reliable staples.
Signature dishes: Smørrebrød ad libitum, Pan-fried plaice, Roast beef
Must order: The all-you-can-eat smørrebrød at lunch, which lets you try every topping at a set price.
Tip: Lunch Monday to Friday 11:30 to 14:00. Saturday dinner only. The private booth layout makes it ideal for a confidential lunch.
Address: Mindegade 6, 8000 Aarhus C
Tipsy on Banegaardsgade near the train station is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant blending California and Mexican cuisine, with tacos, burgers and cocktails in a cosy cellar room.
Signature: Jackfruit tacos, Birria tacos, Avocado burgers
Order: The birria tacos or the jackfruit tacos with avocado sauce; the cocktail list is well-matched to the food.
Tip: Reservations recommended on weekends. Open from 16:00 daily. Board games on the tables encourage longer stays.
La Cana on Aboulevarden serves Spanish tapas and drinks on a canalside terrace that becomes one of the most animated spots in Aarhus on warm evenings.
Signature: Spanish tapas, Canas on the terrace
Order: The patatas bravas and the jamón croquetas; the house wines by the glass are well-selected.
Tip: Outdoor seating on the canal fills by 18:00 in summer. Walk-ins only at the bar for drinks and small plates.
Kähler Spisesalon on MP Bruuns Gade is an all-day restaurant set in the 187-year-old Danish ceramics brand's showroom, with Scandinavian cooking served on Kähler stoneware from breakfast through to dinner.
Signature: Weekend brunch, Seasonal Scandinavian dinner
Order: The weekend brunch; every course arrives on different pieces from the Kähler range.
Tip: Monday to Friday from 09:30, Saturday from 09:00, Sunday from 10:00. The ceramics are also for sale.
Tipsy on Banegaardsgade near the train station is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant blending California and Mexican cuisine, with tacos, burgers and cocktails in a cosy cellar room.
Signature: Jackfruit tacos, Birria tacos, Avocado burgers
Order: The birria tacos or the jackfruit tacos with avocado sauce; the cocktail list is well-matched to the food.
Tip: Reservations recommended on weekends. Open from 16:00 daily. Board games on the tables encourage longer stays.
Restaurant Kohalen at the end of Jaegergaardsgade has served classic Danish lunch in premises dating to 1907, with roast pork, steak sandwiches and open sandwiches in an atmospheric old slaughterhouse-district room.
Signature: Stegt flæsk, Steak sandwich, Smørrebrød
Order: Stegt flæsk with potatoes and parsley sauce; a proper Danish lunch institution.
Tip: Monday to Saturday 11:00 to 18:00, walk-ins only. The building dates to 1907 and the atmosphere reflects it.
Faour on Klostergade in the Latin Quarter serves authentic Palestinian take-away with falafel, hummus, fatoush salad, baba ganoush and homemade pita bread from an honest and precise kitchen.
Signature: Falafel, Hummus, Mezze
Order: The falafel wrap with hummus and fatoush; the pita is made in-house and the whole thing costs under DKK 90.
Tip: Open Monday to Saturday from 11:00. The queue moves fast. Also in the Nicolinehus market hall on Aarhus Ø.
St. Pauls Apothek in Frederiksbjerg operates in former pharmacy premises from 1899 with cocktail-paired tasting menus of three to five courses, treating food and drinks as a single designed experience.
Signature: Cocktail-paired tasting menus
Order: The five-course menu with full cocktail pairing; the drinks programme integrates with the kitchen from the menu-planning stage.
Tip: Open Wednesday to Saturday from 17:30. The old dispensary cases still line the walls. Book via stpaulsapothek.superbexperience.com.
La Cana on Aboulevarden serves Spanish tapas and drinks on a canalside terrace that becomes one of the most animated spots in Aarhus on warm evenings.
Signature: Spanish tapas, Canas on the terrace
Order: The patatas bravas and the jamón croquetas; the house wines by the glass are well-selected.
Tip: Outdoor seating on the canal fills by 18:00 in summer. Walk-ins only at the bar for drinks and small plates.
