To the diner, not much has changed at Noma, but the food scene in the city has evolved and diversified in recent years. I’ve ridden roller coasters after dinner at the revolving Michelin-starred pop-ups in the much-loved Tivoli theme park, I’ve kayaked to a floating pizza restaurant and sauna, eaten freeze-dried butterflies at theatrical Alchemist, and gorged on Himalayan-inspired steamed momo dumplings at Reffen. Currently, Bangkok-based, three-star Sühring are ‘holidaying’ at the Japanese Pagoda Michelin pop-up in Tivoli, showcasing their contemporary interpretation of German cuisine – surely the most fun and best example of multicultural gastronomy?
The sense I get from speaking to those in the industry is that after years of Noma dominating the limelight, it’s time for others to shine. Mikkel Ustrup, the high-end director at Tivoli, told me, “Just three years ago, the pagoda was a Christmas shop. We’ve had seven restaurants visit this year from across the globe, and now I have to say no to restaurants asking to come!” The pagoda even hosted the prestigious 2026 Michelin Guide Nordic Countries awards.
Noma currently does not have any Michelin stars because it wasn’t open long enough to qualify for evaluation requirements. But I’m not sure how much stars matter now. Noma is in its own league and remains an extraordinary experience, while Copenhagen’s food scene has matured. Noma is foundational to its identity, but is no longer its anchor, and its legacy is now bigger than the restaurant itself. Noma may be back, but Copenhagen no longer belongs to Noma.