Scan Magazine – August 2018

102 | Issue 115 | August 2018

Odense’s newest food market

By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Arkaden Food Market

Experience of the month, Denmark

Arkaden Food Market opened its doors to the public in December 2017, and has

since taken the Danish city of Odense by storm. Food from all four corners of the

world — as well as plenty of coffee, wine and beer — is there to be enjoyed with

friends, family, or simply while relaxing on your own.

Street food has become incredibly popu-

lar in Denmark and, when Arkaden Food

Market opened, the founders wanted

to ensure that what they were offering

was not something that could be found

on any street corner in Odense. “We’ve

been overwhelmed by the support and

positivity we’ve received since opening,”

says Thomas Kyung Jensen, partner of

Arkaden Food Market. “It’s amazing to

see how people have taken to the concept

and how excited they were to try some-

thing new and different.”

Everything under one roof

There are numerous exciting culinary

experiences to be had at Arkaden, and

there is something even for the pickiest

customer. Whether you want fried chick-

en, sushi, fresh spring rolls or Moroccan

street food — to name just a few of the

cuisines available at Arkaden — there is

sure to be something to satisfy the taste

buds.

“We really wanted to be able to offer

something a little bit different,” Jensen

explains. “Of course, we have some clas-

sics like pizzas and burgers, but we want-

ed to ensure that each stall had its own

story to tell. The pizza stall, for example,

is run by an Italian chef using a particular

method from his home region. We have

another stall that only uses ingredients

from Fyn, ensuring the farm to fork chain

is as sustainable as possible. Everyone is

happy to have a chat, so if you’re curious

about the food, then you can always ask.”

There are currently 21 stalls, a wine bar,

a beer bar and a coffee shop, serving

over 2,000 people every day.

Serving the whole community

The wonderful thing about Arkaden is

that it has become a meeting point for the

whole of Odense and its visitors. “In the

morning, you’ll often see someone stud-

ying with their laptop, or a group having a

business meeting. And in the afternoon,

both the young and the old come in for a

bite to eat. And then everyone gathers in

the evening for food or a drink,” Jensen

says. It makes for a superb atmosphere,

as everyone sits on long benches next

to each other. “You’ll often find yourself

sitting next to someone you don’t know,

something we’ve so far found to be

incredibly positive, as it gives a commu-