Copenhagen has a fearsome reputation for prices, and it’s mostly deserved — but it hides a whole second food economy where you can eat genuinely well for 50–100 DKK. The best cheap eats Copenhagen has run from the red sausage carts that have been on the streets since 1921, to Lebanese falafel houses in Nørrebro, Vietnamese pho in Vesterbro, Bib Gourmand ramen at Slurp, and — the locals’ real secret — supermarket hot counters at 35–65 DKK a plate. This guide covers 25-plus of them, with prices, addresses and an honest take on what each does best.
Eating cheaply is just one way into the city’s food scene; our guide to where to eat in Copenhagen covers the whole spectrum, from carts to Michelin stars.
Cheap eats at a glance
| Type | Best example | Price (DKK) |
|---|---|---|
| Pølsevogn (hot dog cart) | DØP, Steff Houlberg | 35-50 |
| Falafel pita | Falafel House (Nørrebro) | 60-85 |
| Durum kebab | Mirza Kebab, Habibi | 65-95 |
| Pizza slice | Mother (Vesterbro) | 50-95 slice |
| Pizza whole | Bæst, Gorms | 95-145 |
| Ramen | Slurp Ramen Joint | 85-115 |
| Pho/Asian | Pho 3 Brothers | 75-110 |
| Sandwich | Hart Bageri, Mirabelle | 65-95 |
| Supermarket hot lunch | Netto, Føtex | 35-65 |
| Reffen street food | Various stalls | 85-155 |
| Tivoli Food Hall | 12 stalls | 95-155 |
| Counter-café brunch | Granola, Mirabelle | 80-145 |
The pølsevogn — the original cheap eat
The pølsevogn — literally “sausage cart” — is where Copenhagen street food began, back in 1921, when Crown Prince Frederik gave 16 out-of-work butchers permits to sell sausages from carts. The red-painted carts are still dotted around town, and the ritual hasn’t changed: a rød pølse (bright-red boiled sausage) in a bun with mustard, ketchup, crispy fried onions, remoulade and pickled cucumber, for 35–50 DKK. It’s not haute cuisine, but it’s a genuine slice of the city, and it’s the cheapest hot meal you’ll find outside a supermarket.
The ones worth seeking out: DØP (Den Økologiske Pølsemand, the organic one) tucked beside Rundetårn, the Steff Houlberg carts around the city, and the long-running Lille Strandstræde cart near Nyhavn, run by the same family for over 60 years.
The best cheap restaurants
Slurp Ramen Joint — Bib Gourmand ramen at 95 DKK
Pound for pound, Slurp (Nansensgade 90, Indre By) is the best-value meal in the city. It carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand, yet a full bowl is 95 DKK, with four bases — tonkotsu, shoyu, miso and a vegetarian option. The catch is the queue, which can hit 30 minutes at peak; go slightly off-hours and you’ll walk straight in.
Falafel House, Nørrebro — the falafel benchmark
Falafel House (Nørrebrogade 218) has been family-run for over 20 years and sets the Lebanese standard here. A falafel pita is 70 DKK, a full plate with hummus, salads and pickles 95 DKK, and they’re open until 23:00 — a dependable late dinner when the budget’s tight. It’s also one of the easiest vegetarian meals in the city.
Mirza Kebab, Vesterbro — late-night durum
The durum — kebab meat, salad and yoghurt sauce rolled tight in lavash — is the city’s default cheap dinner, and Mirza Kebab (Vesterbrogade 35) does one of the best. Chicken or lamb runs 75 DKK, and it’s open until 3am at weekends, which is exactly when you’ll want it.
Mother, Vesterbro — wood-fired pizza
Mother (Halmtorvet 19, Vesterbro) is the pizza institution — proper wood-fired Neapolitan pies at 95–145 DKK, with a lunchtime slice menu from 50 DKK. It sits in Kødbyen, the old Meatpacking District, so pair it with a craft beer next door at War Pigs and you’ve got a cheap, lively night out.
Pho 3 Brothers — the best cheap bowl of pho
Pho 3 Brothers (Borgmestervangen, Nørrebro) makes the best cheap bowl of beef pho in the city at 95 DKK — a rich 12-hour broth, plenty of noodles and a fistful of herbs. Copenhagen’s family-run Vietnamese places are quietly some of the most consistent value going.
Reffen — open-air street food
Reffen, out on Refshaleøen, is the city’s flagship open-air street food market: 50-plus stalls covering just about every cuisine, open daily 12:00–22:00 from April to October, with mains at 85–155 DKK. Take the 991 harbour bus from Nyhavn (about 15 minutes) — it’s a lovely ride and cheaper than a taxi. Our Copenhagen street food guide goes stall by stall.
Tivoli Food Hall — indoor and central
Inside Tivoli Gardens, the Food Hall gathers a dozen independent stalls under one roof — smørrebrød, sushi, falafel, ramen, pizza, burgers — with mains at 95–155 DKK. You do need Tivoli entry (195 DKK, or free with the Copenhagen Card), so it makes most sense on a day you’re visiting the park anyway. See our Tivoli Gardens guide.
The supermarket hot counter — the local secret
This is the tip nobody tells tourists. Danish supermarket hot-food counters serve genuine home cooking — the kind of “varm mad” locals grab on the way home from work — for astonishingly little. If you’re travelling on the tightest budget, it’s the single biggest saving available in an expensive city.
- Netto: the cheapest. Frikadeller (Danish meatballs) with potatoes 35 DKK, schnitzel 65 DKK.
- Føtex: a bigger spread — salads 45 DKK, full hot meals 55–75 DKK.
- Irma: the premium, organic option, 70–95 DKK and noticeably better.
- 7-Eleven: open 24/7, with hot dogs at 35 DKK and sandwiches 50–65 DKK — a quick fix, not a feast.
A day of eating for under 200 DKK
To show how it adds up, here’s a realistic day that keeps you fed and happy without blowing the budget. Start with a bakery breakfast: a kanelsnegl (cinnamon roll) and filter coffee for around 55 DKK — or hit Sankt Peders Bageri on a Wednesday, when their famous onsdagssnegl is about 25 DKK. For lunch, grab a supermarket hot plate of frikadeller and potatoes at Netto for 35 DKK, and drink the tap water, which is excellent and free.
Come dinner, splurge — relatively speaking — on a 95 DKK bowl at Slurp or a 75 DKK durum at Mirza. That’s roughly 165–185 DKK for three meals, versus the 600–1,000 DKK a day you’d spend on sit-down lunches and dinners. Do it for a few days and pair it with our free things to do guide, and Copenhagen suddenly stops feeling so punishing on the wallet.
Cheap eats by cuisine
Asian
- Slurp Ramen Joint: Bib Gourmand ramen, 85–115 DKK.
- Pho 3 Brothers: pho, 95 DKK.
- Tao Burger (multiple): Taiwanese-Japanese, 75–110 DKK.
- Yokama: casual sushi, 95–155 DKK.
- Sticks’n’Sushi (multiple): a step up, from 145 DKK.
Middle Eastern & North African
- Falafel House (Nørrebro): 70 DKK.
- Hummus Bar (Vesterbro): 75 DKK.
- Habibi (multiple): 85 DKK.
- Marrakech (Vesterbro): Moroccan tagine, 95 DKK.
Italian
- Mother (Vesterbro): pizza, 50 DKK a slice to 145 whole.
- Bæst (Nørrebro): pizza and craft beer, 105–145 DKK.
- Gorms Pizza (multiple): dependable mid-range, 85–125 DKK.
- L’Altro (Indre By): lunch pasta, 95–145 DKK.
Danish traditional
- Sankt Peders Bageri (Wednesdays): the famous cinnamon snegl, 25 DKK.
- DØP by Rundetårn: organic sausage, 45 DKK.
- Hallernes Smørrebrød (Torvehallerne): open sandwiches, 75–145 DKK.
- Café Halvvejen (Krystalgade): old-school smørrebrød, 75–135 DKK.
Mexican
- Hija de Sanchez (Torvehallerne / Vesterbro): tacos, 80–110 DKK.
- La Banchina: Mexican-Nordic, 95–150 DKK.
- Sanchez Cantina (Vesterbro): full sit-down, 145 DKK and up.
Tips for eating cheaply
- Raid the supermarkets. Netto and Føtex hot counters at 35–65 DKK are the best-kept secret in town.
- Eat lunch out, dinner in. Most cheap spots are casual lunch places — buy dinner ingredients and you’ll save 100-plus DKK a day.
- Drink the tap water. Copenhagen’s is among the cleanest in Europe, and it’s free everywhere.
- Take the harbour bus to Reffen — around 40 DKK on a transport pass, far cheaper than a taxi.
- Skip Nyhavn for budget meals. The view carries a tax; walk two minutes inland for the same food at half the price.
- Look for happy hours. Many bars cut drinks 30–50% between about 5 and 7pm.
- Cards work everywhere, even at the sausage carts, so you don’t need cash.
- Bring a thermos. Supermarket coffee is 18 DKK against 45–65 at a café.
Frequently asked questions
How cheaply can you eat in Copenhagen?
You can eat for 35–50 DKK at a supermarket counter or sausage cart, while sit-down cheap eats start around 65–95 DKK. On a disciplined budget, three meals a day come to 200–300 DKK — against 600–1,000 DKK if you sit down for lunch and dinner.
What’s the cheapest meal?
A rød pølse from a cart or Netto frikadeller, both around 35 DKK. The 7-Eleven hot dog, at about 30 DKK, is the nearest thing to a sub-30 meal.
Is there affordable fine dining?
Relatively, yes. Michelin Bib Gourmand places — Slurp, Geist, Pluto, Brace, Mêlée — offer four or five courses from 600–800 DKK, well below the starred restaurants. Our Michelin restaurants guide lays them out.
Are the supermarkets really that cheap?
Yes. Netto and Føtex hot counters do genuinely good Danish home cooking for 35–65 DKK, and locals eat from them daily. It’s the biggest saving available to a budget traveller here.
How late can I eat cheaply?
Most casual places close by 22:00–23:00. For later, there’s Mirza Kebab (3am at weekends), 7-Eleven (24/7) and the 24-hour McDonald’s on Vesterbrogade.
Do I tip?
No — service is included in Danish prices. Round up a few kroner if you like, but the carts and counters don’t expect anything.
Where do locals actually eat cheaply?
Supermarket counters most of all, plus sausage carts for a snack, kebab shops late at night, pizzerias midweek and Reffen as a weekend treat. They largely steer clear of the tourist restaurants in Indre By.
Can I do Copenhagen on a tight budget?
With a bit of planning, yes. Budget 200–300 DKK a day for food, add a 7-day transport pass and lean on free sights, and a five-day trip can run 1,500–2,500 DKK excluding your bed. Pair this with our hostels guide to keep accommodation down too.
Related reading
- Copenhagen food guide — the full scene.
- Copenhagen street food guide — Reffen and Broens.
- Copenhagen’s best bakeries.
- Torvehallerne — cheap-ish stalls under one roof.
- Where to find good coffee.
- Best vegan restaurants — many are budget-friendly.
- Free things to do in Copenhagen.
- Best budget hotels in Copenhagen.
Final thoughts
The best cheap eats Copenhagen offers are plentiful, varied and genuinely good — which surprises most people who arrive braced for the prices. Go to Slurp for Bib Gourmand ramen at 95 DKK, Falafel House for the Lebanese standard, Mother for wood-fired pizza, Mirza for a late durum, a red cart for the 1921 original, and the supermarket counter for the locals’ secret. Budget 200–300 DKK a day, eat lunch out and dinner in, skip Nyhavn for anything cheap, and you’ll eat well in one of Europe’s priciest cities without flinching every time the bill lands.
Last updated: July 2026. Photo credits: images courtesy of copenhagentourism.org.
