Istedgade is Vesterbro's main street — running from Central Station westward into the neighbourhood — and one of Copenhagen's most contradictory. For most of the 20th century it was the centre of Copenhagen's red-light district; today it is a mix of sex shops, immigrant grocery stores, barber shops, coffee roasters, and some of the best cheap ethnic food in the city. The contrast between what it was and what it is becoming makes it more interesting than the tidier streets nearby.
The western end of Istedgade, towards Enghave Plads, is the most lively for food and drink. A walk down the whole length from Vesterbro Torv to the station takes in the full range — past the new coffee shops and into the older, rougher stretch that gentrification has not yet fully claimed.