Restaurant Moment

Green gastronomy in an experimental village

Restaurant Moment sits on the edge of the small community of Friland near Rønde, surrounded by fields, kitchen gardens and experimental eco-houses. Arriving here feels more like visiting a countryside project than a conventional restaurant; low-slung buildings, recycled materials and vegetable beds set the tone long before you see a menu. Inside, the dining room keeps things understated with clean lines, simple furniture and large windows that pull in the soft Jutland light. The location is part of the story. Friland was established as a showcase for alternative building methods and low-impact lifestyles, and the restaurant has grown up alongside this ethos. The result is a place where fine dining feels rooted in soil and season rather than spectacle, with the kitchen, garden and landscape forming a single, coherent experience.

From garden to plate, season by season

Moment’s cooking is built around vegetables, grains and herbs grown just outside the door, supplemented by produce from small regional suppliers. Menus change with the seasons, so late-summer plates might highlight tomatoes, sweetcorn and berries, while winter brings roots, brassicas and preserved ingredients. Many courses spotlight a single main element – a particular cabbage, a variety of beet, a type of grain – treated with techniques usually reserved for meat or fish. Tasting menus are the framework here, typically offered in a shorter and longer format in the evening, with a series of snacks leading into more substantial courses and a measured progression of desserts. Sauces, ferments and oils layer depth onto what might seem like simple vegetables, while careful use of smoke, grilling and pickling keeps flavours bright and surprising.

Plant-led, with room for every diet

The restaurant is particularly welcoming for guests who prefer to eat plant-based. The standard menus are strongly vegetable-forward, and fully vegetarian and fully vegan sequences can be prepared, often with minimal adjustment. Gluten-free options are also part of the repertoire, with the kitchen able to swap breads and certain grains for alternatives without compromising presentation. This flexibility makes Moment a rare place where mixed groups of diners – from committed vegans to curious omnivores – can share the same culinary experience. Rather than treating dietary requirements as limitations, the kitchen uses them as a spur for creativity, finding new ways to coax texture and flavour from plants.

Natural wines, crafted juices and quiet hospitality

Drinks are treated as seriously as the food. The cellar focuses on natural and low-intervention wines, many from small European producers, chosen to match the intensity and subtlety of vegetable-based dishes. Alongside these, there is a thoughtful non-alcoholic pairing built around house-made juices, infusions and ferments, echoing the ingredients on the plate. Service is informal but precise, with staff presenting dishes at the table and explaining where key ingredients come from in the garden or wider region. The pace of a meal is unhurried: expect to settle in for several hours, especially with the longer menu.

An evening destination beyond the city

With a focus on dinner from midweek through Saturday and a more extended opening on Saturdays, Moment is designed as an unhurried evening out rather than a quick bite. Guests often plan their day around the visit, pairing it with time on the nearby Djursland coast or in the forests and hills around Rønde. Inside, the mood is calm and intimate, more contemplative than bustling. Large windows frame the changing light outside; in summer you may watch the sun drop behind the fields, while in the darker months candlelight takes over and the room feels like a warm refuge from the elements. It is a setting that encourages you to slow down, pay attention to what is on the plate and savour the connection between landscape and table.