Café Månefiskeren is one of Christiania's most atmospheric gathering places, where creativity and community go hand in hand. Here, guests of all ages meet over coffee, cake and culture in an environment steeped in history and freedom.
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Café Månefiskeren
In the heart of Christiania lies Café Månefiskeren, one of the oldest gathering places in the free town. It has been bustling with life since 1975, when it started as a legendary pub and one of the largest coffee shops in the Nordic region. Today, Månen, as the locals call it, has been transformed into an alcohol-free café run as an association and collective with around 30 dedicated people behind the bar.
When you step inside, you are greeted by the aroma of coffee, homemade baked goods and spicy vegetarian stew, mixed with the sound of dice rolling on the backgammon board. The menu ranges from brunch and soups to large slices of cake, which guests enjoy in the colourful rooms or in the sun outside. In the evening, the atmosphere changes when the café turns into a small cultural centre with concerts, book receptions, art exhibitions and other events, often with roots in Christiania's own creative underground.
In 2015, the book Månefiskeren en café på Christiania (The Moon Fisherman: A Café in Christiania) was published, telling the story of the place's wild years and highlighting how central it has been to the cultural life of the free town. In 2025, Månefiskeren will celebrate its 50th anniversary, and both posts and events on their social media testify to a lively celebration of the halfway mark between the pioneering days and the present.
For many Christianites, the café is almost like an extended living room, and for visitors, it is a gentle, welcoming entrance to Christiania's special universe, where coffee, art and community flow together.