Jutta’s culinary miracles

Krogs Fishrestaurant is situated in an apartment on the ground floor of a historic building at Gammel Strand 38. The Gammel Strand area was build on top of the ruins of the old Copenhagen. It can be dated back to the year 700 A.C., which is earlier than the official founding of Copenhagen by Absalon in 1160 A.C.

Gammel Strand was the center of the old towns fishing harbor. There was an immense fishing of herring, and because of this lucrative business and the strategic central placement, Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark, a country which spread over Sweden and Norway as well. There was fish trade on Gammel Strand until 2006, when the last traditional fisher’s wife, Dorit Marx, retired.

The restaurant was established in 1910, by Christian Sørensen Krog – “Oyster Krog”. In the beginning the restaurant was situated in Gammel Strand 34, where it also served as a vendor for the oyster company “Østerkompagniet”. For many years it was considered the place in town to buy oysters of the quality that the danish royal court received from northern Jutland.

In 1915 the restaurant moved a few houses down the road to the location it has today. Christian Krog spent a fortune restoring the rooms, using only the most skilled craftsmen and finest materials. The restaurant has several times been undergoing restoration by the National Museum, and therefore is presented in almost the same style as when it was build, with the original stucco and small window panes.

Christian Krog sold the restaurant to Mr. Berg and his wife Jutta who managed Krogs until 1939. Surprisingly it was neither Oyster Krog nor Mr. Berg, who gave Krogs the good reputation that it still has today – it was Jutta. Jutta did wonders in Krogs’ kitchen, and several of her recipes are the foundation of Krogs’ menu today.

Krogs has had many owners through the 100 years of existence, but the high level of culinary quality has persisted. Krogs has always been considered a fine dining restaurant, that has been visited by many celebrities throughout the years, and delivered catering to members of the danish parliament, that is on the other side of the road.

You can’t help but feel the history of the place when dining at Krogs. It penetrates every element of your dining experience, especially the menu. Krogs’ cuisine is of historic value, especially in these transitional times of gastronomic experimentations. The menu has a solid founding in the classic Danish cuisine, but is still in touch with todays gastronomic development. Krogs is a historic jewel, a place with soul and a very special character. A sophisticated old lady with a sparkle in the eyes.