We will be spending 2 nights each in Copenhagen and Stockholm in August. We are interested in suggestions for special dining experiences (lunch and dinner). We understand that it is very expensive in these cities and that is ok. Many thanks.

I didn't have any truly amazing dining experiences in either city when I was there early last winter. My neice had smorgesbrod at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm a couple of years ago and said it was wonderful. We tried to go but they were closed until Feb. There seem to be a TON of Italian restaurants in both cities..go figure..we ate at a couple..they were fine but I wouldn't call them special in any way. I'm mainly answering to keep this topped for you. There isn't as much information for Scandanavia as there is for Paris and the like. Hope someone can help you out.

Copenhagen has a number of very fine restaurants, including one (Kommendanten) with two Michelin stars. However, fine dining is very expensive there, and although we are comfortable spending $150 or so for our dinnerand wine, these places are beyond our budget. Instead, we choose an outdoor table at one of the restaurants along Nyhavn, generally Cap Horn or the Mermaid, and enjoy the ambiance, along with good, if not spectacular, food. In six trips to Copenhagen, I've never been disappointed with that choice.

I just remembered...we ate at a restaurant in Nyhavn called either Herford or The Herford. I got a dinner special...half lobster, a salad or soup of somekind, a pepper steak and apple tart. It was about 45.00 for me...and it was really good. I don't make a big deal about restaurants when I travel because first of all, the really "fine" restaurants are out of my league and even though I enjoy food, I'm not a classic "foodie" and I don't travel to eat. Because of that, I really don't pay a lot of attention to the restaurants, don't make notes of what I had, how much and where. But anyway, I remembered this place after the previous post and remembered that it was really quite good. Nyhavn is a great area, we actually stayed there and I'm sure with the warmer weather it is wonderful.

On Store Strandstraede in Copenhagen, just off Nyhavn, there is a charming little restaurant by the name of Zeleste. I just dined there (having been before) last night and found the food of really good quality again.

Service is charming and efficient and their heated courtyard could not be nicer. I highly recommend this place.

A three-course- menu will set you back around DKR 325.00, which I find reasonable (esp. for Copenhagen).

http://www.zeleste.dk/www/index_uk.asp

I ate at Gondolen in Stockholm in 1998. One of the outstanding features of the restaurant is the panoramic view of the city and the harbor. Unfortunately a fog came in as we arrived and we couldn't see anything. However, the food and the setting were both great. I was a guest so don't know the prices, but there are lots of reviews on Google.