Grimal

Copenhagen's French Bistro Answer — When You Need a Break from New Nordic

If you've already done one of Copenhagen's big tasting menus at Geranium or Koan, Grimal is the kind of place you find yourself wanting next: a traditional French bistro on Istedgade that trades foraged herbs and fermentation for classic technique, a cosy bar counter, a wine list that has ranked at the top of Copenhagen's dining scene for three consecutive years. Star Wine List has ranked Grimal #1 in 2023, #1 in 2024, #1 again in 2025 — a run that makes the wine program here one of the most consistently recognised in Denmark.

The draw is direct: honest French bistro food, snacks at the bar, a room that operates at an easy-going pace. For anyone who has spent a week eating through Copenhagen's Noma-influenced tasting menu circuit, Grimal reads as a deliberate correction. There is no narrative arc, no amuse-bouche progression, no course-by-course storytelling. What you get instead is the kind of French cooking that lets the wine do the talking, which, given the wine list's pedigree, is exactly the right call.

Who Should Book Grimal

If you've visited once and came primarily for the wine, the next visit should be structured around the bar counter. Sitting at the bar at Grimal gives you proximity to the action, kitchen passes, snacks arriving in quick succession, the chance to ask about the list without ceremony. For a regular, this is the format that makes the most of what the venue does well. The bistro seating works for a longer dinner with more deliberate pacing, but the bar is where the experience tightens up.

Grimal is a strong choice for solo diners and pairs. The bar counter is purpose-built for solo eating and drinking, a duo can settle in without needing a large reservation window. Groups looking for a shared, convivial dinner will find the bistro tables accommodate them, though the room's easy-going atmosphere means this is not the venue for a high-ceremony occasion. For that, Alchemist or Geranium will serve better.

The Wine Program

Three consecutive #1 rankings from Star Wine List (2023, 2024, 2025) and two #2 rankings in the same period put Grimal's wine program in genuinely rare company for a bistro format. This is not a fine-dining list bolted onto a casual room, it is the central reason to book. Expect depth in French regions, though the specific composition of the list is not published in detail here. The awards record is enough to say: if wine is your priority in Copenhagen, Grimal warrants serious attention. For comparison, Copenhagen's leading tasting menu restaurants, Geranium, Koan, Alchemist, each have strong wine programs, but none carry this specific record for the list itself as a standalone credential.

For wine-focused diners travelling beyond Copenhagen, Jordnær in Gentofte and Frederikshøj in Aarhus are worth noting, but neither operates in the bistro-with-exceptional-list format that Grimal occupies.

Timing and Booking

Grimal sits on Istedgade in Vesterbro, one of Copenhagen's more relaxed neighbourhoods for an evening out. Weekday evenings are the better choice if you want the bar counter without competition, weekends draw more volume and the room fills. Booking is rated easy, which puts Grimal in a different category to the city's tasting menu venues where lead times of weeks or months are standard. Book a few days out for a weekday visit; give yourself more runway for a Friday or Saturday.

If you're planning a broader Copenhagen trip, our guides to Copenhagen hotels, Copenhagen bars, and Copenhagen experiences are useful starting points alongside the full restaurant guide. For wine-focused visitors interested in the broader Danish scene, the Copenhagen wineries guide rounds out the picture.

How It Compares

Practical Details

Also Worth Knowing

• Address: Istedgade 128, 1650 København V, Denmark
• Neighbourhood: Vesterbro, walkable from central Copenhagen hotels
• Bar seating available, well-suited to solo diners and pairs
• Wine list ranked #1 by Star Wine List three years running (2023–2025)
• Booking difficulty is rated easy, no need for the long lead times required at the city's tasting menu restaurants
• For other strong Danish destinations outside Copenhagen, see Henne Kirkeby Kro in Henne, Alimentum in Aalborg, ARO in Odense, and Domæne in Herning

FAQ

What should a first-timer know about Grimal?

• Grimal is a traditional French bistro, not a tasting menu restaurant and not part of Copenhagen's New Nordic wave. Come for classic French food, snacks, one of the city's most decorated wine lists. The bar counter is a good entry point for a solo visit or a casual first dinner.

What should I wear to Grimal?

• Smart casual is the right call. The room is cosy and easy-going, not a black-tie environment. You'd be overdressed in formal wear and fine in well-put-together casual. Think of it as you would any quality neighbourhood bistro in Paris.

Is Grimal good for solo dining?

• Yes, the bar counter makes Grimal one of the better solo options in Copenhagen. You can eat, drink, engage with the wine list without needing a full table booking. For solo diners who want a tasting menu experience instead, Noma's counter format has historically worked well, though availability is its own challenge.

What are alternatives to Grimal in Copenhagen?

• For French-influenced dining with more ceremony, a|o|c offers a New Nordic and Mediterranean small plates format at a similar price tier. For a full tasting menu with serious wine pairing, Geranium or Koan are the benchmark options, though both require significantly more advance booking and carry higher price points. Grimal is the right pick if you want a wine-led evening without the tasting menu structure.

Is Grimal good for a special occasion?

• It depends on what you mean by special. For a wine-focused dinner or a relaxed celebration with someone who cares about the list, yes. For a milestone dinner where the full theatrical experience matters, Alchemist or Geranium deliver more production value. Grimal's strength is depth of wine and ease of atmosphere, not ceremony.

Can Grimal accommodate groups?

• The bistro tables can handle groups, the easy-going format suits a convivial dinner party. That said, specific private dining or group booking policies are not published. Contact the venue directly for larger party arrangements. For groups wanting a more structured group tasting experience, Kadeau is worth considering.

How far ahead should I book Grimal?

• Booking difficulty is rated easy, so a few days' notice should be sufficient for weekday evenings. For weekends, book earlier in the week to be safe. This is a meaningful advantage over Copenhagen's tasting menu restaurants, where lead times of four to eight weeks are common, sometimes longer for Alchemist.