Cafe 22
Cafe 22 occupies a ground-floor corner space at Sortedam Dossering 21, directly overlooking the lakes that separate Norrebro from the city center. The bar is small, holding roughly 60 people, with a long bar counter, a handful of tables, and window seats that look out onto Sortedams So. The interior is worn in the way that a bar gets after years of continuous use: scuffed floors, beer-stained tables, and walls covered with a rotating assortment of flyers, photos, and local art. The crowd is predominantly local, skewing toward students, creative workers, and Norrebro residents who treat Cafe 22 as an extension of their living room. The drink selection is basic but cheap by Copenhagen standards, with draft beer and house spirits at the core. There's no cocktail program and no pretension. The bar has operated for decades and maintains the kind of neighborhood loyalty that newer, flashier venues can't buy.
What to Expect
A neighborhood bar that feels like it's been here forever because it has. The crowd knows each other. As a newcomer, you'll be left alone unless you engage, at which point people are friendly. It's quiet on weeknights and moderately busy on weekends.
Quiet, local, and unpretentious. The kind of bar where you can sit alone with a book and a beer without feeling out of place.
Whatever the bartender feels like playing. Usually indie rock or electronic at low volume.
No dress code exists or is needed. This is a neighborhood pub.
Cheap drinks, lake views, experiencing Norrebro's local bar culture without the tourist markup.
Cash and card accepted.
Price Range
Draft beer DKK 40-55, house spirits DKK 50-65, wine DKK 60-75
Draft beer ~$6-8/~5-7 EUR, house spirits ~$7-10/~7-9 EUR, wine ~$9-11/~8-10 EUR
Hours
Daily 12 PM to 2 AM. Extended to 4 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.
Insider Tip
The window seats overlooking the lakes are the best spots on a clear evening. Cafe 22 works best as a low-key starting point before walking deeper into Norrebro, or as a landing spot after a night out when you want one more quiet drink.
Full Review
Cafe 22 is the bar you find when you stop looking for bars. Its location on Sortedam Dossering, the street that runs along the Norrebro side of the lakes, makes it easy to stumble upon during a waterside walk. The lakeside window seats offer one of the more pleasant views available from any Copenhagen bar, and it costs DKK 40 for a beer to enjoy them.
The interior won't win design awards. It's a small room with a bar, some tables, and the accumulated character of decades of neighborhood drinking. The walls function as a community bulletin board: local event flyers, photos of regulars, art by someone who probably lives upstairs. It's the visual equivalent of a bar that doesn't need to advertise because everyone who needs to know about it already does.
The crowd is what makes Cafe 22 worth visiting. Norrebro residents who've been coming here for years form the core. Students from the nearby university buildings add energy on weeknights. Creative workers from the neighborhood's design studios and media companies drift in after work. The result is a mix that feels natural rather than curated, and conversations between tables happen when the mood is right.
Practically, Cafe 22 is one of the cheaper drinking options in Copenhagen. Draft beer at DKK 40-55 and basic spirits at DKK 50-65 won't stress a budget. The trade-off is a complete absence of cocktail sophistication and a drinks list that's functional rather than exciting. For what it is, a lakeside neighborhood pub with character, it's close to perfect.
The Neighborhood
Cafe 22 sits on Sortedam Dossering, the Norrebro side of Copenhagen's lakes. The location puts it at the boundary between Norrebro and the city center, making it accessible from both. Dronning Louises Bro, the bridge connecting the two neighborhoods, is a two-minute walk south.
Getting There
Walk across Dronning Louises Bro from the city center and turn right along the lakes. The bar is about a 2-minute walk along Sortedam Dossering. Metro Forum (M1, M2) is a 10-minute walk. Bus 5C stops on Norrebrogade, a 3-minute walk away.
Address
Sortedam Dossering 21
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