Copenhagen is known for its gourmet scene, with Michelin-starred restaurants being quite common. However, dining out in the city can be expensive. A meal at a nice restaurant can easily cost around £50 per person, with set menus starting at approximately 350 Danish Krone (around £40, €46, $67), which is considered cheap by local standards. Here are some tips for enjoying meals in Copenhagen without breaking the bank.

One great tip is to explore neighborhoods away from the main tourist areas, such as the Nansengarde district near the Ibsens Hotel where we stayed. The side streets in this area are filled with modest eateries, where you’ll find locals, especially young adults, enjoying beers on the pavement and plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the Danish summer (with blankets available for those who find the evening air chilly).

We chose a small restaurant that didn’t accept credit cards, so we had to make do with the 500 Krone (£59, €67, $96) we had left. While this amount might be substantial elsewhere, in Copenhagen, we were concerned it might not be enough. However, here’s what we managed to get for our 500 Krone.

We ordered two large bowls of Moules, which were delicious. We also had some bread to soak up the tasty wine juices at the bottom of the bowls, and a big bowl of roughly cut chips. To drink, I had a locally brewed beer, which was rich and fruity, and my partner had a large glass of wine. The wine glass was notably large, starting two-thirds full and empty by the time I took a photo.

Despite my worries, our 500 Krone stretched far enough to include a lemon tart with cream for dessert, and my partner even had a second glass of wine as his dessert. We could have stayed for a coffee with the remaining change, but we decided to head back to the Ibsens Hotel after a busy day of sightseeing.

There are many more cool and funky little places to eat on Nansengarde, the street where we dined. The restaurant we chose was called Nice, and it lived up to its name.

Have you dined out in Copenhagen? Do you have any tips for enjoying good food without spending too much?