produce-driven family style new nordic
By now iconic Copenhagen eatery Manfreds stands as a testament to chef and restaurateur Christian Puglisi’s rebellious spirit and groundbreaking influence on the movement of New Nordic cuisine. Puglisi honed his craft at institutions like Le Taillevent in Paris and the legendary El Bulli in Roses, Spain, before embarking on a two-and-a-half-year stint as sous chef at noma and opening his own restaurants Relae and Manfreds in 2010. While Relae embraces a more classical format of fine dining, Manfreds takes a more unconventional route, offering a blend of refined gastronomy and casual, family-style sharing platters.
At its core, Manfreds is a vegetable-forward restaurant that champions produce sourced directly from the team’s own farm near Copenhagen. Diners can expect a menu that celebrates seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients, prepared with a minimalist and focused touch. This is accompanied by an illustrious list of natural wines from some of Europe’s most interesting producers.
While vegetables certainly are at the fore of the restaurant’s organic ethos, one of the most celebrated dishes paradoxically is the signature tartare of beef. Already, there is no overstating this iconic dish’s influence far beyond the city of Copenhagen. The simple and elegant preparation stands in contrast to the often overdressed versions of the dish frequently found in more traditional brasseries. With clean flavors and a focus on high-quality meat, Manfred’s take on the dish has kindled something of a trend towards more bare-bones, minimalist tartares in hip restaurants all across Europe.
Puglisi’s disdain for conventional formats and rules make Manfreds one of the most exciting dining destinations in Copenhagen for vegetarians and carnivores alike. It proves that rules can and should be bent in pursuit of culinary excellence.
Update December 2020: Puglisi closed his restaurants Relæ and Manfreds at the end of 2020. The iconic tartare of beef can still be found at his neighbourhood spot Mirabelle. Puglisi and his team continue to serve excellent Italian food at Bæst – including one of the best Pizzas in Europe.
