«It’s easy to eat at this wonderful cafe»
One of the quotes at Cafe Sorgenfri’s beams are as follows:
«Will muse like the horse’s fourth, it will crack ».
If this is a call not to overeat is not known. What I do know, though, is that it’s done quickly, just to dine at this wonderful cafe.
I’m thinking at if Cafe Sorgenfri was the title of a movie, it was made by Fellini, it was the title of a book, then it was written by Strindberg, and if it was the title of a painting, it was painted by Matisse.
But Cafe Sorgenfri is actually nothing less than exactly what it pretends to be, namely a cafe. In Norway we would not call this basement room a cafe, but an inn or inn, but in Denmark you choose to use the cafe name for this type of establishment, perhaps inspired by your French neighbor.
At Cafe Sorgenfri it is close between the tables, busy waiters, dim lighting, red checkered tablecloths, royal portraits on the walls, black ceiling beams with a good inscription in gold and happy guests in lively passiar.
The address is The paving council 8, and historically the street is primarily known for its many brewery establishments. Already in 1640 there were six breweries here, and in 1799 established Mr. Rindom a brewery in number 5. It was bought by the Jacobsen family in 1826, and her Jacob Jacobsen grew up, the later founder of Carlsberg Breweries, in 1847.
It was too moreover in Brolæggertsrædet 5 that Jacob Jacobsen made the first experiments with the production of bottom-fermented beer. However, I do not disregard the fact that Cafeorgenfri was both a faithful and eager customer of the neighbor in number 5. Kortreist is not a new invention.
Also Tromsø’s issuer has throughout history had a short supply of beer, as Ludvig Mack established his brewery in Storgata 4, already in 1877.
That which maybe not many people know is that it was Madam Aas, in Grønnegata 78, who was the city’s first commercial beer brewer, when she announced her home-brewed beer in 1839. Otherwise, it is worth noting that the town had as many as 29 beer brewers, who ran sales before Mack was ready with his first brew with Bavarian beer, on 17 May 1878 itself.
Paving board number 8 was completed in 1797, and in 1882 an inn was established here for the first time, in the basement of the building. In 1895, the inn was named Cafe Sorgenfri, but it was not until 1962, when the cafe was taken over by Mrs. Andersen, that the place became known for its classic, Danish menu.
The cafe is in day one of several restaurants in Copenhagen that specialize in Danish home cooking, where herring, pork roast, fried plaice and “Dyrlegens nattmat” rule the menu. In 1980 it was approx. 1000 pictures cafes / inns in Kongens by, today it is only approx. 200 left.
Let me in a historical perspective reminiscent of the following nightclubs here in the city, which in its time was known for its home cooking, namely Sagatun, Middagskjelleren and Samfunnskafeen.
Sagatun, established in 1934, had for many decades classics such as kale, meatballs, cod tongues and fried saithe on the menu.
The dinner cellar, established in 1938, was a favorite eatery for all stew lovers, while Samfunnskafeen, established in 1956, right as it was advertised with everything from copper crank to chops, from halibut to small steaks and fish cakes. Nam, nam.
Today is it basically Bengts Bistro in Tromsdalen, which offers this type of menu in Tromsø.
If we look a little on prices, then you have to go out with approx. 135 Norwegian kroner for Sorgenfri’s «signature right»; namely roast pork. This dish is actually a Christmas dish in Denmark, but it has become so popular to be in many of the cafes all year round. I can highly recommend the dish, regardless of the season. Juicy, tasty and crispy so it lasts. Also sauce, of course, plenty of sauce, as for so many of this type of dishes. At Bengts Bistro, you have to pay 205 kroner for a portion of cod tongues.
Also in Tromsø we have our Sorgenfri, but then we are talking about a geographically delimited area south of Tromsøya. None of our nightclubs have used this name, but also here in the city we have had issuers with good, Norwegian names throughout history. From the old days we can mention Kafe Røde Rotte, Skjårret, Promenadekafeen, Nøden and Kaffistova.
In recent times is the entrepreneur and café host Erling Gustavsen who has been a pioneer, what applies to his establishment good and creative Norwegian name. It is enough to just mention Bort-i-natta, Skarven, G and Paletten.
On another of Cafe Sorgenfris ceiling beams, it says:
«Speaking is to sow, but to listen is to reap ». If this is an invitation to the cafe’s guests, then it is my experience that she has become a review that cares. Rather the opposite, because here the chatter goes in one, though in very so convivial forms.
In Tromsø know I do not think that any of our nightclubs have used writing on the rafters, but perhaps Kaffistova in its time had rose-painted parts of its interior?
If we do not can boast of writing in the roof of any of the city’s nightclubs, then we literally got writing on the wall when the Prelate in 1974 opened its doors. Here, controllers could enjoy uplifting quotes from the poet-priest Petter Dass’s work, Nordlands Trompet. Beautifully painted in Gothic writing on chalk-white brick walls, often both proclaimed and discussed.
I choose to end my little visit to the venerable Cafe Sorgenfri, by quoting from Øystein Rottem’s book «Herring and schnapps»:
«Cafe Sorgenfri bears his name rightly. If you come here burdened with grief, it is hoped that you will leave here relieved and carefree. “
Dear Tromsø resident: Welcome to Cafe Sorgenfri.