If you only associate cocktail bars with the glamorous Sex and the City crowd – you better think again. At the Vesterbro bar Lidkoeb, they serve high-quality cocktails with a low-key attitude. Obviously you can dress up, but the atmosphere is very down to earth with accommodating bartenders in casual shirts with rolled-up sleeves.
And don’t be afraid to ask a stupid question – here you won’t get a “Mojito is so last year” reply, but helpful advice on what to get depending on whether you prefer something sweet or sour.
Aptly a former pharmacy
The bar is located in a backyard in Vesterbro’s old pharmacy lab and consists of three floors. The first two are for cocktails, and the third floor is an exclusive whiskey bar.
We went to the main floor to try out some of their new summer cocktails. The first two were Østersø Cola (Baltic Sea Cola), a vodka drink with liquorice, crème de peché and lemon, and the whiskey-based drink, Strawberry and Vervain. They both had a candy feel to them. Our bartender, Jesper, told us that liquorice is still quite uncommon in drinks, but they recommend it to tourists who want to try something Danish.
Hands down the best
Photo by: Malene Orsted
Afterwards we tried the elderflower and champagne drink, Spring Bubbles, and my favourite of the night, Håndslag. The latter was a mix of cachaca, pineapple, lime and celery bitter. It was very fresh and not as sweet as the others, which I personally prefer.
Lidkoeb also serves a mean homemade punch filled with good stuff like rum, red wine and fruit. So if you’re not in the mood for a cocktail, that’s a good alternative, as well as their nature wine.
Odd but tasty snacks
We also ordered some snacks on the side. Here we got a mix of nuts and some pork scratchings with a blackberry jam. It might sound a bit odd, but the mix of the salty and sweet was really good, and pork scratchings are a must-try when in Denmark.
Unfortunately, the bar’s popularity means they’re often quite busy, but the wait is worth it. Lidkoeb should be a priority for anyone who wants a good cocktail infused with a taste of Copenhagen.
Lidkoeb
Vesterbrogade 72B, Cph V; open Mon-Sat 16:00-02:00, Sun 20:00-01:00; 110-120kr per drink; bookings@lidkoeb.dk, lidkoeb.dk
