Traditional Danish cuisine, like that of its neighbours, was defined by the country’s long coastline, with seafood dishes, such as pickled herring, central to daily cuisine. Also essential were hearty meat dishes, including stegt flaesk, crispy-fried pork belly served with creamy parsley sauce and boiled potatoes. The most iconic Danish food is smørrebrød, an open sandwich which consists of a dark brown rye bread slice, topped with various ingredients. Popular toppings include roast beef or pork, prawns, pickled herring, pate, or fried fish fillet, which is then accompanied with some kind of sauce or garnish. For the past decade, Denmark has also been famous as the centre of New Nordic Cuisine, which reinvigorated Scandinavian food. New Nordic Cuisine is defined by seasonality, sustainability, and local ingredients, cooked in ways that reflect Scandinavian culture, geography and history. The world’s top New Nordic restaurant, Copenhagen’s Noma, was four times voted the world’s best restaurant. New Nordic influences have trickled through Copenhagen’s food scene, making this once pricey cuisine relatively affordable and accessible. And finally, the fact that Danish and danish (the pastry) are homonyms is not a coincidence – though ironically, the same pastries are referred to in Denmark as ‘Viennese bread’. Nonetheless, baked goods of all sorts are hugely popular here, with virtually every Danish street home to a bakery selling danishes and other pastry treats.