Homemade pasta: New Italian restaurant opens in Aalborg
When summer truly arrives in Aalborg, a brand-new restaurant will open in the well-known waterfront premises on Ved Stranden, where Restaurant Applaus was previously located.
A familiar name in Aalborg’s restaurant scene is preparing to open a brand-new Italian restaurant in the city center.
In early July, Victor Mørk will open Restaurant Luigi, a new Italian dining spot where homemade pasta will take center stage.
Victor Mørk trained at Restaurant Applaus and most recently worked as head chef at Bistro Dejavú. Now, he is finally ready to open a place of his own.
“I’ve been looking for the right location for three years,” he tells MigogAalborg.
“I’ve gotten to know a lot of real estate agents and visited so many different places. It’s been difficult to find something that both made financial sense and matched the vision I had.”
That is exactly why it feels special that Luigi will open in the former Applaus location on Ved Stranden.
“A couple of years ago, Mads mentioned that he wanted to move on to something bigger, and I quickly told him that I would love to take over the space if the opportunity ever came up.
It just fits perfectly for a small Italian restaurant. For me, it’s kind of the perfect location,” says Victor Mørk.
He also believes the area has been missing something.
“This street needed it. I think it’s great that Italian life is returning to Ved Stranden.”
Part of Aalborg’s restaurant scene for eight years
For many locals, Victor Mørk is already a familiar face.
He started as a culinary apprentice eight years ago and helped launch Dejavú back in 2018. Later, he worked at SMAEK before returning to Applaus in 2020, where he completed his training and eventually became sous chef.
During the past year, he has served as head chef at Bistro Dejavú.
Now he is taking the leap and opening his very first independent restaurant.
According to Victor Mørk, the journey has not been easy.
“Banks are not exactly eager to finance projects like this, so it’s been difficult to find the right place within budget.
I looked at many locations, but it also had to be somewhere ready to move into and suitable for the restaurant’s needs.”
Luigi will be a playful Italian restaurant
The new restaurant will be called Luigi, but guests should not expect a completely traditional Italian experience.
Instead, Victor Mørk wants to create a modern interpretation of Italian cuisine — one that respects the traditions while feeling more lively, playful, and relaxed.
“It will be Italian, but in a way that also feels more vibrant and easygoing.
I want to keep things simple and let the ingredients speak for themselves,” he explains.
For him, Italian cuisine is all about simplicity, craftsmanship, and gathering people around food.
“There’s something beautiful and unique about Italian cooking.
It’s incredible how much flavor you can create from eggs, flour, and good ingredients.
I really love the philosophy of keeping things simple without making them boring.”
Pasta takes the leading role
At Luigi, homemade pasta will be the main attraction.
The menu will feature filled pastas, lighter summer dishes, and richer seasonal creations later in the year.
Guests can expect dishes such as ravioli with pea cream and crispy ham, as well as tortellini with mortadella, pistachio, and parmesan.
Ragù-based pasta dishes will also play a major role and evolve with the seasons.
“At both Applaus and Dejavú, I’ve always had pasta dishes on the menu, and people have responded really well to them.
Pasta has always been a key main course at Applaus, and I’ve spent a lot of time nerding out over it.
Different pasta shapes and techniques are something I find incredibly exciting.”
The menu will also include changing daily specials and spontaneous creations from the kitchen.
“One day it could be risotto, the next gnocchi, or maybe a seafood pasta if that’s what inspires us.
Change is good. The plan is for the menu to change monthly, although there will definitely be some returning favorites.
Maybe we’ll even develop a few signature dishes over time.”
One dish is already almost guaranteed to stay.
His well-known truffle pasta from Bistro Dejavú will be making the move to Luigi.
Both social dining and à la carte
The restaurant concept is inspired partly by the style many Aalborg locals already know from Applaus.
Luigi will offer both a social dining menu and a smaller à la carte selection.
The social dining experience will include five antipasti servings, two pasta courses, and dessert, while the à la carte menu will allow guests to create their own evening.
Antipasti dishes may include tuna tartare, arancini, burrata, and crispy seasonal vegetables.
Victor Mørk wants Luigi to be the kind of place where guests can either enjoy a full evening experience or simply stop by for a plate of pasta and a glass of wine.
“Luigi should feel like a gathering place — whether it’s for a birthday, a casual Thursday night, or something completely different.
It should feel warm, familiar, and welcoming.
You should be able to stop by for a beautifully composed pasta dish and a glass of wine, or stay the whole evening and explore the menu.”
The story behind the name Luigi
The name Luigi also carries a personal meaning.
Victor Mørk was born in Belgium while his father worked at the American embassy.
There, the family met an Italian man named Gino Luigi, who left a lasting impression on him.
“He was an incredible person — the kind of human being who welcomes strangers with open arms.
There was something very special about that warmth and openness, and that’s also what I associate with Italians and the family-oriented culture around food. The comfort, kindness, and openness.
It fits this place perfectly.”
That is why Luigi felt like the right name from the very beginning.
Opening in July 2026
If everything goes according to plan, Restaurant Luigi will officially open in early July 2026.
It will bring homemade pasta, Italian atmosphere, and new life to a location that many Aalborg residents already have a strong connection to.
Guests will be able to follow the journey on Instagram at: