Galathea Kroen København

This unique institution of a bar, opened in 1953 in tribute to the legendary Galathea expedition, is now magnificently restored and reopened by a top management team as the most buzzing adult bar in Copenhagen, with stunning artifacts from every step of the expedition. We were in on a Friday evening for cocktails, Gammel Dansk, and cold beer on draught at fair prices, the whole evening settling somewhere around DKK 500, which is frankly an act of generosity. It looks precisely as it always did, which is to say like nowhere else on earth. If you have ever wanted a bar that feels like a cultured, well-traveled adult made it for other cultured, well-traveled adults, this is it. Copenhagen is blessed to have it back in an upgraded version.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Under the new owners, entry is restricted to guests aged 35+, and i think the place has lost much of its former soul. What was once a cozy atmosphere with a museum-quality ethnographic collection has been stripped down and replaced by a few isolated art pieces under harsh, modern lighting. The old hardwood floors combined with comfortable carpets are gone, replaced by bare flooring that creates noticeable acoustic problems. Conversations are difficult, not helped by the music choice: what used to be cool, smooth jazz has turned into generic café muzak with an oompa-oompa feel, played far too loudly and with a treble setting that quickly becomes fatiguing. Galathea Kroen used to be a genuinely great place with character and warmth. Now it feels like a disappointing, generic café that has traded atmosphere and identity for rules and noise. The place has just re-opened and the new owners are probably still fixing the place up. And they don't serve food there yet. I can only hope it will return to its former glory.