The Samuel

Should You Book The Samuel?

If you're weighing The Samuel against Copenhagen's more talked-about tasting menu rooms, here's the direct answer: it delivers at a comparable price point to Geranium and Koan, with a French and Mediterranean-inflected kitchen that sits apart from the New Nordic wave dominating the city's fine dining. A Michelin star (2025), a 2-Star World's Leading Wine Lists accreditation, a position at #112 on Opinionated About Dining's Classical Europe ranking (2025, up from #108 in 2024) make this one of the more credentialed options in the Hellerup neighbourhood north of the city centre. Book it for a celebration dinner or a serious date night. If you want avant-garde theatre, Alchemist is your room. If you want the definitive New Nordic statement, Noma or Geranium are different conversations. The Samuel is the choice when you want classical European precision with an exceptional wine programme and a quieter, residential setting.

The Portrait

The Samuel operates out of Hellerupvej 40 in Hellerup, a well-heeled suburb roughly 8 kilometres north of central Copenhagen. The location is a deliberate contrast to the tourist-adjacent addresses of many starred Copenhagen restaurants. You come here because you know it's here, which shapes the room: guests tend to be regulars, serious wine drinkers, people marking an occasion. That self-selecting crowd is part of what makes The Samuel work as a special occasion destination.

The kitchen operates under chef Jonathan K. Berntsen, who also holds the sommelier role alongside co-owner Rasmus Knude, who serves as wine director and general manager. The dual kitchen-and-cellar leadership structure is unusual and it shows in how tightly the food and wine integration is managed. The wine list runs to 925 selections with an inventory of approximately 3,500 bottles, with documented strength in Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône. That depth of classical French coverage is among the most serious in the city for this style of cuisine, the 2-Star World's Leading Wine Lists accreditation (World of Fine Wine) supports that positioning.

Cuisine is French and Mediterranean in foundation, not the fermented-and-foraged idiom that defines much of Copenhagen's dining identity. For a diner who finds the relentless New Nordic framing of the city's fine dining scene repetitive, The Samuel offers genuine textural relief. The OAD Classical Europe ranking places it in a credible peer group for this register, its upward movement from 2024 to 2025 suggests the kitchen is gaining consistency rather than plateauing.

Editorial angle here calls for a note on morning and weekend service: The Samuel's current hours run Thursday through Saturday from 6pm to midnight, with Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday closed. There is no brunch or daytime service in the current schedule. If you're planning a weekend morning or afternoon occasion, this is not the venue. The Samuel is a dinner-only proposition, it's a late one: the midnight close means this is a room that accommodates a proper multi-course pace without the last-seating pressure that truncates evenings at busier spots. For weekend dining specifically, Friday and Saturday evenings are when the room is at its fullest, booking as far ahead as possible is advised. The Thursday opening gives you a weekday evening option with marginally easier availability, though all three service nights should be treated as hard-to-book.

For special occasions, The Samuel has the right combination of credentials and atmosphere. The wine programme, with a corkage fee of €200 if you bring your own bottle, signals that this is a room where wine is taken as seriously as the food. If you're planning a celebration and want to arrive with a specific bottle, factor that fee into the decision.

Hellerup is accessible by train from central Copenhagen (Hellerup Station is a short walk from the restaurant), which makes the suburban address less of a practical obstacle than it might appear on the map. The neighbourhood itself is quiet, residential, low on competing dining options at this tier, which means The Samuel is not surrounded by a dense restaurant cluster. Plan the evening around it rather than treating it as one stop in a longer night out.

For comparison points elsewhere in Denmark: Jordnær in Gentofte is another north-of-Copenhagen starred option worth knowing, while beyond the capital, Frederikshøj in Aarhus and Henne Kirkeby Kro represent Denmark's broader fine dining spread. For modern European comparisons in other European cities, The Ledbury in London and Rutz in Berlin sit in a recognisable peer tier. The full Copenhagen restaurants guide is the starting point if you're building a wider itinerary, the Copenhagen hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the city. The Copenhagen wineries guide is also worth checking if wine tourism is part of the trip.

Practical Details

Reservations: Hard to book; secure your table as early as possible, particularly for Friday and Saturday evenings. Hours: Thursday–Saturday, 6pm–midnight; closed Sunday–Wednesday. Address: Hellerupvej 40, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark. Budget: €€€€ cuisine (two courses €66+); wine list priced at $$$ (many bottles at €100+); corkage €200 if bringing your own. Dress: Not specified, but at this price point and credential level, smart dress is appropriate. Leading for: Special occasions, serious wine dinners, celebrations.

Awards and Recognition

• Michelin 1 Star (2025)
• World's Leading Wine Lists: 2-Star Accreditation (World of Fine Wine)
• World's Leading Wine Lists: Star Accreditation (World of Fine Wine)
• Opinionated About Dining, Classical Europe: #112 (2025) / #108 (2024)
• Star Wine List: White Star (published March 2024)

Explore More in Copenhagen and Denmark

• Kadeau (New Nordic)
• Jordnær in Gentofte
• Alimentum in Aalborg
• ARO in Odense
• Domæne in Herning
• Full Copenhagen restaurants guide
• Copenhagen hotels
• Copenhagen bars
• Copenhagen wineries
• Copenhagen experiences