Coffee Collective Bernikow - Copenhagen

Coffee Collective Copenhagen

Coffee Collective Copenhagen

Reflecting on the past can transform your blurred ideas into an honest verdict: while I was living in Copenhagen, the Danes have been way too good to me. After three whole months of not-trying-too-hard to learn the language, I got to the point where I was so embarrassed about my Danish speaking level, that I start humming sounds instead of English words hoping that the people would hear some Danish in it. Still, they didn’t seem to judge me for it. Call me naïve, but I really think it’s a culture thing. Danes seem to care a lot about their environment, about both their people and nature. During my Scandinavian sustainability course, I learnt that the Danish have the most ‘feminine’ culture in the world meaning that they act cooperative and empathic rather than competitive and selfish. Beautiful, isn’t? And it is reflected in Danish coffee places too by their typical faelesskab - another gorgeous Scandi word that connects ‘equal treatment’, ‘taking care of each other’ and ‘getting-together’. No matter what a lunatic you are, the norm seems to be to accept you for who you are and help you out.

This is what I felt during a coffee moment at Coffee Collective Bernikow - a well-known place that pops up if you google for quality coffee in town. Imagine a small monumental building hidden in a big street. The arched, high glass window with tomato red oakwood frames lures you in. Once inside, you walk into a mint green room with some Sherlock discovery decorations such as a big map and a magnifier on the wall. Tables are small and adorable. The crowd varies from young families to business partners. All that combined with mixed aromas of hot beverages makes the place an attractive little living room. Therefore it was busy - crazy busy. And so, I made the arrogant move to first put my coat on the last brown round table in the corner to secure a spot. Don’t you just hate that kind of person? Me too, totally.

At the counter I got distracted by a tall, black display with advanced coffee stuff to buy and I noticed that the barista saw my elegant gaze. Actually, it was probably more of a Muppet inspired funny face, puzzled as I was by the crazy machines up there. Bottom line - he noticed me and approach me to help. He left an entire line of waiting customers behind, and just to be clear it wasn’t because of me, because I looked like a Muppet. You’d expect sighs and intense facial expressions at the counter, right?

The truth is, no one seemed to mind that I stole some of their time at all. And they were also not on their phones. A tall guy had his eyes closed. A typical Danish working woman looked at nothing in particular with a sincere Buddha gaze. Thanks to all of them, my guilt dissolved and I had a very peaceful coffee moment.

Joe for now,