For the public at large, Danish cuisine means bacon, pastries and the smorgasbord. But the success of Noma in Copenhagen – named by Britain’s Restaurant magazine as the finest eatery in the world, for the second year running – has brought high-end Nordic food to the attention of gastronomes everywhere. Last year, head chef Rene Redzepi revealed that Noma had received enough reservation requests to fill it for the next 15 years. This year, he says: “I think we are as successful as we can be. Now we are working for the momentum of our region.”

But Noma is not the only Copenhagen restaurant making waves. Across town, Geranium 2 can boast the winner of the Bocuse d'Or, the two-day biennial cooking contest in which chefs whip up dishes in front of a live audience in Lyon. If the Restaurant awards are the industry's Oscars, then this event is regarded as its Olympics, with the winner hailed as the best chef in the world. In January this year, Rasmus Kofoed took home the trophy; interestingly, a Swede and a Norwegian were runners-up.

Kofoed admits that there is still plenty of bad Danish food, but attributes the growing reputation of the city's restaurants to the enthusiasm and local knowledge of its young chefs. “It is about gastronomy and the many people who have taken a chance and set up their own place, armed with passion and seasonal, local produce,” he says. “There is a focus on good, raw ingredients, and it is all about seeking new ingredients. We, for example, have 40 different suppliers.”

Rather than focus on olive oil, foie gras, sun-dried tomatoes or black olives, both of these restaurants are quintessentially Scandinavian. Noma, very strictly, uses only Nordic ingredients, believing them to be pure, simple and healthy. And in a country that, until very recently, barely featured on the foodies' radar, it's considerations such as these that have prompted a modest tourist boom.

Anéh Christina Haidu of travel bureau Wonderful Copenhagen says that the popularity of Danish food has exploded in recent times, in part thanks to Noma's reputation. “We believe the new Nordic cuisine fits into a global trend, being sustainable, largely ecological and using ingredients from your own backyard.

We have seen gastro-tourism grow in Copenhagen over the last few years – more and more guests are flying in with the main purpose of eating at a restaurant such as Noma.

“Copenhagen is hyped as the 'It- kitchen' at the moment, with 13 Michelin stars. For most people abroad it is still an undiscovered kitchen, and it is our ambition that it becomes as well known as the French or Italian kitchen. It is hot right now because it brings together many elements that people find important, such as sustainable, healthy, local ingredients.” According to Haidu, the city's cycling culture and eco-friendly values have only encouraged this tourism trend.

Kofoed adds: “Clearly Danish food has garnered so much attention right now because of these two events coming together at the same time. That is very lucky and the chances of it happening again are minimal. Noma will face a hard fight to keep its top position.”

So, can the appeal continue? “Not in this way, but there is so much happening in Danish cuisine, a lot of breadth, and many incredible restaurants that have not yet received much acclaim. I think it will continue, just in another shape, as there is still a lot to offer and many passionate newcomers.”