KenScale: 8.5/10 Visit: February 2024 [Note: After some deliberations, I have decided to upgrade all restaurants receiving 8.5 or 8.75 KenScale to five Yelp stars from four.] Perhaps no restaurant in the gastronomical heaven of Copenhagen has as much buzz as Alchemist at the moment. The chef-owner Rasmus Munk believes in the idea of holistic cuisine that redefines dining through multi-sensory experience and fusing diverse elements from philosophy, sustainability, technology and arts, and ever since its opening Alchemist has received almost unparalleled level of praise and attention for its innovative approach to fine dining. For our Copenhagen trip, I very much wanted to check out what Alchemist had to offer and was lucky to secure a reservation for my wife Jun and me. After opening a giant metal door (which almost reminded me of entering some fantasy world of dragons and fairies) of an industrial building, we were led to a dark room with dazzling lights where a female dancer started performing in front of us before handing us a thinly sliced black seaweed-based snack. Our dining experience got even more surreal thereafter. Everything at Alchemist challenges your notion of a restaurant dining experience. Following the immersive experience, we were led to a lounge overlooking a brightly lit room where the kitchen staff was experimenting with different ingredients as if they were scientists researching the next-generation biology. The term for each of the small bites and dishes to come was "impression." It was in the lounge where ACT II (the dark room before was ACT I) began and we started getting more snacks while ordering cocktails and a bottle of wine to drink later. Some of these snacks were quite outstanding with ingenious touch, like the daisy cocktail with yuzu and mandarin, a sphere of gluten with langoustine tartare and caviar on top that generated smoke when we bit in the puff (hence the name "Smokey Ball"), an egg yolk emulsion (cleverly named "omelette") with Comte, pancetta and truffle, and an expression of Spain's bikini sandwich with jamon Iberico and gruyere cheese inside. After all the snacks were we then led to the main dining room that looks more like a planetarium than a restaurant. Throughout ACT III (which is further divided into four Scenes), the ceiling rotated through different video images, ranging from natural settings like ocean under the water to more provocative (and containing heavy political and environmental messages) such as blood cells, caged chickens and "surveillance" symbolized by stacks of computer screens. While we appreciated chef Munk's culinary vision to showcase that eating at a restaurant is not just about enjoying delicious food, at times these images distracted us from examining and savoring a series of dishes that started to arrive at our counter table. It probably didn't help that some of the dishes even had more graphic appearances that some diners might consider too disturbing, like a bowl resembling the surface of an eye (not surprisingly called "1984") with lobster and caviar to be dipped in the middle, a scoop of "Tongue Kiss" (fortunately, it was not a real tongue but a plastic model) where we were told to lick the habanero pepper and anchovy on the tongue's edge, or a mousse of lamb brain and truffle in the middle of a model of dissected brain (named "Food for Thought"). Some of my favorites included Marine Invaders (absolutely fantastic mix of crab and sea urchin, both of which are apparently invasive species in the ocean's ecosystem), Lobster Claw (a deconstructed representation of lobster roll with horseradish cream sauce and tomato powder), King Crab (utilizing crab tail that would've otherwise become food waste into almost like a fish cake with shrimp and langoustine layers), and Hunger (rabbit filet that tasted like a fine cured ham, and with harissa sauce that surprisingly worked well). The final savory course came in the form of chicken thigh glazed with Chinese sauce on a plastic model of chicken foot, followed by actual deboned chicken foot and sweet and sour broth of tom yum soup. Both of these dishes left a more lasting visual impression than how they actually tasted. The desserts also came in the form of small bites inspired by a variety of themes. Booking a table at Alchemist requires as much effort as some of the other finest dining destinations in Copenhagen. Make sure to sign up for a mailing list from the restaurant that will periodically announce when the next reservation window will open. The gigantic wine list at Alchemist was indeed a tour de force, with a fancy gadget that you can use to browse the bottles by categories such as country, region and grape type. At the end of the meal, chef Rasmus came out to greet and thank us for the visit. For a star chef who is probably one of the hottest names in the gastronomy world right now, we found him surprisingly approachable and humble. read more

Alchemist delivered one of the most exhilarating meals of my life, seven-plus hours that somehow felt like an intermissionless play you never want to end. You step through doors that look like a Rodin fever dream, pause in a small antechamber, and a performer in a second-skin bodysuit places a translucent berry wafer in your hand while a voice muses about identity. It is the very definition of pretentious performance art, and yet the keynote is play. That tone carries through the night, which is why the theater never drowns the cooking. It gives the cooking additional intrigue - something to think about as you eat. Rasmus Munk himself came by our counter, and when I asked if he wanted to see a magic trick he grinned and said he traffics in magic too, then watched my cards with the same delight I had for his plates. That mutual sleight of hand reached its apotheosis when the entire room was served a jade-colored cocktail and told not to touch it and not to photograph it. The lights cut. The drink glowed with cool bioluminescence. They explained that the luminosity came from an isolated jellyfish protein. It sounds like a stunt. It tasted like a perfectly built drink that also happened to emit light. At one point we were whisked down a back passage, asked to take off our shoes and put phones and wallets in a bin, and then invited to dive into a ball pit. Each clear sphere was printed with a glowing word - identity, memory, body, self - so you're literally swimming through the theme while a mirrored ceiling throws you back at yourself and George Michael blasts at nightclub volume. It was ridiculous in exactly the right way, a palate-cleanser for the mind that punctured any hint of sermonizing. Alchemist plays with moral gravity, yes, but it also knows when to be gleefully unserious. That balance showed up on the plates too. A course built around pig's blood explored texture and temperature - silky, aerated, crisp - complete with an edible QR code nudging you to donate blood. A "chicken nugget," lush under a nutty, rich sauce, was skewered to a little chicken foot while the dome above filled with images of battery cages. It's confrontational theater, but the bite itself was superb, and the ethical point definitely isn't wrong. So for me, it works. Like all great tasting menus, this one had a clear arc with set pieces I can still taste. A few of the courses that stuck with me: a glossy "sunflower" cocktail that looked like an egg yolk and was silken, tart, and almost shockingly pure; caviar with tender green peas and a lacy crisp, saline and verdant with a long finish served inside an eyeball inspired by Orwell's "1984," ; a fillet sheathed in edible "plastic" that crackled theatrically and then melted into clean, oceanic sweetness; a latex human head cut off to reveal a morsel of deer brain on a puffed corn base; trachea cut into pale loops that looked like calamari and ate like a gentle, elastic noodle over deep, umami sauce; prismatic, stained-glass squares that snapped like fruit lacquer; a coffin-shaped "Guilty Pleasure" chocolate that lands sweet and then asks you to remember the labor behind cacao; a Warholian banana trompe-l'œil that was witty and delicious rather than a mere gag. Course after course hit that unlikely trifecta: novel to the eye, rigorous in technique, and frankly delicious. Many dishes seemed weirdly inspired by processed junk foods, but it worked. The house's reputation for gleeful provocation is well earned. There are moments calibrated to make you blink, smile, and think. A cocktail aromatized with preserved rabbit ear, bread served deliberately moldy in tribute to Hans Christian Andersen, prismatic dessert wafers, ants preserved in a spicy honey "amber," an artichoke dip lithograph of Frida Kahlo, an ethical jab delivered in chocolate. It walks right up to the line of discomfort, then wins you over because the flavors are composed with care. You are never punished for being adventurous. You are rewarded. Service and setting keep pace with the imagination. The room is shadowed and cinematic without being oppressive. Sound and light cues arrive on time. The staff thread the needle between choreography and warmth; it feels like an ensemble, not a script. Even the bathroom is part of the mise-en-scène, a gleaming, sci-fi sanctuary that would not look out of place on the bridge of the Enterprise. Alchemist has been described as "holistic cuisine," which in practice means the ideas and the flavors are braided rather than stapled together. I went for the spectacle and left thinking about balance, tenderness, line, and finish. Every dish tasted like something I wanted more of. Five stars, emphatically. read more

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I came here expecting something completely unique and out of this world and Alchemist truly delivered on that front. Through a 7 hour experience that took us through a slew of different rooms and cuisines, Alchemist takes a unique approach to food I have yet to see replicated closely anywhere else. Counting the number of physical food dishes as well, I counted about 37 not including any of the impressions you are led through. From the quick bites of Act 1 to the ever-changing landscape of the large room that housed Acts 2 and 3, everything was pinpointed to the smallest detail. Essentially all the courses were quite delicious (Sorry Pig's Blood Ice Cream, you're the exception haha) and as someone who's politically active and quite cosmopolitan in terms of topics discussed, I enjoyed the explanations and and intent given behind each dish presented. The service was quite personable and didn't overstep or under-reach their position either which was a good balance. There was one small hiccup with one of the dishes presented where they forgot to remove the plastic film in the dessert so I ended up biting into it but they remedied that by pouring us a bit of a sweet white dessert wine called Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes (2005) that was just sublime. I'm not a big alcohol drinker personally, and the sole reason is simply that I just do not enjoy the bitter taste of most alcohol really but this was just out of this world. I think this is the first wine (and alcohol in general really) that I would definitely seek out and consume more of because this was just, so delicious. Though bottles run in the hundreds so they'd likely only be for very special occasions haha. Overall, this really was an EXPERIENCE and nothing like I've ever done before. I wish that I could capture every single dish and impression here, but sadly Yelp's photo limit prohibit me from doing so. Though I hope mine capture a bit of the magic there, I must say though that this whole journey was just, ABSOLUTELY SINGULAR. read more

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I mean there are no words for the experience. Not just food but the whole experience was amazing! read more

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It is clear why this is the 2023 #1 restaurant in Europe and the 2023 #5 restaurant in the World. With over 59 different plates, in a perfectly choreographed experience, chef Rasmus Munk is able to put together an impressive theatrical event. The dinner is divided into several acts and set across different locations within the huge facility ( a balcony, a play area and a planetarium-like dome). Dishes are complex, highly creative, different and tasty. Chef Rasmus gave us an experience of a lifetime. read more

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It's really hard to describe in words what a dining experience at Alchemist is like. Chef Rasmus breaks the mold on what one should expect from a fine dining experience, and I believe he truly is a modern day genius regarding design, concept, and execution. Alchemist does not have the best food in the world. While the food is exceptional, the restaurant actually plays it fairly safe with the ingredients used and overall composition of dishes. Noma is still a better dining experience if you're basing it purely on food, and much more experimental with flavors. Where Alchemist excels is the performance of the entire dining experience. There is nothing on Earth you can compare to what Alchemist has to offer because it blends so heavily performance, food, art, and atmosphere. The restaurant is truly the first of its kind. The entire dining experience at Alchemist is unironically close to 7-8 hours long. It's by far the longest dining experience I have had. We began at around 5:30pm and ended well past midnight. The pacing is expertly crafted as no one felt over full at any point during the meal, and time passed by ridiculously quick. Throughout the meal you move through 4-5 rooms with art and interactive installations in between. I won't spoil anything but bring some comfortable shoes. The restaurant itself is a work of art. The wine cellar is spectacular housing over 8,000 exquisite bottles, the dome is jaw dropping in its engineering, and the entire flow of the restaurant was tailored from the ground up to provide such a magnificent experience. The food itself is good, but there are only a couple dishes that truly stand out throughout the night. Most dishes have a shock factor coupled with an environmental message or beyond stunning plating; there are not many dishes that stand out taste wise. I could very well be a hard critic as I've eaten at so many of these restaurants, but nothing stands out dish wise as exceptional. Overall, this restaurant is a must visit. There is nothing that comes close to the experience Alchemist has to offer. This is the most artistic and conceptually creative restaurant in the entire world right now, and it completely breaks the mold on the current state of fine dining. If I were to bet, I truly believe this restaurant will usher in the new age of change in fine dining. It will be the poster child of what the next era of restaurants will be in the next decade. read more

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Alchemist is a MUST for people who love delicious and creative cuisine in a fun, awesome environment making for an amazing evening. Hospitality and service are second to none! Be prepared for a 5 1/2 hour dinner that keeps you engaged the entire time! read more

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This was the single most mind blowing experience I've ever had with any restaurant experience. It's more than just a restaurant. There were actors and musicians as well as original content and music that was created in digital media format among many other things. It's hard to put into words and show through pictures alone what the entire experience entails. Even the plates they used were all customized and created for their own dishes. There is just so much mental and physical stimuli here that it's hard to focus on just one thing. Food wise, most of the dishes were delicious especially if you get over some of the shocking presentation. It's molecular gastronomy at its finest. This is what other molecular gastronomy places should strive for. The presentation combined with the digital media and noise/music all around you messes with your mind and your brain as you try to eat everything. The whole experience is just amazing and thought provoking. They focus a lot on sustainability and highlighting environmental/social issues. read more

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There's a guy - Georg Brandes - one of the first philosophers to appreciate Nietzsche and a professor at the University of Copenhagen a hundred years ago. I read one of his essays before our meal at Alchemist. He was concerned with culture and existentialism - the ways that culture could compress us and the ways that eccentricity and "aristocratic radicalism" could break us out of those traps. The Alchemist is trapped. I don't mind that the food is hit-or-miss. I don't mind that none of it would thrive in a two- or three-star menu in Paris or Tokyo. I don't think Rasmus gives a shit. He ends the evening with an altogether decadent hazelnut snicker of chocolate bonbon, as if to say, "You see! If I want to play their games, I can." He serves it upside down because he can't help himself. The restaurant fails because of the writing. It fails because our entirely bourgeois, neo-progressive, consultant neighbors in Washington, DC told us that it would blow our minds. It fails because the waitstaff, in their 10th year of fine dining service at their 3rd restaurant tell us what we all knew but still wanted to hear: that the corals are all bleached, the chickens all suffering, the oceans plastic. There's no editor; no art in the dome - just shapes and colors, all on the nose. And when the crowds clear and the organs are all donated, there's still a beautiful, unironic cellar of vintage Haut Brion. It's still all recorded on cell phones. I swam in the ball pit and loved it. But the wrapper wasn't edible - I tried. It wasn't edible because the chocolate couldn't otherwise carry the words right there on the package. read more

Even in its early days one of the most ambitious Restaurants ever created I've probably told my 2017 Alchemist story a hundred times and I'll probably tell it at least as many more - a showing of hospitality quite like any other. Already impressed by my visit to Chef Rasmus Munk's original Restaurant it was an absolute privilege to sit down in the new concept and experience what is truly "an experience" - visual, aural, gastronomy, sociology, ecology, technology and even anthropology. From the immense door to an opening "Impression" featuring a solo violinist playing "Vi sålde våra hemman" every aspect of Alchemist is intended to overwhelm the senses, and across five "Acts" in an equal number of hours Rasmus' team never ceases to impress in catering to each guest's every need. Pointless to describe course-for-course, the journey occurring as guests move from room to room and idea to idea, early bites take place in front of a test kitchen where Champagne finds itself matched to Candy Floss Dumplings and "The Perfect Omelet" before traversing the 90,000 bottle Wine cellar to a planetarium called The Dome. Often using Food as a vehicle, the overhead projection of polluted oceans coming to life with a jaw-dropping dish of Cod topped in crispy translucent Bouillon, consider also the idea of food waste in the form of Brain, Lung or Flesh from a Crab beyond the Legs. Never lacking for technique, cryo-freezing and emulsification joining forces with ideas such as growing Mycelium on agar or dry-aging game in wax, custom service-ware makes many dishes more titillating including Orwell's "1984" Eye or the silicon Tongue Kiss. Gazed down upon by caged Birds while eating a deboned Thigh titled "Burnout Chicken," shortly after lights went dark for "Cheers" featuring edible Bioluminescence that has generated a scientific paper, sweets begin with Force of Nature featuring Colostrum, Unpasteurized Honey and Formic Acid before picturesque "Andy Warhol" and Pig's Blood Ganache complete with a QR Code to become a Blood Donor. Making a statement about the abusive nature of child labor with "Guilty Pleasure" before guests enter the Pink Room, an impression best left as a surprise, it is after visiting another kitchen that guests end up in the Balcony with their thoughts and three more bites including Ants in "Amber" and a 3D Printed Tarte Tatin. About those thoughts? Calling Alchemist the most forward thinking restaurant in the world right now is easy. But it's more than that. It is science and culture and art and 100+ people working together to create something extraordinary. It succeeds in its vision. It publishes scientific papers. It shows that big dreams can come true and that those dreams, even using Food as a medium, can make a difference. read more

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The pastries and ice cream was fresh. The owner was very nice. It was quiet street near the museum.

Writing a review for this place is tough... Let's just say, they completely blew my mind and redefined what it means to create a fine dining experience (with the emphasis on "experience" as it touches all your senses, engages your imagination, plays with your emotions on multiple levels). Food: every bit was exquisite. I don't think my vocabulary is rich enough to describe each of the food impressions that we were offered. And I am almost hesitant to even try as this deserves to stay a surprise for the lucky ones who get to visit the Alchemist in the future. Service: WOW! They set the ultimate standard for extremely attentive, always there when you need them without hovering, perfectly timed, sophisticated and classy without being snobbish, knowledgeable and relatable, democratic in the best sense of this word (as in, you can see Rasmus, the creative genius behind Alchemist, and Alchemist chefs serving food and interacting with guests along with servers all throughout the night). Space: super fun! Experience: during your dinner (which is 4-5 hours depending on your pace but boy does the time fly when you are having fun!), you will be surprised, amused, emotionally moved, delighted, made to think hard about certain topics and even offered to ponder a few deeply philosophical questions, and very possibly you will at one point laugh the carefree and thrilled laughter of a child. Just go and enjoy it. It's beyond worth it. I almost missed this opportunity for personal reasons but I am so happy it all worked out and I got to experience the magic that Rasmus Munk and the Alchemist team create. Hint: Getting a reservation here is super, super tricky. The team releases 3 months worth of slots about a month ahead of time. Your best bet would be to sign up for their newsletter and Instagram account and monitor closely. Once slots are released (for parties of 2, 4 or 6), they are sold out in a matter of 3-5 minutes (and I am not exaggerating). So be prepared, have your Tock app account ready and hit that "reserve" button. The experience is prepaid and you can choose between 50 impressions and the Sommelier table. read more

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A once-in-a-lifetime crazy fun experience with absolut outstanding food, wine and service. There is no other place like this in the world. Think dining on planet Mars. The experiences and spaces they take you through are just as cool as the food itself. But this is more than dining. If you can manage to get a table here, go ahead and do it. It's worth a trip in itself. read more

I visited Alchemist in the same week as I went to both Noma and Geranium. Of these three effectively flawless experiences, Alchemist will be the one that sticks with me the most. Given that this visit to Alchemist was sandwiched between visits to two restaurants that have achieved 'World's Best Restaurant' status, to say that this was the best meal of my life means a hell of a lot. The mission statement of a 'holistic restaurant' might seem like some buzz words or a gimmick at first, but they certainly deliver on it. The experience (and it is a whole 'experience' that transcends a meal) incorporates impeccable hospitality, stunning art, theatrical weirdness that I found reminiscent of New York's Sleep No More, and sociopolitical/environmental commentary, all spiraling around and relating to the fantastic foods on our plates (or creative plate-substitutes) . To describe the things we ate and saw while in that unassuming warehouse-like building would be a spoiler for a night with more twists and turns in it than a Hitchcock movie. At the same time, were I to even try, it might sound as though I were trying to describe a fever dream I once had after falling asleep during a screening of Blade Runner. You might just assume I was losing my mind. The spoiler-free truth is that the food is elevated dining at its best, even before it is further elevated by everything else going on there. What came as the biggest surprise is how their theatricality genuinely enhanced the actual food. In several years of fine dining, I'm unable to remember other individual courses with such a visceral clarity and that is because of how Alchemist made every single thing I ate there mean something to me. worth noting is that they have a beautifully thought out non-alcoholic drinks pairing (a huge plus for my partner and me) and that the staff were so incredibly welcoming and accommodating that I almost felt like I knew each of them by the time we left. I will say that as an artist and an old fan of both science fiction and surrealism who lives in more-or-less perpetual fear of the 24 hour news cycle... Alchemist might just as well have been tailor made for my sensibilities. It spoke to something deep in my heart. I could perhaps see how this experience might not share the broader appeal of a more traditional (albeit exceptional) restaurant like Geranium, or even Noma who for all of their mad food science have messaging might be a little more accessible to the mainstream. Frankly I was struck surprise that a place like this could even exist and operate at this level, as I have my doubts that anything like this could truly thrive in the US fine dining landscape that I am more familiar with. That made me appreciate Denmark and Copenhagen all the more for incubating this beautiful beast, because, for me at least, this IS the best restaurant in the world. There's nothing else like it. It doesn't get any better than this. I'm not even sure how it could. read more

Mind blowing experience. Once in a lifetime. We went last night and I can't stop thinking about the 50-60 "impressions". Can't wait to come back to Copenhagen read more

Alchemist is, in addition to a two Michelin star and Europe's best restaurant, truly unique and innovative. Think of an immersive experience where excellent, innovative, and experimental food is a key component, service impeccable, but ambiance is taken to a whole different level. Expect to move around a couple of times during the night. Expect to be pushed a little out of your comfort zone. Expect a holistic experience, an amalgamation of sound, pictures, and taste beyond anything you have tried before. And, finally, expect the unexpected. A must-do place, worth a separate trip to Copenhagen. Book immediately when the restaurant opens for bookings as the spots sell out in seconds. read more

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I just finished my first experience at Alchemist. I took tons of photos and videos. I will never post them, as they cannot do justice to what Alchemist is. I have travelled, and eaten my way, across 70+ countries on every continent (except for Antarctica). There is nothing like this. The food, the non-edible "impressions" you experience, the artisans who create and guide you through hours of discovery and brilliance. I now lay in bed... a flight tomorrow to my next destination... pondering all that happened in the unassuming building I entered many hours ago. My eternal love and gratitude to all of the talented people who make something like Alchemist exist. read more

Alchemist was probably my number one restaurant bucket list item and it didn't disappoint. I did my research going in so I knew not to expect the best food in the world, but the best experience. So if you are there for the food, you should probably not bother. Service was phenomenal and I thought it was interesting that the servers told us knowing English was more important than knowing Danish - which our main waitress couldn't even speak (she spoke many languages but not Danish, but she's learning it.) I don't think a restaurant should get too political and this is my only complaint about this place. It's a restaurant. I want good food and good atmosphere. I don't mind being educated but I also don't want to be depressed. It's definitely a once in a life time place and it's worth a trip. Don't read about the food too much - let it surprise you. There will be enough food to eat and drink pairings have free refills. read more

Incredible experience like no other. Every detail here is over the top - be prepared for an entertaining and delicious meal. Each course or "impression" comes with a story, each service member you interact with is highly knowledgeable and welcoming, the space is amazing, and the 4+ hours will fly by. Cannot wait to return read more

One of the most incredible dining experiences ever! No exaggeration. AMAZING! The food, the service, the ambiance, the attention to detail... I cannot put into words how special this night was. There were surprises at every turn, but nothing was gimmicky. The staff were genuinely hospitable and warm. Chef Munk was so welcoming and present. The food was incredible. It was a 5+ hour experience, and it flew. We've been to many a wonderful tasting menu and sometimes, even though it's great, you still feel like you're laboring to get through towards the end- tonight though at Alchemist, we couldn't get enough. Seriously. Wonderful. Thank you to everyone there for such a special experience. Amazingly delicious food, accompanied by a sense of social awareness. Makes you feel like part of a greater community. We could not be happier. read more

not sure what you can really say. this is more of an experience than it is a meal. its weird. super weird. the food was surprisingly approachable the first half of the meal before we got into some fun stuff that you don't ever see. if you're good with trying all types of food, can snag a rez and are ok with the stupid amount of money it costs then i'd say you'll 100% agree it was worth it. i think it was nearly a 5 hour meal. read more

experience was great but I accidentally booked a table for 4 instead of 2 due to how fast I had to try and book. I immediately emailed them to change to 2 people and they said it wasn't possible to change. I asked them to sell the other 2 seats and again, they said no. I kept the reservation even though we'd be paying $3700. When we arrived at restaurant, they had sold the other two seats I paid for. Incredibly dishonest and felt taken advantage of. It really put a damper on our experience. I wouldn't recommend based on their dishonesty and lack of transparency and unwillingness to work with me. read more