On Ærø you eat in small harbours and old-town lanes: smoked fish, smørrebrød on the market square, coffee with home-made cake. This overview sorts the places by occasion and town.
Søby: right by the harbour
At the harbour in Søby, a few minutes’ walk from the cottage, you’ll find Café Arthur, plus a bakery café nearby:
- Café Arthur: café and restaurant with two terraces overlooking the marina, from burgers to the Danish daily menu
- Finn’s Bageri & Café: bakery and café, according to VisitÆrø near the marina
After a swim at Søby Strand, a playground and café are close by – more on the village page.
Ærøskøbing: market square, harbour and lanes
Around the market square and harbour of Ærøskøbing, most of the island’s places are close together:
- Bang’s Mad & Vinbar: refined cooking in the heart of the old town
- På Torvet: smørrebrød and burgers right on the market square
- Restaurant Bonsack at Hotel Ærøhus: Spanish dishes
- Restaurant Mumm: cosy restaurant with a courtyard and a menu for meat lovers and vegetarians
- Kraut og Koala: seasonal menu with local ingredients from Ærø
- Ærøskøbing Røgeri og Café: freshly smoked fish every day
- Den Hemmelige Café: hidden café with home-made pastries
- Café Aroma: small café just a few steps from the ferry
- Den Gamle Købmandsgaard: cake and coffee
- KEFS Café: breakfast or lunch
- Ærøskøbing Is: home-made ice cream, lunch and pizza
- Arrebo: bar and restaurant, a relaxed pub where islanders and visitors meet
Marstal: by the harbour and the quay
Around the harbour of Marstal there are plenty of places to eat – good after a visit to the museum or the beach:
- Webers Café & Restaurant: refined cooking right on the harbour
- Den Gamle Vingaard: long-established restaurant in a historic setting, open seasonally according to its own website
- Restaurant Fru Berg: à la carte with lunch and dinner menus, right on the quay
- Restaurant Hotel Marstal: maritime restaurant known for its pepper steak and Danish cooking
- Restaurant Udsigten: according to VisitÆrø mainly local ingredients and sea views from the terrace
- Prinsebroen Røgeri og Café: freshly smoked fish and seafood, close to the water
- MARSTANG café & bar: relaxed café and bar, according to VisitÆrø with bread platters and home-made cake
- Café Vaffelhuset: open all year, for the whole family
Open all year, according to VisitÆrø
For the quieter season, VisitÆrø publishes a list of places open all year round. According to that list these include Bang’s Mad & Vinbar, Restaurant Bonsack and Restaurant Mumm in Ærøskøbing, Restaurant Fru Berg, Restaurant Hotel Marstal, Marstang Café & Bar and Café Vaffelhuset in Marstal, and Café Arthur in Søby. ‘All year’ does not mean every day: please check days and times directly with the restaurant (list as of September 2026).
Local flavours in a glass
On Ærø, a meal goes well with an island beer: Ærø Bryggeri brews everything from a dark ale to the pale Gylden, and its farm shop is open all year. The small distillery Ærø Whisky is also worth a visit; we describe both on our art & culture on Ærø page.
Cooking yourself: the kitchen at the house
If you’d rather cook yourself, you can get smoked fish in Ærøskøbing and Marstal (see above) and buy the rest in the island’s shops – more under shopping on Ærø. The kitchen at Dansk Cottage is set up for it: besides the usual appliances there is a raclette grill, cheese and meat fondue sets and a waffle iron – all the details under amenities.
Good to know
- Opening hours and reservations: change with the seasons, please check directly with the restaurant
- Without a car: the free island bus connects Søby, Ærøskøbing and Marstal. If you want to eat in Ærøskøbing or Marstal in the evening, check your journey back to Søby beforehand (timetable from the operator)
- Prices: we don’t give them because they change. The map links open Google Maps or VisitÆrø in a new tab
- Our selection: it is based on VisitÆrø and the town pages of Dansk Cottage. We have not reviewed the places here – the house has not opened yet
Dansk Cottage opens in spring 2027. For an overview of the house, see holiday home on Ærø; dates are under prices & availability.
