Stegt flæsk is fried pork belly slices, crisp at the edges, served with new potatoes and a thin parsley cream sauce. Denmark voted it the national dish in 2014.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Stegt flæsk traces to 17th-century Danish farmhouses, where pork belly was the everyday cured-and-fried staple for evening dinner. The dish moved into restaurant menus in the 1880s, especially at smørrebrød-adjacent rooms like Restaurant Sankt Annæ. Today most lunch counters serve a single-piece version on rye for under DKK 145; the canonical full plate sits at Schønnemann and Aamanns 1921.
Common allergens: Dairy
Tip from the editors. The pork belly must crisp at the edges; if it steams instead, the pan is too cool or too crowded. Cook in batches.
Schønnemann on Hauser Plads in Copenhagen has served smørrebrød since 1877, with house-baked rye, a 140-bottle snaps cabinet and lunch-only service.
Signature: Marinated herring, Stegt flæsk smørrebrød, Karrysild
Order: Marinated herring with raw onion, capers and rye, plus a glass of cold akvavit.
Tip: Lunch only, closed Sunday and books a week ahead. Walk in at 14:30 for the best chance of a counter seat.
Aamanns 1921 on Niels Hemmingsens Gade in Copenhagen serves Adam Aamann's modern smørrebrød at lunch and a Nordic dinner menu, with a silver organic dining.
Signature: Roasted pork smørrebrød, Smoked salmon, Frikadeller
Order: The four-piece smørrebrød lunch with a glass of snaps and a beer chaser.
Tip: Open seven days for lunch and dinner; book dinner on the website.
Restaurant Sankt Annæ in Copenhagen: nordic room. Open since 1894 a stone's throw from the Royal Palace, Sankt Annæ remains a working-Danes.
Why locals love it: Open since 1894 a stone's throw from the Royal Palace, Sankt Annæ remains a working-Danes smørrebrød lunch spot rather than a tourist set piece.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday lunch only. Walk-ins easier after 14:00.
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