16 August,2026 10:02 AM IST | Chef Enayatullah Safi runs seven Indian restaurants in Copenhagen. Pics/Dhaba Kitchen | Nasrin Modak Siddiqi
Chef Enayatullah Safi runs seven Indian restaurants in Copenhagen. Pics/Dhaba Kitchen
On HC Andersens Boulevard 37, in central Copenhagen, there is a polished version of an Indian dhaba. Colourful, detailed yet balanced with Nordic minimalism, the restaurant draws on the warmth and informality of dhabas and were started by an Afghani-Danish chef, Enayatullah Safi. There are a couple more at food-hall locations that are more casual, counter-led and street-food oriented but all in all, these seven restaurants have been instrumental in building a cultural bridge between India and Denmark.
Originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, as far back as Safi can remember, Afghanistan was at war. "First there was the Soviet invasion, followed by civil war. As a child, you don't really understand what is happening, but you live with it," he recalls. His safe place was his grandfather, a people's man who many sought out for advice. Safi would sit with him in the guest house as he proudly introduced him to his guests and encouraged him to speak, making sure they listened. Safi also remembers the big family feasts, when his grandfather, uncles and the rest of the family would gather around a table of at least 10 people. "That's where my love to feed people grew. It runs in the family," he adds.
Growing up, Bollywood was a form of escape. Everyone looked forward to watching a Bollywood film every Friday on Afghanistan's national television. "I remember Sholay in particular. It's a classic that everybody loves. Bollywood was our main connection to Indian popular culture and my aunts had posters of Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, and later Shah Rukh Khan. Before them, there was Mithun Chakraborty. I remember when Amitabh Bachchan visited Kabul, it was a huge event, especially because Khuda Gawah is so loved there," he recalls.
At 13, when Safi moved to Denmark in 2001, watching these films became a way of staying connected to his culture and homeland. Even today, he recommends Indian films to his Danish guests. "For many, Bollywood is simply colour and spectacle. I tell them to watch films such as Dangal, PK and The Lunchbox, and they begin to see the much larger cultural story behind them," he smiles.
With no Indian restaurants in Afghanistan, Safi had little exposure to Indian food, but his first encounter in London blew his mind. Then followed the trips to Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai. "In Old Delhi, I went to Karim's and tried curries, roti and brain curry. The flavours felt familiar because of the spices, but the food was still very different from what I knew." Jaipur introduced him to vegetarian food, from dal baati to a range of vegetables and beans. In Mumbai, he discovered street food, starting with pav bhaji. But what stayed with him was the hospitality. "Whenever people realised I was from Kabul, they would invite me into their homes. Afghanistan and India share cultural similarities, particularly around hospitality. As part of the Silk Road, Afghan cuisine absorbed influences from across Asia, but traditionally it uses just one or two spices at a time, with onions, tomatoes, garlic, coriander and cumin forming the base. Indian cooking introduced me to a greater complexity, often combining seven or eight spices, with flavour shaped by both the blend and cooking time.
After travelling to India, Safi visited several Indian restaurants in Copenhagen. Many were run by people from the previous generation who were cooking the food they had grown up with and serving it in small restaurants. "I kept wondering: why isn't anyone working with these flavours more professionally? Why isn't anyone telling the stories behind the food? My brother wanted to open a restaurant, so we started a small one in 2015. The response was incredible. People loved the food and kept coming back, both for takeaway and to dine in. That was the turning point for me. I realised that it wasn't simply the restaurant that was working. People genuinely loved the flavours and aromas. We eventually opened three more branches."
Safi often tells his Danish guests that a proper curry cannot be rushed; traditionally, it can take three to four hours. He also challenges the idea that Indian food must be fiery. "Chilli gives you heat, but the aroma and flavour come from the spices. They are two different things."
He often has guests bring friends or family, saying, "They're afraid of Indian food. What should I order for them?" His answer is pani puri, a completely new experience for many Danish diners. He offers the classic version as well as variations with prawns and lobster. Tamarind is often their first unfamiliar flavour, and discovering they like it can change their perception of Indian food. He also offers a full vegetarian menu. Some guests call it the best vegetarian food they've ever had. "I tell them to visit India, because that's when they'll truly understand what vegetarian food can be," he smiles.
He sees Indian food as far more diverse than a single cuisine. His latest book, Dhabawalla explores Kochi, Lucknow, Jaipur and Delhi, while his restaurant serves regional menus, from Punjabi and North Indian to Lucknowi. Initially, guests gravitated towards butter chicken, so he introduced thali-style menus with smaller portions of several dishes, encouraging diners to explore. Over time, guests have become more adventurous, asking about unfamiliar flavours and where to buy the spices and ingredients. Safi is also working with a Danish company to make Indian spices and blended mixes more accessible in mainstream supermarkets.
Renowned for restaurants like NOMA, Copenhagen has an incredible food culture. "There is a very friendly environment where chefs help each other. If they need an Indian spice or ingredient, they call me and ask where to find it. We also experiment with techniques from Copenhagen's fine-dining kitchens and apply them to Indian food and spices. Cinema and food are two of India's biggest forms of soft power, and right now, Indian food is truly shining on the global front. Many Indian chefs and restaurants are doing excellent work in the US and UK. I particularly admire the team behind Dishoom in the UK. But I think the change is happening collectively and that's a good thing," he signs off.
[popcorn number="2015" desc="First Dhaba Kitchen opened in Copenhagen" class="Default"]
