Copenhagen, Denmark

Connection by Alan Bates

The Nordics • Eat & drink • Connection by Alan Bates in Copenhagen, Denmark

What’s the restaurant in a nutshell?

With room for no more than 10 guests at a time seated around the communal table, Copenhagen restaurant Connection by Alan Bates sets out to do just what the name implies: to use food as a way to reestablish the lost connection between guests through the exploration of flavours and quality produce. For British chef Alan Bates, it is all about offering a fresh and thought-evoking fine dining experience to remember, and that puts a smile on the face of his guests.

What are the signature dishes?

Obsessed with finding small-scale producers of niche produce, chef Bates’s 9-course set menu is hyper-seasonal and in constant transition. It literally changes on a day to day basis. Rooted in French cooking, but with an ever-present curiosity, Bates’s food is sure to keep guests guessing. The one staple, however, is the brioche fried in clarified butter and topped with a chicken and foie gras mousse.

Drinks, anyone?

There are two different wine pairings for the set menu: the ‘connection’ pairing features a selection of younger, more daring producers while the ‘time honoured’ pairing is about highlighting those well-tried wines with a more classic expression.

What’s the neighbourhood like?

Copenhagen’s Indre By is the area bounded by the lakes circling the inner city and the harbour. This historic centre reflects the entire city’s extent during the reign of King Christian IV (1577-1648), when the town was fortified. It is home to most of Copenhagen’s museums and attractions. Strøget, the city’s famed pedestrian shopping street, runs right through it. If you’re new to the city, we recommend you start here, right at the heart of the bustling city, working your way outward to other neighbouring areas as you explore.