A cosy bar in Copenhagen
The cosiest bar in Copenhagen is on Istedgade
- Wines on the list
- 53
- Countries represented
- 11
- Available by the glass
- 19
- Glasses from
- 70 kr.
- Bottles from
- 300 kr.
- Concerts held
- 11+
What hygge actually means here
Hygge has become an export word, and it usually gets translated into candles and wool socks. That is not wrong, but it is not the whole story either. Hygge is mostly about nobody being in a hurry to move on.
In practice that means nobody comes to ask whether you would like to order more. That there is no table needed again at nine. That you can sit for three hours over two glasses, and that this is entirely fine. We do not run a restaurant with two seatings .. we run a bar where people linger, and where the staff know most of the regulars by name.
The room helps. Low light, chairs that do not match, and art on the walls that changes .. we lend the space to studios and artists rather than hanging the same thing for years. In winter there are candles on every table from the moment it gets dark. In summer the door stands open onto Istedgade and half the room ends up sitting on the kerb with a glass.
Why people stay
The room is small on purpose. High ceilings, tables close together, and you end up talking to whoever is next to you without anyone having planned it. The music stays low enough to hear each other, except on the nights it does not, and then it is because someone is playing.
We opened in 2022 and there are ten of us running the place. Four are co-owners, and one of us is usually behind the bar .. it is one of those things you notice without being told. None of us wants to lecture anyone about wine, but every one of us has a bottle we keep recommending.
A wide wine selection
The list runs to 53 wines from 11 countries, across sparkling, white, orange, rosé, red, sweet and fortified. 19 of them are available by the glass, so you can taste your way through an evening without committing to a bottle.
Classic European styles sit next to low-intervention bottles, and the markers on the list show what is organic, biodynamic or natural. Do ask .. we will not lecture you, but we will happily find something you like.
Live music
Jazz, blues and folk a couple of times a month, almost always free entry. It is not a stage with lights and a PA .. it is someone setting up in the corner and playing, and the room is small enough that you do not need amplification to be heard.
In October we host and run Vester Blues, a full week of blues, jazz, folk and country on Istedgade with rotating names from the Copenhagen scene across six consecutive nights. During Copenhagen Jazz Festival in July there is someone playing almost every day, often twice .. an early afternoon set and one in the evening.
Something to eat
Large boards built to share and to drink wine with: cheese where you pick two from the list, charcuterie with three kinds, Portuguese sardines with homemade aioli, bread with Sicilian olive oil, olives, and a grilled sandwich with melted Vesterhavs cheese and pickles.
Set two or three boards on a table and it becomes dinner. That is how most of the room eats: everything in the middle, everyone picking, nobody waiting for a main course. We buy close to home .. the bread from our neighbours at Bageriet BRØD down the street, the cheese and charcuterie from Gastronomer, the beer and sodas from Herslev Bryghus, an organic farm brewery by Roskilde Fjord, and the gin in our gin and tonic from Vintremøller in Lejre. That is not a story invented for a website .. it is simply who we call.
When should you come?
We open at 15.30, Wednesday to Saturday. The first hour is the quietest and the best if you want to hear each other .. it is also when there is most time to ask about the wine. From around seven the room fills up, and on Friday and Saturday it is usually full from eight onwards.
If there are more than four of you, come early. We do not take table reservations and there is no room to hold half the bar. On the other hand there is nearly always space for two at the counter, even at ten on a Friday. For a larger group, write to us instead .. we are happy to give over the bar outside opening hours.
On live music nights the first set usually starts between 19.30 and 20.00, and the room fills earlier. The programme is always on the events page, and entry is free on virtually every night.
Who the place suits
It works well for two. The bar is small enough that a date does not get awkward, and there is something on the list to talk about if the conversation stalls. It works alone, too .. there is nearly always someone at the counter, and the staff will happily talk.
It works less well if there are eight of you wanting to sit together on a Friday night .. there simply is not a table for it unless you come early. And if you want three courses with a seating plan, we are the wrong place. But if you just want to eat well, we can carry an evening: the boards are big enough to share, and two or three of them on the table adds up to a proper meal.
Where it is
Istedgade 29, a five-minute walk from Copenhagen Central Station. The street runs from the station out towards Enghave Plads, and we sit at the near end .. close enough to walk straight from the train, far enough from Strøget that it is not the tourist strip.
Halmtorvet and the Meatpacking District are a few minutes away, Tivoli is a ten-minute walk and the city hall is around the corner. Some people use us as the first or last stop of an evening. Plenty of others get here at six, put a couple of boards on the table and never leave.
The practical bit
Istedgade 29, 1650 København V .. a five-minute walk from Copenhagen Central Station.
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 15:30–23:00 |
| Thursday | 15:30–23:00 |
| Friday | 15:30–00:00 |
| Saturday | 15:30–00:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
Wednesday 19 August: 15:45–23:00
Larger group? Write to reservations@vesterhus.dk
Questions we get
- What is the cosiest bar in Copenhagen?
- Vesterhus at Istedgade 29 is a small wine bar in Vesterbro seating around 40 guests. Candlelight, mismatched chairs, the door open to the street when the weather allows, and live music a couple of times a month. No reservation needed, no dress code.
- How large is the wine list?
- Around fifty wines from a dozen countries, across sparkling, white, orange, rosé, red, sweet and fortified. About a third are available by the glass. The list changes continuously, so the exact count lives on the wine list itself.
- What does a glass of wine cost at Vesterhus?
- Glasses start at 70 DKK and bottles at 300. The list includes organic, biodynamic and natural wines, and an alcohol-free option.
- Is there live music?
- Yes. Vesterhus hosts jazz, blues and folk nights a couple of times a month, and runs the Vester Blues music week in October. During Copenhagen Jazz Festival there is music almost every day. Most nights are free entry.
- Do I need to book a table?
- No. Vesterhus is a drop-in bar and there is always room for a couple of people at the counter. For larger groups, write to reservations@vesterhus.dk.
- When is Vesterhus open?
- Wednesday and Thursday 15.30 to 23, Friday and Saturday 15.30 to midnight. Closed Sunday to Tuesday. Any exceptions are always listed on vesterhus.dk.
- Is there food?
- Yes. Large sharing boards: cheese where you pick two, charcuterie with three kinds, Portuguese sardines, olives, bread with oil and a grilled sandwich. It is not a restaurant with main courses, but two or three boards on the table is dinner for a couple of people.
The details on this page are drawn from Vesterhus' own wine list and opening hours and update automatically.