inside bette café
On a lively street corner in Copenhagen, lies a hot spot for families of all kinds. At Bette Café, kids are free to rumble while their parents enjoy the aesthetic feel of an upscale café. We had the pleasure of speaking with Josefine, the visionary behind the café, about her inspiration and philosophy driving this place.
Why did you decide to open a family café?
We felt there was a need for a place and a community where parents could come, feel at home, and bring their kids without compromising the feeling of going to a nice café. Bette is that place — a sanctuary designed to care for new parents through beautiful aesthetics, coffee, delicious food, and good quality. We believe that if the parents are happy, the kids will be happy too.
What was your vision for this space?
We’ve put a lot of thought into the concept and universe. It’s all rooted in our logo and the Bette character, the magician — a symbol of imagination where anything is possible. We wanted to pair it with colours and aesthetics that awaken a sense of calm and relaxation.
In the playroom, for example, we've created these illustrations on the walls that kids can explore and use as part of their playtime adventures. It's also an opportunity for kids and parents to sit down and talk, sparking conversations among children as well as adults.
What is important to you when selecting interior, toys, etc. for the café?
It's really important for us to support local and Danish-made products. This extends to our chairs from TAKT, the carefully handmade products you find at the counter, and toys around the café like MODU. It holds significant value for us knowing who's behind the product, their story as well as details of what goes into making the product.
How do you utilize the functionality of MODU in the café?
Having the long corridor and various rooms for the kids is a real advantage. They can cruise up and down the hallway on ride-ons, which is often something they can't do back home, living in smaller city apartments. The kids can really go all out down here, and it’s genuinely nice to provide that outlet for them.
MODU has become an integrated activity at the café. The fact that it's a toy that grows with kids is also really fantastic, and I think parents down here can see that. If they come regularly, they witness their kids learning to build new stuff, expanding their motor skills, and we see many kids enjoying coming back to explore.
