Halmtorvet (Hay Market Square) is the broad square that separates the Meatpacking District from Vesterbro proper — historically the site where hay and livestock were traded, now a public space lined with outdoor café terraces and surrounded by late 19th-century apartment buildings. The square is a useful orientation point and a pleasant place to sit during the day.
Several restaurants have tables facing the square. On summer evenings the outdoor seating fills in and the area functions as an informal pre-party gathering spot for people heading into the Meatpacking District later in the night.