Brønnum - one of the best cocktail bars in Copenhagen

Brønnum

A timeless playgrond for sensuous exploration

Picture a bar on the most stunning location in Copenhagen: That’s exactly where the entrepreneurial couple, Rasmus and Adeline Shepard-Lomborg have decided to anchor their third high-end cocktail bar adventure!

The couple has previously established both Ruby and Lidkoeb as some of the most acclaimed cocktail bars in Copenhagen. Their latest venture is called “Brønnum” and can be found right by the historic Kgs. Nytorv next to the Royal Theater and across from one of the most iconic hotels of Copenhagen – D’Angleterre. With its baroque stone carved facade, Bronnum blends perfectly in.

Entering Brønnum you are welcomed by the main bar which is decorated by beautiful original wood carvings imported from an antique pharmacy in Sevilla. It oozes history and panache, and you wish you could hear the unique stories it would unfold over an Old fashioned.

Brønnum main bar

The bar leads the way into a circular central lounge room, the walls of which are covered with a trompe oeil of a warm summer sky, soft clouds in red and orange overtones, creating a nostalgic and timeless space in which you would almost feel you’ve escaped the grip of time as you bask in the presence of your friends while enjoying an afterwork cosmopolitan.

The inner part of Brønnum is like the memory of an intimate torrid affair, the one that took you by surprise and shook you so deep within that you can almost still taste the intensity of that unforgettable encounter. It’s personal, it has character, depth and a sense of entering into a hidden place in the core of the earth. It’s like tasting a fine spirit blindfolded. A sense of feeling nurtured as your senses are satiated, as you bow down humbled for having your expectations surpassed.

The back room features small cocktail suites with custom made Portuguese barstools, vintage bottles, cigars, patinated leather sofas intimately divided by long velvet drapes and the possibility to have a delicious menu for private events or gourmet bar snacks to accompany your drinks. As the space is more intimate, you can have the privilege of exploring the menu in  depth with the skillful guidance of the bartender.

Brønnum intimate bar

Brønnum is a bar with history. For 125 years it was known as the family owned “Café Brønnum” – a lively hub for cultural bohemians of Copenhagen like H.C. Andersen and Dan Turel. You would think that building a modern bar on the foundation of such historic legacy would induce some natural malaise due to the expectations involved in such a bar quest. But with the amount of experience that Rasmus has in opening numerous bars in Great Britain, he never doubted that he and Adeline would succeed in Denmark. He knows which handles to pull if things are not working out. In the case of Brønnum, with its unique location and history, he felt like the bar was off to a flying start. But according to Rasmus the start is always easy – the real challenge is to create a success that lasts in the long run. High quality is difficult to maintain as staff changes through time and you can never fully plan in which direction a bar will evolve. In the end, what a cocktail bar grows into is determined and shaped by its customers, and you have to let that happen. Rasmus enjoys seeing that process unfold!

That you can’t plan for everything doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t plan at all. Putting together a strong team is one thing you should plan for, which will have a strong impact in the first ac
t of the bar’s story. For this reason Rasmus teamed up with one of the most experienced bartenders in Copenhagen – Nikolaj Brøndsted who will manage Brønnum as partner and co-owner.

Paul Graham - bar manager at Brønnum

Paul Graham

In order to differentiate the place from what bar tourists have started to recognize as “a typical Copenhagen cocktail experience” Rasmus has recruited Paul Graham from Scotland, who will be in charge of creating the cocktail menu. With many years of experience from the bar scenes of Edinburg and London, Paul Graham will be painting with a different palette. Besides a diverse range of tasteful signature cocktails, some of Paul’s interesting finger prints on the menu are the options of sharing cocktails that you can order for a group of friends or the three-in-one “3 martini lunch” which will take you through the history of the Martini from the 19th century martinez, through the 1920’s classic version to a mouthwatering contemporary dry martini with a few complementary snacks on the side. The menu also offers a range of interesting aquavit based Nordic cocktails (to explore this particular topic further download our free ebook on aquavit cocktails here).

From curious explorers, through unsuspecting passengers, to cocktail connoisseurs, Brønnum is more than its majestic location. It is a time machine paired with a sensuous exploration of tastes and smells, waiting for you to open the door to your own chapter.

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For reservations visit Brønnum’s website.

Author image
Thomas Klem Andersen
I believe that true mastery eventually leads to original creation given the right conditions. I love creative cocktails that push the limits of flavor pairing. But I can't deny I have a personal preference for whisky and love everything that is clear and stirred.