When Freddy Adkins and Mikkel Jensen got married in 2024, they merged cultures: Adkins is an American from the South, and Jensen moved to Atlanta from Denmark to be with him.
As the couple established their new life together in Midtown, they quickly realized they couldn’t find the dishes and baked goods they loved eating at cafes in Copenhagen. Adkins and Jensen want to change that, and plan to open The Danish Bakery & Smørrebrød Café in Midtown, styling it after Copenhagen’s bakery-cafe culture.
“In Copenhagen, where [Mikkel] came from, in a one-mile radius there’s 10 to 12 very successful bakery-cafes, because it’s just the culture,” Adkins told Georgia Voice. “That was what we wanted to bring to Atlanta, that [Copenhagen] cafe culture.”
While they submitted a letter of intent on a Juniper Street space for The Danish, the lease ended up going to another business. Adkins said he and Jensen are now actively searching for another Midtown space to open their bakery-cafe.
What to expect
Like the couple’s relationship, The Danish will marry Copenhagen and Southern cultures, bringing together the authenticity of Danish cuisine and the warm familiarity of Southern hospitality.
People can start their morning with coffee and baked goods like spandaur and kanelsnegl (think American danish and cinnamon roll, respectively). At lunch, Adkins and Jensen will serve a variety of smørrebrøds, open-faced sandwiches piled high with toppings like salmon, roast beef, or potatoes.
Everything will be made with high-quality ingredients, Adkins said, including butter imported from Denmark.
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Adkins stressed that The Danish will also offer a welcoming atmosphere for everyone, something inspired by the Denmark’s ethos of inclusion.
“Denmark was the first country in the world to legally recognize same-sex partnerships in 1989,” said Adkins. “That’s baked into how Danish public rooms work [in Denmark]: you are welcome, you do not have to explain yourself, and you can stay. Midtown deserves a room that runs on the same rule.”
For Adkins and Jensen, The Danish will serve as a gathering place in Midtown, where people can “slow down, have some coffee, and meet some friends.”
As they continue the search for a new space for The Danish, Adkins and Jensen are working to secure an equity partner to finish up the final funding on the business. Their hope is to have The Danish open in Midtown early next year.
“[Atlanta] is such a foodie city, I think it’s going to really be a big hit,” Adkins said.
Follow The Danish online and on Instagram to keep updated on the new cafe space.
