Pontes | Copenhagen
BRINGING THE FUNK TO VALBY
Valby has not been known as a hotspot for Specialty Coffee. There are two branches of Impact Roasters, located at the Valby and Langgade stations, but they focus more on roasting and philanthropic missions, rather than brewing and preparing third-wave coffee. That's not a criticism, but when you have students and volunteers working the machines, they won't always be experts at dialing in espresso.
Pontes opened in the summer of 2025, situated on a small road facing a sliver of greenery, a stone's throw from the train tracks. The shop is thoughtfully minimalist, with splashes of colour contrasting the white walls. Small touches, such as the orange JBL speakers affixed to the roof, show that care and design have been considered. The tiling on the bar is a mix of terracotta and varying shades of orange/yellow.
The backroom hosts a small bullet roaster, which is responsible for all the cafes coffee. Fans of the more funky side of life, they source coffee that excels when processed anaerobically or co-fermented. This leans to a flavour profile that divides opinion, but in life you have to find your lane and hope people follow.
There were two options when we visited, one being a less forward-tasting bean, brewed as a pour-over; it almost tasted Ethiopian, with deep black tea and some delicate florals. Being from Honduras highlighted that coffee variatals and species are ever-evolving, and you can find surprises in the oddest places.
The atmosphere is extremely welcoming; there is absolutely no hint of snobbery or judgment here, which means people can truly treat it like a neighborhood cafe and pop in daily to either buy beans or be lazy and have the coffee made for them.
It's great to see specialty coffee spreading further and further out from the centre, and hopefully the locals are on board, watching Pontes plant its roots deeply into the soil beneath Toftegårds Plads.
