Opening date set: Nam’s new restaurant to open before summer

This September marks ten years since Kim Nam Jeppesen and Anne Menendez opened what they today call their “mothership”.

With not a penny to their name, they launched Nam—a new restaurant on Vesterbro in Aalborg—with the ambition of offering big flavour experiences at relatively affordable prices.

The opening came in a year when a whole wave of top-tier restaurants settled in the city centre.

Some have since closed, while others live on.

Fortunately, Nam is one of them.

And now, the “mothership” is sailing toward a new harbour.

Speaking to MigogAalborg, Kim and Anne reveal that Nam will open its new restaurant at Østre Havn in June.

A deliberate move

Even though Nam is now a well-run and well-established restaurant, that doesn’t mean Kim and Anne are resting on their laurels.

Quite the opposite.

After ten years on Vesterbro, the duo has made a decision that is both logical and bold: Nam is moving towards the waterfront.

While recent years have brought several restaurant ventures east of the city centre—including Textur at Stjernepladsen—Nam is now taking it one step further.

The new address will be in a newly built property designed by Norwegian architect Reiulf Ramstad.

“We’re moving because something needed to happen—and this was a great opportunity,” says Kim Nam.

“We’ve spent ten years on Vesterbro building a brand people trust.

Now we’re ready to invest in unique surroundings with a fjord view and more space—for both guests and staff,” he explains.

Better surroundings for everyone

Today, Nam’s kitchen is roughly the size of a bedroom, Kim says—hardly something an experienced chef would boast about.

In the new premises, the restaurant will gain more than 200 additional square metres.

The extra space won’t just mean more guests, but also a more sustainable working environment for the team: a better kitchen, improved storage and changing facilities, as well as a significantly upgraded bar and a large terrace.

It will also give Nam better opportunities to host larger groups and events.

“We’ll probably have around 30 more seats and a terrace with room for 70–80 guests, where people can drop by on sunny days for a glass of wine or a cocktail.

The setting will be far more appealing for everyone,” says Anne Menendez.

Built on 10 years of experience—and 6 kilometres of pine sticks

The relocation is both a business and an emotional project.

According to Kim and Anne, the restaurant is their “firstborn” and the foundation on which their entire restaurant group has been built.

“I think it’s exciting to move forward and develop the concept. We’ve been at it for ten years, so we also want to refine both the concept and the experience,” says Kim.

The early days, however, were far from fjord views and spacious surroundings.

“Our first place was actually at Vesterbro 74—a small restaurant about the size of a two-room apartment, with just 22 seats,” says Anne.

“But when number 76 next door became available the following year, we jumped at the chance!”

When Nam first opened, there was no budget for designers or major construction projects.

“We started Nam with almost no money at all.

We painted all the wooden sticks ourselves—there were six kilometres of pine sticks that we installed by hand.

There’s a certain charm to that, but we’re not exactly proud of our carpentry skills back then,” Kim says with a laugh.

Expert help across the board

This time, the level is entirely different. The new restaurant is the result of a construction project that has been in development for more than three years.

“We’ve gone through at least three different styles during the process of creating the new restaurant.

First, it was meant to be a light bohemian space, then it became more colourful, and now it’s ending up darker and more classic,” Kim explains.

Interior designer Jennie Oxlade has helped set the direction.

Some areas will have a more understated, classic expression, while others will be more vibrant and designed to catch the eye.

Lighting and sound have also been considered from the very beginning.

“Creating the right vibe with loud music requires something different from what we’ve done before. It calls for a proper sound system and a professional lighting setup,” says Kim.

“They’re now testing the sound in relation to the angles of the ceiling—and it’s incredible how much of a difference it makes.

We’re really paying attention to the details, but designing a space you can’t physically stand in—only see on drawings—has been very challenging.

Now we’re finally starting to get a sense of the rooms.”

More flexible, more accessible

The move will also bring changes to the dining experience itself.

“We want to add new elements to the concept and strengthen the overall experience—appealing to different needs,” says Kim.

Today, the vast majority of guests come for Nam’s popular tasting menus—and that will continue.

“We’re keeping our DNA with the menus, which 99 percent of our guests choose today.

But we also want a more à la carte-friendly offering—with dishes like fried fish, steak, and a good sauce—something more recognisable than our tasting menu, but still with our own twist.”

The terrace and location will be especially important during summer.

“Summer out here has something really special, so we’ll be open for lunch.

We hope lunch can offer something unique—that you can stop by for a bite to eat, a glass of wine, and simply enjoy the fjord and the cable park, where there’s always plenty of life,” says Anne.

A menu they would choose themselves

One of the most notable additions will be sushi on the menu.

“We’re adding sushi with the same mindset as the à la carte offering.

We want to make Nam more accessible—a place where you can come in for two rolls and a glass of wine,” Anne explains.

The plan is a small, carefully curated selection of rolls—the kind they themselves look for when dining out and exploring restaurants around the world.

“We travel several times a year to discover new places and trends.

And we’ve realised that sometimes we end up choosing certain places simply because we like the vibe—not necessarily because they serve exactly what we had in mind,” says Kim.

That’s why atmosphere will be a key element in the new restaurant, which will feature music, lounge areas, and a strong cocktail bar.

Good to shake things up

When asked how it feels to move a concept so closely tied to Vesterbro, the answer isn’t straightforward.

“For me, it changes day by day. Some days I’m nervous, other days I think it will all work out. It’s healthy to feel it in your gut,” says Kim.

“Nam is our firstborn—the mothership. It holds a very special place for us.

That’s why it feels extra significant to make a move like this now.

But it’s good to shake things up once in a while,” Anne adds.

Needing each other

Alongside their journey with Nam, they’ve also gone through major personal changes.

In 2022, they separated as a couple but chose to continue working together.

“That was a… special process,” says Kim.

“We believed it could work, but many of our close friends weren’t quite as optimistic,” he adds with a laugh.

Anne continues:

“No, actually it was only Mads Hyllested (co-founder of Pulpo Brands, which the restaurants are part of) who believed in it.”

Fortunately, it worked—and today, Kim and Anne form an exceptionally strong team who know each other inside out.

Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and their collaboration is built on many years of shared values and taste.

“I think it works because we share the same values—both personally and professionally—and because we both know we need each other to achieve the dreams we have,” says Anne.

Kim nods.

When they talk about Nam, they still speak in terms of “we”.

The mothership may be heading toward a new harbour, but the crew remains the same—and they fully agree on one thing: they want Nam to be part of Aalborg for the next ten years as well.

Nam will open at Østre Havn in June 2026.