A relative newcomer to the Nørrebro area, Harbo Bar was established in 2009 and in that short time has become a firm favourite on Blågårdsgade, a street with its fair share of above-average boozers and fine diners. Open from 8:30AM during the week and closing at midnight, this little bar is both a business and a creative venture by twin sisters Gitte and Lene Harbo. They serve excellent coffee (fresh beans from Coffee Collective), warm rolls, snacks, light meals and chocolate cake to early birds and late loungers alike. Like so many bars in Copenhagen, Harbo doubles as a cafe during the day, but in fact, during the evening, they maintain their cafe status so that it’s perfectly possible to find punters enjoying a slice of cake with their beer or glass of wine.
Entering the bar means passing under the girls’ family name, which can be seen on an elegant hanging sign that was designed by the comic strip artist Jakob Martin Strid. The sisters have considerable experience in their field, and Harbo’s decor certainly shows that they have good taste and a solid understanding of aesthetics. The understated look of the interior is a major factor in the bar’s appeal: nothing is overdone and everything is considered, without any element feeling uptight or robbing the space of its vibrancy. There is colour everywhere, in fact, but nothing is overbearing, nothing fighting for your attention. One gets the impression that everything has been carefully selected with almost scientific precision – that goes for the wall art (small paintings and large scale photography, mostly by local artists), the furniture and drinks on offer. Water, beer, wine and the aforementioned coffee are all of excellent quality and where possible, all food and drinks are made from organic products.
The beer selection is small but hand-picked with every taste in mind. In addition to a variety of light and dark Hancocks on draught, there are also guest beers a wide great choice of bottles from all over the world. A glass of wine will set you back 20kr on average, and if someone in your party is feeling adventurous, there is a menu for more expensive tastes. Depending on the season, there is also a selection of alcohol-free gløgg, which can be supplemented with the locally-brewed spirits in several fruity flavours – or if you prefer, there’s one of their tall glasses available from 50-65kr, depending on ingredients.
While in the winter Harbo Bar is a hyggeligt bar to take shelter during the colder Scandinavian months, in the summer the bar literally opens up, with seating spilling out onto a relaxed, sunny Blågardsgade.
Harbo Bar
Blågårdsgade 2D, Cph N; open Mon-Thu 08:30-24:00, Fri 08:30-02:00, Sat 09:30-02:00, Sun 09:30-23:00; www.facebook.com/harbobar
