The story
When Rasmus Oubæk opened Barabba on Store Kongensgade, he set out to create an Italian counterpoint to the French hipster bistros in his portfolio. What he built instead became something of an institution — a place where industry insiders congregate precisely because it stays open when others have closed, the food is seriously good, and the hospitality is without equal. The White Guide awarded it Masters level in 2026, and the recognition feels entirely earned.
The front of house belongs to Riccardo Marcon, who manages the floor with a fluency that extends to the wine list — a carefully chosen selection of natural wines matched to the menu with real understanding of nuance. In the kitchen, Marco Cappelletti works with what the White Guide describes as knife-sharp craftsmanship applied to outstanding ingredients. Together, they have spent recent time refining Barabba's expression, lifting it closer to a higher register without sacrificing the directness and flavour that defined it from the start.
The meal opens with three snacks, each served with specific instructions. The oliva ascolana sbagliata — a riff on the famous stuffed olives from Marche, reinterpreted with a mixture of minced olive and bread, shaped like an olive and deep-fried — sets the tone immediately. What follows is a bread course in four variations of flavour and texture, then four mid-sized plates designed with a formal clarity that belies the relaxed setting.
The lasagnetta stands out: a classic frutti di mare concealed beneath a millimetre-thin layer of egg custard inlaid with a mosaic of fresh herbs including wild garlic. All the richness and protective softness of a lasagne, none of its weight. An optional add-on — perfectly cooked spaghettini with anchovy butter and white sturgeon caviar — distils texture, umami, fat and brine into something quietly exceptional. Dessert brings a Sicilian cannolo shell over blood orange sorbet with ricotta and toasted pistachios: a clean, precise finish to a meal that is anything but ordinary.
Barabba operates Wednesday through Sunday from early evening well into the night, a schedule that has made it a genuine refuge for those who work in hospitality. The atmosphere is good-humoured and unhurried, the Italian cooking is handled with seriousness, and the menu offers genuine value for what arrives at the table. It is the kind of place that earns loyalty not through spectacle, but through consistency and care.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Since Rasmus Oubæk opened its Italian counterpart to all the French hipster bistros in his empire, Barabba has been a favorite haunt for industry professionals, staying open when others close, serving absolutely fantastic food, and offering top-tier hospitality. Recently, the team at Barabba has focused on refining their culinary presentation, elevating it just above the rustic Italian osteria style. Fortunately, this hasn’t come at the expense of flavor—a pitfall sometimes seen back home, where form overshadows substance. That’s certainly not the case here. The flavors are spot-on, and the menu offers excellent value for money. Riccardo Marcon runs the floor (and the whole operation)—the focus is on natural wines, paired with a distinct attitude and nuanced understanding that turns the wine pairing into a journey in itself. In the kitchen, Marco Cappelletti applies razor-sharp technique to exceptional ingredients. This refined approach is evident from the very first trio of small snacks, served with clear instructions on how to enjoy each one. We begin by opening the palate with *oliva ascolana sbagliata*, a playful twist on the famous stuffed olives invented in 19th-century Italy’s Marche region. Here, “sbagliata” means “mistaken,” as the filling is actually a blend of chopped olives and bread, shaped and deep-fried to resemble an olive. Absolutely delicious. Next comes a seaweed tart with stracchino cheese and pan-fried zucchini marinated in vinegar using the escabeche method—an intriguing concept rather than a flawless pairing. However, any hesitation fades quickly with the final bite: a salad wrap packed with well-seasoned vegetables that transports you straight to an Italian herb garden. Bread service features four delicate variations, each with distinct flavor infusions and textures. These precede four *piatti*—modern-sized plates presented with such deliberate attention to form that you’d swear you’re dining at a high table in a palazzo. Among them, the *lasagnetta* deserves special mention: a classic seafood filling rests beneath a paper-thin “lid” of egg flan, adorned with a mosaic of fresh herbs like wild garlic. The heaviness of traditional lasagna is gone, but the creamy texture and protective enclosure remain intact. A feast for both the eyes and the palate. Today’s à la carte special embodies Mies van der Rohe’s famous dictum: Less is more. Perfectly cooked spaghettini tossed in anchovy butter and topped with white sturgeon caviar delivers a harmonious blend of texture, richness, umami, salinity, and oceanic notes in an exclusive little dish that reaches absolute perfection. Paired with a few pours of Oriol Artigas’ La Canya 2018, this is genuinely the kind of experience you’d visit for. But don’t skip dessert either. The Sicilian cannolo—a crisp, fried shell made from thinly rolled puff pastry—cups a vibrant blood orange sorbet, rich sweet ricotta, and toasted pistachios. It’s a perfect finale to an effortlessly elegant, masterclass meal defined by meticulous attention to detail and outstanding hospitality.
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