This was a week-long city break in May 2025 with my husband, son, and daughter. My son has multiple food allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, and shellfish. We found Denmark to be not only beautiful, clean, and safe but also very kid-friendly and allergy-aware, which made a huge difference to our experience.

We flew from London Heathrow Terminal 5 to Copenhagen with British Airways, and the cabin crew were brilliant with my son’s food allergies. We were allowed to pre-board and wipe down R's tray table and seat. We explained R’s nut, sesame, and fish allergies as we boarded. They had smoked salmon out when we entered the plane, but they immediately put it away and reassured us they wouldn’t serve it during the flight. They also made several announcements before take-off to inform passengers about the nut, sesame, and fish allergies onboard. We had the same attentiveness on the return flight.

We arrived in Copenhagen on a Sunday and spent two days exploring the city. On Tuesday, we hired a car and drove to Billund, which took around three hours. We stayed at The Lodge for two nights, spending one day at LEGO House and the next at LEGOLAND. On Thursday at 4 pm, we drove back to Copenhagen and spent Friday enjoying a full day and evening at Tivoli Gardens. We returned home the following Sunday.

We had the best time in both Copenhagen and Billund, and we loved Denmark so much that we are planning to return in the future.

To gather information about Denmark I used a mixture of online research and guidebooks. We knew we wanted to go on another city break. I did a Google search online to find kid-friendly cities and Copenhagen came up one of the top. Then I bought two small guide books for Copenhagen – One Lonely Planet and one DK Eyewitness.

First, we searched for hotels, then supermarkets, then hospitals.

1. Hotels
I went to the accommodation section of my guidebooks looking for recommendations for family-friendly hotels. I liked the sound of the Scandic Front hotel on Skt Annae Plads. This was described as a 'child-friendly hotel with a cosy and residential feeling' in my guidebook. I then went onto the website to read more about the hotel. Before booking I emailed the hotel to ask if they could prepare a separate breakfast for my son. I received a really helpful and kind reply from the Breakfast Manager at Scandic Front. She explained that there was a gluten-free and lactose-free station separate from the buffet. Although this wasn't free from ‘may contain nuts and sesame’ they didn’t have loose nuts and sesame at the station. I could see that they were already allergy aware. The Breakfast Manager asked what could be prepared in advance for R and we decided on fresh fruit, slices of cheese and a separate pot of jam. I then knew to bring R's own cereal and crackers for breakfast from home. We also checked that there was a fridge in the hotel room to keep some food for R.

2. Supermarkets
I then searched local supermarkets near to this hotel. Netto, a Danish supermarket that offers basic goods at affordable prices and one of the most common supermarkets in Copenhagen, was nearby. I went onto the website and found a really great allergen guide here. Although it doesn't have specialist free-from sections we were able to find a few sesame-free bread options and other basics which were safe for R. We also saw that there were a lot of other local supermarkets nearby such as Lidl.

3. Hospital
The nearest hospital to Copenhagen is Bispebjerg Hospital located at Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 Copenhagen NV. It is a Regional Hospital with Emergency Treatment, operating 24 hours a day.

4. Sights

We made a plan to see the following sights: Nyhavn and the Royal Quarter, Torvehhallerne food market, the Little Mermaid, Amalienborg Slot, Tivoli Gardens and Rosenborg Slot.

We packed the following:

Medication & Allergy Supplies:
• Four EpiPens (two carried by our son in an EpiBelt; and two extra packed in an Allermates insulated EpiPen Case)
• Extra cetirizine tablets in a labelled tablet holder
• Full reliever and preventer inhalers for both kids, with clean spacers
• BSACI Allergy Action Plan
• BSACI Medical Authorisation for Travel Form
• Other paperwork specific to the severity of my son's allergies unique to him, including our allergist’s phone number

Travel Resources:
• Lonely Planet guidebook
• Equal Eats Danish allergy translation card
• R learned around 100 Danish words using Duolingo before the trip

Food and Snacks

All food and snacks below are nut-free and sesame-free:

• Nutribrex - R's favourite cereal
• Sainsbury's Taste the Difference dark chocolate chips
• Tortilla Wraps - our usual brand which have a long shelf-life and pack well for travel
• OIT food - to maintain my son's treatment plan while on holiday

We stayed in the Scandic Front hotel for a total of 5 nights. We found this to be a very child-friendly hotel with spacious rooms over two floors, a fridge, a balcony, and an allergy-aware restaurant. The hotel was very receptive to being emailed in advance to arrange breakfast options for my son. They prepared a separate breakfast for R every evening so it was ready for us immediately at breakfast. The staff were extremely kind and helpful.

Taim

Ole Suhrs Gade 10
For our first night in Copenhagen, I made sure to book a restaurant in advance so we’d have a safe and reliable place to eat upon arrival. It really helps take the pressure off and allows time to explore and discover other safe dining options during the trip. I did a Google search for kosher restaurants near our accommodation and came across Taim on Ole Suhrs Gade 10. I emailed them three months in advance of our trip in English, attaching our Equal Eats digital allergy card in Danish. I also suggested a simple, safe meal option, steak, rice, and green beans, for my son.

The restaurant responded reassuringly, letting us know they did have sesame and fish in the kitchen but could accommodate his allergies safely. On the night, he was able to enjoy not just a main course, but also a starter and dessert. He had chicken soup to start, followed by steak, and finished with their homemade chocolate cake for dessert. We also used our Equal Eats cards at the restaurant to support communication.

The food was excellent: generous portions and delicious steak and the chips were so good, some of the best we've ever eaten! Note that the chips in this restaurant are made with mustard oil, so avoid the chips if you have a mustard allergy. My daughter had schnitzel, and the rest of us enjoyed perfectly cooked steaks. It was a great start to our trip.

Cocks & Cows

I found Cocks and Cows in Gammel Strand online while in Copenhagen and checked out the menu which looked allergy-aware. I didn't call ahead on this occasion. We took the metro here and walked into the restaurant for an early lunch while it was quiet. I spoke to the manager who spoke English well and he immediately took us seriously. I showed him our Equal Eats cards and we went through the menu together to find a safe meal for my son. He explained that there were no nuts on site, no fish and no sesame seeds. However, their brioche bun was a may contain for sesame but their breaded halloumi wasn't. Their homemade potato chips are fried first thing in clean oil.

My son really enjoyed the breaded halloumi with salad and a side of homemade potato chips. We had a really great experience here and I would come back. For those who avoid bread, they also prepare burgers without the bun.

GRØD
We visited Torvehallerne, one of Copenhagen’s true gems for both locals and tourists. It’s a vibrant food market offering specialty goods, fresh produce, and charming food stalls serving delicacies from around the world. We went to GRØD – the world’s first porridge place! Here there are nut toppings but the staff were able to prepare a waffle separately and safely for R with dulce de leche and strawberries.

Coffee Collective
The Coffee Collective at Torvehallerne is one of Copenhagen’s most renowned specialty coffee spots, known for its ethically sourced beans and expertly brewed coffee. It’s a popular stop for both coffee enthusiasts and casual visitors looking for high-quality brews in a relaxed setting. I enjoyed an oat milk coffee at The Coffee Collective in Torvehallerne. I spoke to the barista there, and he said they do not serve any nut milks - only dairy milk or oat milk with coffee.

Bistro Verde

Sankt Annæ Plads (St Ann's Square)
Just across the street from our hotel, Scandic Front, we noticed several restaurants while walking around. One that stood out was Bistro Verde, a vegan restaurant with a clearly labeled menu that indicated allergen information. Although some dishes included nuts and sesame, the detailed labeling gave us confidence that they were allergy-aware.

While driving from Copenhagen to Billund, I emailed the restaurant to confirm a safe meal option for my son. We agreed that he could have the plant-based steak with chips. When we arrived, the staff went above and beyond, spending nearly an hour cleaning the kitchen and carefully preparing his meal. We felt incredibly well looked after and appreciated their attention to detail. Fortunately we had some Lego pieces with us that the kids could play with while they waited for their meal.

Tivoli Gardens:

Vaffelbageriet
Vaffelbageriet in Tivoli Gardens serves ice cream, waffles, pastries, and hot drinks. As soon as we arrived at Tivoli Gardens, I stopped by while there was no queue to ask if they had any nut-free ice cream options. None of the scooped ice creams were suitable, except for the astronaut flavour, but that contained gelatine. However, the soft-serve ice cream was safe.

The staff member who helped us was amazing. She was so patient and thorough, carefully checking all the labels. We agreed that I would come back later. When I returned, I specifically asked for the same staff member, and she served R the soft-serve ice cream using a cone from a freshly opened box.

Wagamama
My online research before our trip showed that there was a Wagamama at Tivoli Gardens. We had never eaten at a Wagamama in the UK before, but knowing they have a good reputation for handling allergies, we decided to take my son to one in the UK first to familiarise ourselves with the menu. From that visit, we discovered there was just one dish he could safely eat that avoided his sesame allergy: the udon noodles.

So, when we visited Wagamama at Tivoli Gardens, we already knew exactly what to order for him. The waitress was very knowledgeable and double-checked everything with us. He had the Ginger Udon Noodles, cooked with marinated egg, mangetout, beansprouts, red onion, and spring onion, and topped with pickled ginger and fresh coriander.

Nyahvn:

Barock
This restaurant is in Nyhavn, right by the canal. We ate there on our last evening in Copenhagen. Earlier that day, I went into the restaurant during a quiet period to speak with a member of staff and check what my son could safely eat. We agreed that a pasta dish would be suitable for him. The waitress didn’t speak any Danish, so it was really helpful to have the English side of the Equal Eats card. The staff were lovely that evening and also spoke some English. They prepared a safe pasta Napolitana for R, and everything went smoothly.

1. Visit the Copenhagen Visitor Service for Local Advice
Vesterbrogade 4B, near Tivoli Gardens
Stop by when you arrive. I found the staff here really helpful and friendly. They can help you find restaurants with gluten-free or allergy-friendly menus, point you to local pharmacies and tell you about nearby supermarkets. You can pick up free maps here too. They also have a toilet on site here.

2. Use both the Danish & English sides of your Equal Eats card. Some restaurants in Copenhagen have English-speaking kitchen staff (although not their first language) and they don't speak Danish, so sometimes showing the English side was actually more helpful on a few occasions for us.

3. Landbageriet is a bakery offering loose gluten-free pastries and some other packaged free-from options. We visited and picked up some Dove Freee choc chip cookies - a familiar favourite for our kids. The location is Frederiksborggade 29, 1360.