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Guide / Copenhagen
”Compared to our neighbours in the north, I think we’re best at embracing diversity”
On Caribbean comfort food and secret castles
VIRGIL NICHOLAS
12 Feb 2021

Virgil Nicholas is nothing short of a fashion guru amongst cobblestone-laden streets of Copenhagen. In 2008 he started the first independent men’s lifestyle blog in Denmark and has since then been involved with NN07 and Les Deux, to name a few. He recently started VINNY’s, a unisex shoewear brand with inspiration from his childhood and old family album pictures of his dad.

My favourite thing that makes me proud of Copenhagen: 

I love the diversity in my city. Compared to our neighbours in the North, I think we’re best at embracing diversity. Not world champions but still. It’s good quality.

My favourite personal weekend routine: 

At the moment it’s getting more sleep than I do on weekdays. And eating fluffy pancakes. It’s the little things in life sometimes.

My favourite cultural spot:

The churches. We have plenty of churches in the city whose architecture is admirable. Being Catholic I’ve spent a ton of times inside hundreds of them and sometimes you forget they are everywhere. Also, churches are a sanctuary for me. Quiet, peaceful and sacred. A perfect spot for a little bit of mindfulness.


Grundtvigs Kirke. Photo: Terry Mclaughlin / Visit Copenhagen

My favourite place for dining out:

It’s such a cliché to say, but Pluto is my go-to every time. You know what you get, and what you get is good!

My favourite place for a creative or business meeting:

Places that are busy inspire me, therefore you’ll often find me at either Union Kitchen or Depanneur. For the quieter ones, Admiralgade 26 is the only one!

My favourite breakfast place:

I’d have to say Sonny.

My favourite city escape:

If I told you I would reveal my secret. It involves a castle. That’s all.

My favourite local entrepreneur or creative I want to promote:

My guy Kai Semple, a chef, has done small pop-ups and started doing Caribbean comfort food for takeaway during the first lockdown. His food is beyond! I truly hope his craft will resound even more over the next months

My favourite hotel for a staycation:

Sanders or Villa Copenhagen. Easy.

My favourite route for a run or walk: 

From the heart of the city across Christianshavn to Amager Strand and back again. It’s a perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle in the city, and dive right back into it again.

My favourite place for fashion:

VINNY’s HQ. Easy.

My favourite space for great design: 

My great friend Frederik’s home. He’s a great curator and makes everything look effortless.

My favourite example of tech innovation: 

Currently, I’d like to send kudos to ShareNow! I love the shared car service in the heart of the city. It’s a perfect way to get around with lesser pollution and great cars. Just wish people would cherish them more and stop leaving the filthy for the next user.

My favourite local media:

The Danish podcast Genstart is an amazing way to stay up to date with global and local news. My good friend Kristoffer Ernst also has a newsletter platform called Morgenpost which is a weekly cultural report. One of my favourite reads. Lastly, our own The Vibe is a good bite of adventures to be amazed by in just 3 minutes. Every Sunday!

My favourite thing at my own home: 

I have a miniature sculpture of Le Penseur (The Thinker) which is a reminder of both bad and good times in my life. It’s a great way to stay on track with the process.