200 Best Restaurants in Norway

There are numerous great dining options in Vollen, but Penny Lane stands out thanks to its great selection of homemade cakes, sandwiches, and salads. Its waterfront location and the fact that the café also doubles as a home design shop are even more reasons to visit.

A century old, this charming café sits in the middle of downtown Otta. Popular among locals, it's known for use of local produce, especially in regional specialties like trout and moose (as well as for toppings on American-style pizzas). The place is named for a legendary local woman who played a key role in the Battle of Kringen against the Scots in 1612. Memorabilia on the walls and the old counter from way back when create a warm and rustic atmosphere.

Traditional Norwegian meals served in generous portions are on offer at this street-corner eatery. Grab one of the stools facing the street and enjoy a hearty meal as you watch the passing parade of people. There's a nice selection of wines, beers, and ciders.

Named for owner Domenico Giardina—known to everyone as Mimmo—this is one of Oslo’s best pizzerias. In 1993, the Calabrian native was the first to bring thin-crust Italian pizza to the city; don't miss his perennially popular panna and prosciutto pizza. Look down to find the entrance, because this eatery is on the basement level.

A couple of café tables on the sidewalk draw you to this storefront eatery, which is just as appealing on the inside, thanks to exposed brick walls and wide-plank wood floors. The menu is casual fare, including sandwiches and salads.

This well-known sushi bar combines the freshest Norwegian seafood with inventive Asian cooking techniques. You can find everything on the menu from fresh-caught salmon to seared tuna. 

Nordic cuisine meets classic comfort dishes at this inviting restaurant, where the approachable menu features burgers, steaks, stews, and the occasional less conventional dish, such as seal or reindeer. The velvet-and-timber-filled dining room is cozy and warm, with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide sweeping views of Adventfjorden and the snow-covered mountains. It's an easy way to try something so intrinsically Svalbard.

Honoring the young and ambitious Norwegian polar explorer Eivind Astrup—the restaurant's name means "Polar Explorer"—this eatery aims to be just as adventurous as Astrup was. Expect plenty of traditional ingredients such as reindeer and cod, prepared in a more modern Norwegian style, and served in a simple, tasteful setting. 

In a rusty red building on the waterfront, Restaurant Sjøboden has a cozy dining room with walls made from rough-hewn logs and an outdoor terrace extending out over the water. There are plenty of seafood dishes, such as steamed mussels with perfectly done fries.

After cooking for many years in Thailand, Kesorn Saenphet moved to Svalbard, bringing the authentic taste of her home country to the Arctic. Located upstairs in Lompensenteret, the cozy restaurant has great views out onto the main street from the large windows at one end, and plenty of seating for couples, families, or larger groups. On a nice day, order your Panang curry or Tom Yum Kung takeaway to eat out in the sunshine.

Serving top-quality Norwegian seafood, the restaurant's most popular dish is grilled salmon with truffled potato cream, but don't leave without trying the Norwegian Waffle (a thinner, softer, and not-so-sweet version of the waffle most Americans know). Alongside serving dried and fried salmon skin with crème fraîche, roe, and red onion, nothing from the fish goes to waste here, and the shop offers a collection of wallets, bracelets, and clutches made from sturdy fish leather. The building's visitor center offers a behind-the-scenes look at the journey Norway's “pink gold” (i.e., salmon) makes from fish farm to plate. In the control room, you can even watch live feeds from fish farms along the coast.  Free English-speaking guides are available most of the time, and it's a good idea to reserve your table in advance.

This bistro at Holmenkollen Park Hotel is known for its excellent food and unbeatable views of Oslo and the Oslofjord. Packed with locally sourced Norwegian ingredients and a variety of Scandinavian dishes, the buffet is served for dinner in the summer and for lunch the rest of the year. Be sure to save room for the delicious desserts! It’s a good idea to contact reception in advance and book a table by the window or out on the terrace.

Originally a roadside café, this popular restaurant in the coastal community of Silsand offers a wide variety of local dishes, including their famed lutefisk (a dish made from stockfish soaked in a solution of lye that has a jelly-like texture). Set inside a log cabin, the dining room has a relaxed and cozy vibe. 

Come here for the tasty, healthy food, but stay for the amazing view of the Oslofjord. The café, tucked inside the cozy old rooms of a charming villa, also hosts creative workshops and artist studios, some of whose art decorates the café. In winter, the fireplace crackles in the corner, making it extra inviting.

Considered one of the city's best restaurants, this white-trimmed red building was built in 1892 as a salt warehouse. The specialty is seafood. Weather permitting, take a seat on the sunny patio and dine on fresh lobster, or let the waiter surprise you with the daily catch. The meat dishes might include cured reindeer or filet of venison, as well as more traditional lamb or steak. 

Another contender for the best fish restaurant crown in Kristiansund, Sjøstjerna matches its zeal for klippfisk with major skills in hospitality to create an exceedingly warm and convivial environment. In addition to intimacy of the relatively small space, the vast assortment of Norwegian folk art and fishing-related artifacts hanging from the walls adds a refreshing and well-designed layer of intrigue on an otherwise typical menu of bacalao, blandaball dumplings, and klippfisk.

Close to the harbor in Gryllefjord—making it an ideal spot to stop for a bite while waiting for the ferry—this casual eatery serves a wide range of traditional Norwegian dishes, including specialties like boknafisk (a semi-dried version of stockfish). Spread over several floors of a clapboard building, it has a cozy and warm atmosphere. When the weather is warm, there are a couple of tables on the sidewalk and on the covered terrace.

A vibrant hub for food, music, and events, Slakteriet brings together great dining and live entertainment under one roof. From seafood and steaks to Italian pizza, the kitchen has something for everyone, and, with space for 400 guests, state-of-the-art sound, and a buzzing atmosphere, it’s the go-to venue for concerts, shows, and conferences.

Serving authentic Chinese fare, this restaurant encourages guests to dine family-style and enjoy a wide range of dishes. Asian architectural flourishes mix well with the modern Scandinavian design.

Using local produce as much as possible in its carefully curated menu, the mountainside Spiseriet Rondane lets you choose among such local delicacies as mouthwatering reindeer fillet with a red wine glaze or crispy fried mountain trout with a horseradish–sour cream sauce. Whatever you do, don't miss the selection of award-winning Norwegian cheeses. Although the dining room has traditional decor, it's bright and spacious and has a relaxed ambience.

More than 400 years old, this elegant rococo dining room is one of the oldest and most impressive in Norway. Award-winning celebrity chef Bent Stiansen’s Norwegian-inspired French dishes have long been popular with locals, and the daily-changing, six-course tasting menu often includes duck in a lightly smoked apple consommé or locally sourced seafood.

This cozy family restaurant serves traditional Norwegian and international food.

Taking inspiration from the pintxos (small snacks) served in northern Spain, Taperia's seasonally changing tapas menu features seafood, cheeses, cured cold cuts, and, of course pintxos. The cozy seating area is spread over two floors, but the first floor has an open kitchen and large windows that look upon the vibrant street of  Skostredet.

It turns out that tacos and margaritas are the perfect thing to warm up a chilly evening in Oslo. Opened by owners who have spent a lot of time in search of an authentic taqueria, this snug place serves all of Mexico's favorite types of taco—carnitas, barbacoa, al pastor—alongside a long list of punchy tequilas and mezcals.

This is one of Stavanger's trendiest restaurants. The main focus here is Asian-inspired street food served as small plates so that you can taste a greater variety of dishes and ingredients than you would otherwise.

A speedy elevator takes you to the 34th floor of the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, where you'll have panoramic views of the city's unmistakable skyline. (Request a window seat if you can handle heights.) The sleek, modern dining room is all about raising Nordic cuisine to it highest level, and you can choose between à la carte offerings and three- or six-course tasting menus. There's no better way to celebrate than with one of the showy cocktails from the bar.