There’s something captivating about Copenhagen. You can’t always pin it down with specifics, but I think the feeling grabs just about everyone who even spends a single day here. And if I had to name one concrete thing that might seem out of place at first, the bun with butter and cheese surely is.
It stands out because it’s not a tourist sight or a modern, adrenaline-pumping experience. It’s about a love of life and the beauty of simple things. And that, fundamentally, is what Copenhagen—and Denmark—are about. It’s part of why this is one of the world’s happiest cities, and Denmark one of the happiest countries.
And the bun with butter and cheese embodies exactly that, right in front of you—available to anyone.
Bun With Butter and Cheese at Every Copenhagen Bakery
A bun with butter and cheese is nothing more than a kind local habit you’ll come across at every Copenhagen bakery.
When you’re tempted by all those gorgeous, delicious pastries, you can just as easily keep it truly simple. And that might be closer to the Danish way of life than the modern glitter often lined up on the counter just for tourists.
If you buy a bun at any Copenhagen bakery, or café for that matter, and ask for it, they’ll cut it in half, spread it with butter, and slip in two good slices of cheese. Because they’re not trying to sell you a piece of baked yeast and flour; they’re offering happiness. And what else is biting into a fresh, buttery, cheesy bun if not pure happiness?
A Simple Lunch or Dinner
Copenhagen has a few world-famous bakeries (e.g., Andersen, Hart, Juno) that sell astonishingly good things. And here, it’s not only the amped-up sweets—often even the plain bun is sourdough and heavenly.
If you’re open to less flashy things, eating a fresh sourdough bun with butter and cheese at a place like this is a great idea for a simple yet fantastic—and inexpensive—lunch or dinner. In fact, in the Danish capital you won’t find any “prepared” food this cheap.
The bun with butter and cheese in the photo, for example, was 32 kroner at Andersen Bakery (2026 prices). It may not be little for a bun (though considering Danish prices, the remarkable quality, and the sourdough, it isn’t outrageous).
But if you compare it with the fact that in the same bakery anything “interesting”—e.g., croissant, pain au chocolat, almond croissant—runs between 40 and 50 kroner and still won’t really fill you up, then a bun with butter and cheese for 32 kroner is a pretty good deal, in my opinion. You can basically get a tasty lunch for almost 60 kroner. And it’s a quintessential Danish experience!
How to Ask for It
You won’t find “bun with butter and cheese” on the menu by default. Just ask for a bun with butter and cheese at the counter in any bakery. No one will look at you funny.
Every bakery keeps a big tub of butter in the back (real butter, of course!) and sliced Danish cheese. In a minute, with a smile, they’ll cut the fresh bun and make it for you.
And right there at the counter you can take a bite and savor the heavenly flavors—and the Danish way of life!
Enjoy!
The Danish name for bun with butter and cheese is bolle med smør og ost or simply bolle med ost (bun with cheese).
