New owners for one of Burlingame’s oldest businesses.

After more than 42 years serving the Bay Area from their Burlingame Ave location, famed Copenhagen is undergoing a big change…new owners are coming in and the Nielsens are retiring after 4 decades on the Ave!

The question everyone is asking, “What will change and what does this mean for the local favorite restaurant and bakery?” We sat down with new owners, Sean and Ali Azad as well as one of the original owners, Ralf Nielsen, to get the inside scoop on what Burlingame can expect from this new chapter in Copenhagen’s story.

One thing became apparent quickly during our conversation with the enthusiastic new owners, and that was they want to respect and continue to promote the deep-rooted connection Copenhagen has to Burlingame’s community and how truly important it is to local culture.

Ralf Nielsen, left, stands with one of the new owners, Sean Azad, of Copenhagen Bakery and Cafe in downtown Burlingame. Courtesy of The San Mateo Daily Journal.

Sean and Ali are committed to maintaining the local “mom and pop” feel and continuing to build on the Nielsens' legacy they've worked so hard on for over 40 years. To accomplish this, the duo is retaining the current staff and bakery offerings. Customers can expect the same friendly faces and delicious bites but with any new transition, some changes will take place. The new owners plan to bring fresh cosmetic improvements to the restaurant and bakery among other light improvements aimed at bringing an even better experience to the already loved Copenhagen.

The enthusiasm wasn’t only apparent from the new owners but Ralf Nielsen was equally as excited about the new change of ownership as well! He shared that they had looked long and hard for their replacement, admitting it was hard but they were determined to find new owners that would maintain and build on the Burlingame gem they love so much. In an interview with a local newspaper, Ralf shared that “We’ve looked long and hard trying to figure out how to retire, and it’s with mixed feelings,” he said. “We have long-term employees, it’s like family nowadays, and customers we’ve known for 40 years.” Ultimately, he felt confident that Sean and Ali would continue the legacy his family built, adding that “They have energy, they have money to put into the business.”

Ralf is excited to see new ideas explored at Copenhagen by energetic and successful new owners whose motto for their new project seems to be “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It seems like a good sign that we can expect all the best Copenhagen has to offer while looking forward to a new era for a local favorite.