Holy guacamole! I can’t believe I’ve never written about Warpigs on the blog before - seeing as it’s one of my favorite food places in Copenhagen.
I’m fully aware that Warpigs is hardly an insider’s tip any longer, with local brewing giant Mikkeller behind it, they were bound to receive a lot of attention and press, even internationally. But I’m still going to give you my take - try and stop me!
Instead of giving you all the background story about how Warpigs is a really cool brewpub in the Meatpacking District (Kødbyen) and a cooperation between two breweries: Copenhagen local Mikkeller, and American 3Floyds, focusing on beer and Texas-style barbecue…. oh, okay, I guess I did give you a bit of background.
I love Warpigs’ interior, even though it is so Copenhagen it almost causes me physical pain: the classic, tiled Meatpacking District premises, walls lined with shiny kettles, some actually in use for brewing; long, rough, wooden benches and tables, minimal decor.
True to style, you order your drinks at the bar and your food at the counter, where it is weighed and dropped unceremoniously onto your tray. Table service? Haha!
It’s rustic, there’s classic rock playing, and everything smells like meat, sauces, and beer - but still it’s stylish rather than grimy. Only in Copenhagen!
The beers are delicious - but the names are even better. Care for a “Big Drunk Baby” or a “Tongue Worshipper”? How about a “Moonbase of Filth”?
Names aside, they are delicious, and that’s just a fact. But what I love even more than the beers is the soda fountain with the delicious sodas from Maine Roots. Sooooo good!
Okay, enough tiptoeing around the main subject: the food!
Go ahead, ask me - what’s the best item on the menu? The spare ribs? The pork shoulder? The brisket? The sausages? Close, but for me, the sleeper item that you absolutely must order is… (drumroll) … the chicken! Now, hear me out, I know what you’re thinking, but that chicken is AMAZING. It’s so juicy and flavorful, with crispy, deliciously seasoned skin, and I just can’t get enough of it. Trust me - order it. You can thank me later.
A close runner-up and another regular on my tray is the pork shoulder - it’s an absolute feast. I’ve had most of the other meats as well, and they are all very, very good, but those two are my faves.
For sides - if you’re so inclined - I’m partial to the coleslaw, because it brings a nice, fresh balance to all the meatiness, and the mac’n’cheese, because, well, mac’n’cheese. The first time I’ve had the mac’n’cheese I was very disappointed, because the sauce was thin and runny and lacked taste, but I’ve since tried them again and was happily surprised when I found that they’d greatly improved. They’re still not quite cheesy and sticky enough for my taste, but the flavor is right where it should be.
If I was a poet, this would be where I’d break into a sonnet detailing my love for Warpigs’ own barbecue sauces.
There are four of them, named after classic Southern barbecue hotspots (Kansas City, Alabama, Carolina, and Texas), and none of them is like the thick, sweet stuff we usually know as “BBQ sauce”. There are two red ones, a creamy white one, and my personal favorite: Carolina Gold (despite the fact that I’m a Saints fan and my enemy team stems from Carolina). It is absolutely imperative that you smother any and all meat completely in these delicious concoctions!
Now, is Warpigs the best American barbecue in Copenhagen? It’s absolutely delicious, but I think if I absolutely had to pick a favorite, I’d probably give the slightest of edges to Barbie, which I’ve written about way back in the day. So if you’re a BBQ fan, I strongly urge you to try both Warpigs and Barbie - what, if you’re a true meat lover, you certainly won’t mind eating delicious BBQ twice, will you?
What’s your verdict? Let me know in the comments below!
Warpigs Brewpub | Flæsketorvet 25, 1711 Copenhagen | warpigs.dk
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