The huge sign on the front says Meat and Bacon Market, but you won’t find a room full of cow carcasses dangling from the ceiling of Kødbyens Fiskebar in Copenhagen, not any more. In fact the outward appearances are very deceptive here – if it weren’t for the tables outside, the place would be a dead ringer for a minor airport terminal. Through the doors though lies a very pleasant surprise indeed.
Kødbyens is a seafood restaurant, and one that’s stuffed to the gills with style. Located in the trendy meatpacking district (where does the world’s meat actually get packed these days, we wonder), it’s a winter wonderland of white tiles, covered with an undecorated, peeling ceiling left over from the past incarnation. Also in distressed condition are the doors, re-purposed as partitions and a nice contrast to the shiny wipe-clean sterility of the tiling, as are the black floor and furniture. Kødbyens offers relaxed dining at the large central bar or more formal tables, and more ways to serve cockles and mussels than you thought possible. This is one catch we won’t be throwing back.