Review / We tried Noma in Copenhagen, and discovered why it was voted the best restaurant in the world four times
At Noma in Copenhagen, diners feast happily on mould and potted plants in a refreshingly unpretentious atmosphere, writes Will Martin
Approaching Noma which is perhaps the world’s most famous restaurant, one can't help but feel the sort of trepidation that comes with any high-end dining experience. Fancy restaurants are by their nature intimidating places – expensive, filled with wealthy, successful people, and often snooty staff.
Noma, in Copenhagen Denmark, is a restaurant that takes immense pride in defying almost every convention in the book. It doesn't fit that stereotype, and makes its point from the very beginning.
Rather than a greeting from an aloof maitre'd with a waxed moustache and immaculate hair, a guest’s first contact at the restaurant is with a 63-year-old Gambian immigrant called Ali Sonko and his infectious smile.
Sonko, a permanent fixture at Noma since it opened almost 15 years ago, started as a dishwasher at the restaurant. Having worked his way up the ranks, he now owns a 10 per cent stake in the business.
Previously voted the best restaurant in the world four times in the well-respected, but often controversial World's 50 Best list, Noma was named the world's second best at the 2019 awards.
Its name is a portmanteau of the words “Nordisk”, meaning “Nordic”, and “mad” which is the Danish word for food. The restaurant’s name perfectly defines its ambitions.
Noma and its founder Rene Redzepi have built a culinary dynasty by focusing solely on ingredients from the Scandinavian region, shunning things like olive oil, and focusing instead on foraged ingredients sourced near the restaurant.
Famous dishes to appear on the restaurant's menu over the years include dried moss, ants, and more recently mould.
Located in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, it has a fair claim to be the most influential place of gastronomy in the world. Alumni are spread all over the world, and have taken the restaurant’s philosophy of hyper-localism with them.
Any time you eat an edible flower at a local bistro, or hear about the house churned butter at that trendy new spot downtown, Noma has probably had at least some influence.