Christoffer Schärfe i restauranten, Restaurant Aro

Restaurant Aro gets Funen's first Michelin star

Photo: Rico Feldfoss

At the beginning of this week, Restaurant ARO in Odense received its first Michelin star. This also means that Odense - and not least Funen - has its first Michelin restaurant. It is a gastronomic seal of approval that emphasises the cultural blossoming that the city has undergone.

As part of an ambitious urban strategy, Odense has become a modern, revitalised city for both national and international tourists with all that it entails in terms of culture, gastronomy and extraordinary tourist attractions. Most recently, gastronomy has taken centre stage with the Michelin Guide awarding a star to Restaurant ARO. One of the special things that Michelin highlights is the restaurant's quirky location in the industrial neighbourhood in an old machine factory and the combination of rusticity and refinement in the dining experience. In many ways, it is an example of the way the food scene has expanded in Odense's urban spaces in recent years.

Peter Rahbæk Juel, Mayor of Odense, says:

"We are very proud that the prestigious Michelin Guide has just awarded a star to Restaurant ARO in Odense. Urban development has accelerated over the past 10 years and has transformed Odense into an attractive cultural destination with a gastro scene that houses everything from street food to fine dining. The Michelin star for ARO is well-deserved in every way. We are delighted that it will hopefully help put the spotlight on the culinary beacons we have in Odense and on Funen."

Odense's newfound status as a must-see cultural city was also emphasised at the start of the year with tourism records and recommendations in the leading American fashion magazine Vogue and by the New York Times, which ranked Odense a whopping 28th on its list of 52 cities to visit in 2023.

Read more about all of Odense's food experiences at: https://www.visitodense.dk/gastro