Must-see restaurants in Oslo

  • Brutus

    Sofienberg, Grønland & Tøyen

    With some of the biggest names in wine involved in this casual Tøyen corner spot, you could easily call Brutus a wine bar and not be wrong. But that would…

  • Sentralen Restaurant

    Oslo

    One of Oslo's best dining experiences is also its most relaxed. A large dining room filled with old social-club chairs and painted in tones of deep,…

  • Kolonialen

    Oslo

    When a venture is led by the ex-Maaemo owner, you can guess the food will be extraordinary, and it is. The short menu is a mix of pan-European dishes done…

  • Bass

    Oslo

    In what could be yet another Grünerløkka corner cafe, you'll find one of the city's best small-plate dining options, served beneath vintage seascapes on…

  • Handwerk

    Sofienberg, Grønland & Tøyen

    If you can't make it out into the countryside, come and find this beautiful cafe in the centre of the Botanical Garden. Set in a historic farm building,…

  • Kafe Oslo

    Oslo

    Litteraturhuset is one of the state-run organisations dedicated to the arts and here it is all about the promotion of literature, with frequent workshops,…

  • Vingen

    Aker Brygge & Bygdøy

    While honouring its role as museum cafe for Astrup Fearnley and a super-scenic pit stop, Vingen is so much more. Do drop in for excellent coffee, but also…

  • Ekeberg Restaurant

    Sofienberg, Grønland & Tøyen

    Lars Backer’s early Oslofunkis (functionalist) masterpiece from 1929 fell into disrepair in the 1980s but happily is again here for all to enjoy, with a…

  • Mathallen Oslo

    Oslo

    Down by the river, this former industrial space is now a food hall dedicated to showcasing the very best Norwegian food, as well as some excellent…

  • Vaaghals

    Opera House & Bjørvika

    There's a lot of sharing going on at Vaaghals, but don't mention the 'sh' world. Here it's definitely skifte, a uniquely Norwegian way of communal dining…

  • Hos Thea

    Oslo

    Hos Thea manages to be both a reminder of that first bloom of gastronomic cooking in the capital (it's been going strong since 1987) and a friendly, warm…

  • Grand Café

    Oslo

    At 11am sharp, Henrik Ibsen would leave his apartment and walk to Grand Café for a lunch of herring, beer and one shot of aquavit (an alcoholic drink made…

  • Syverkiosken

    Oslo

    It might look like a hipster replica, but this hole-in-the-wall pølser (hot dogs) place is absolutely authentic and one of the last of its kind in Oslo…

  • Punjab Tandoori

    Sofienberg, Grønland & Tøyen

    This simple canteen-style affair serves spot-on northern Indian curries that are rich and highly flavoured. It's a real neighbourhood institution for the…

  • Maaemo

    Opera House & Bjørvika

    This is not a meal to be taken lightly: firstly, you'll need to book many months in advance, and secondly, there will, for most of us, be the indenting of…

  • Bon Lio

    Oslo

    You might expect some cultural dissonance between a Spanish gastronomic kitchen and a sweetly Norwegian wooden house, but it all comes together in a…

  • Kontrast

    Oslo

    A minimalist, industrial space makes a dramatic backdrop for beautifully presented, seasonal dishes that combine a pure simplicity and honed technique…

  • Stock

    Opera House & Bjørvika

    A warm and casually glamorous space, with large glass windows but warming use of wood and decorative tiles. Come for its smart menu of produce-driven…

  • Sanguine Brasserie & Bar

    Opera House & Bjørvika

    A lovely airy space facing the Oslofjord, this is the Opera House's less formal dining option and a great place to enjoy the architecture at leisure. The…

  • Smalhans

    Oslo

    If you want to really capture the St Hanshaugen spirit, come to this busy restaurant-bar-cafe for its daily early meal – husmannskost – between 4pm and…

  • Delicatessen

    Aker Brygge & Bygdøy

    This Grünerløkka favourite brings some welcome east-side cool to an industrial space in Akker Brygge, not to mention some of the city's best tapas. The…

  • Ling Ling

    Aker Brygge & Bygdøy

    Aker Brygge's culinary reputation has had a boost with the opening of this contemporary Asian restaurant and bar. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese…

  • Fiskeriet

    Oslo

    You'd be forgiven for thinking that you're actually dining in a fish shop, as this seafood-serving powerhouse is also one of Oslo's best places to pick up…

  • Solsiden

    Oslo

    Nestled beneath Oslo's fortress, looking out to Aker Brygge, Solsiden serves up some of the city's best-loved seafood dishes in an old warehouse that's…

  • Pipervika

    Aker Brygge & Bygdøy

    If the weather is nice, nothing beats a shrimp lunch, with fresh shrimp on a baguette with mayonnaise and a spritz of lemon eaten dockside. The revamped…

  • Tekehtopa

    Oslo

    Part of the grand 1872 corner building housing Happolati and the once legendary nightclub, now sushi bar, Babylon, Tekehtopa is a lovely destination for…

  • Miss Sophie

    Oslo

    A pretty corner shop opposite the park does all-day dining in glamorous surrounds. There are simple, if rather luxurious, pan-European standards such as…

  • Café Skansen

    Oslo

    A dark wood and tiled dining room makes for an atmospheric change from Aker Brygge's stringent contemporary architecture and the menu here is in keeping…

  • Louise

    Aker Brygge & Bygdøy

    With a large heated terrace in prime people-watching position right beside Aker Brygge pier, Louise sails a solid dinner menu of Norwegian fare such as…

  • Theatercafeen

    Oslo

    A favourite with Norwegian families during Christmas and on 17 May (Constitution Day), the Theatercafeen, located directly across from the National…

  • Freddy Fuego

    Aker Brygge & Bygdøy

    The menu may be as simple as un, dos, tres, but this colourful burrito bar gets the basics right with melt-in-the-mouth meats which are marinated and slow…

  • Alex Sushi

    Oslo

    Sit around the elegant oval bar for what's widely considered Oslo's best sushi. You can order à la carte, but most regulars go the omakase route (the chef…

  • Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin

    Aker Brygge & Bygdøy

    Fresh fish and seafood are beautifully prepared at this sleek, upmarket seafood place, with both traditional Norwegian (yes, it has fish soup) and…

  • Sentralen Cafeteria

    Oslo

    At the heart of the Sentralen complex, this day-to-evening place really is a cafeteria for the area's many freelancers and creative industry workers. Join…

  • Markveien Mat & Vinhus

    Oslo

    For a cosy, traditional Norwegian dining room, this lovely spot on the southern edge of Grünerløkka is hard to better. Settle in at one of the candlelit…

  • Dr Kneipp's Vinbar

    Oslo

    The casual little sibling of Markveien Mat & Vinhus, Dr Kneipp's is the place for sipping wines by the glass (prepare for choice overload – there are…

  • Happolati

    Oslo

    Oslo restaurateur Nevzat Arikan's latest offering has an extremely beautiful, highly crafted fit-out that speaks to both the contemporary Asian menu on…

  • Liebling

    Oslo

    One of the nearby KHiO (Oslo National Academy of the Arts) kids' cafes of choice, this 'Berlin-style' corner gem is a great place to kick back with your…

  • Park 29

    Oslo

    Set in one of Oslo's oldest remaining wooden villas (once the home of composer Halfdan Kjerulf and later a legendary car dealer) and with a summer dining…

  • Grådi

    Sofienberg, Grønland & Tøyen

    In a sweet corner spot looking back down the hill towards Sofienberg, Grådi gives the locals what they really want: smart, flexible Norwegian fusion…

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