What Noma did next: Michelin-starred Danish restaurant reopens as a burger bar

The acclaimed eatery is temporarily shunning its Dh1,400 menus in favour of a simpler approach

Noma, which has been named the world's best restaurant four times, will reopen as a walk-in-only burger bar. Noma / Instagram

A dinner at Noma would typically be an affair you would have to save up for.

The set menu alone rings in at DKK 2,650 (Dh1,412), with drinks at an additional charge of up to DKK 1,350.

However, the Danish restaurant, named the world's best numerous times, is now far more affordable.

The two-Michelin-starred restaurant, located in Copenhagen, is set to reopen its doors following a temporary closure during the coronavirus pandemic.

But, instead of the degustation menus and artful drink pairings, guests can now choose from one of two options – a burger or a burger.

For a limited time, Noma will reopen as a small two-item joint, serving a cheeseburger or a vegetarian burger alongside a wider range of beverages.

The restaurant will launch the pop-up concept in its outdoor gardens, and is shunning its typically hard-to-get reservations system.

Instead, Noma is only accepting walk-ins and takeaways as of Thursday, May 21.

Acknowledging that the concept was "completely new for us", Noma revealed the restaurant was "eager to connect with our community, and to celebrate summer in the best (and safest) way we can".

"Come as you are, there are no reservations, we are open for everyone," the restaurant added in a post on its website.

Of its limited menu, the acclaimed eatery added: "both burgers are juicy and packed with umami, with a little bit of magic from our fermentation cellar, served on a freshly baked potato bun."

Noma, which is helmed by chef Rene Redzepi, first opened in 2003 and has gone on to be named the world's best restaurant by Restaurant magazine four times. In the publication's most recent World's 50 Best Restaurants list, Noma comes in second place after France's Mirazur.

It's known for dishes that offer a modern take on Nordic cuisine, with the year divided into three seasonal multi-course menus.

The usual restaurant will reopen in the near future, the team added on the Noma website, but will need "extra time to get the machine up and running again".

"Being closed for so long means that it will take weeks for our team to get the kitchen back to the levels we were at before closing," the statement detailed. "We do not yet have an official opening date for the restaurant to share, but we will have more information on this very soon."