The Oslo Food Guide
The Norwegian capital is a stylish and compact city, perfect for a weekend visit anytime of year. From fish to pastries to food courts, is has a diverse food scene for visitors to enjoy. Here are my Oslo food favourites.
Coffee + Pastries
Like other Scandinavian countries, Norwegians drink a lot of coffee and they have the cafes to show for it. Start your day at a bakery cafe – Godt Brød Grünerløkka is excellent choice, with good coffee and a wide range of pastries. I’d highly recommend Norway’s buttery cinnamon roll – the Norwegian Skillingsboller, also known as Bergen’s Skillingsboller Bergen (after the city). Or just pick from the pastries on offer – you’ll not be disappointed!
Sandwiches
Seriously you say…sandwiches? But smørbrød – also called ‘open sandwiches’ – are a must eat on any Scandinavian visit. Often made with rye bread and variety of cold toppings – I’d recommend fish – they can be found in most cafes.
The ‘closed sandwich’ pictured is also worthy of a recommendation. The Framheim Museum Cafe has a great range of food, including delicious fresh salmon and ham sandwiches. You can enjoy your food in the cafes ‘polar cabins‘, or – if the weather is good – enjoy views of Oslo Harbour from their terrace.
The Fram Museum its self is one of the best museums in Oslo. Dedicated to polar exploration, it includes a huge 19th century polar exploration ship and has beautiful views of Oslo harbour. It is well worth a visit.
Seafood
A coastal city – and country – the fish in Oslo is of excellent quality and can be found in wide variety of dishes . While Norway is generally not a cheap place to eat, fish is more common and so is relatively more modestly priced than you would see in other countries. So worth enjoying!
Mahayana Asian Dining is a middle priced Chinese restaurant with delicious fish dishes – the scallops and lobster are to die for! Try the Hoi Sin Pot dish – a lobster pot with crab, prawns, mussels and vegetables in sweet and sour source – and the the Sa Cha Sam Sin dish, a seafood pot with crab, prawns, scallops and vegetables in BBQ sauce. Delicious!
Burgers + Veggie
Burgers and veggie? You can have both in Oslo! The Muchies hamburger restaurant (several branches) have amazing juicy burgers with veggie and Beyond Meet vegan options, surrounded by cool decor (see featured image). Illegal Burger also has a great range of veggie and vegan burger options.
Check out the Culture Trip for their guide on other vegan and veggie haunts in Oslo.
Food Courts
Can’t decide what you want? Oslo has some great food court options. The Salt Art and Music venue has a seasonal changing activities from gigs to their impressive winter sauna. The food options vary during the year, with more in the summer and a couple of cafes and trucks in the winter. For winter, I’d recommend getting a warm mulled wine and sitting by the fire with spectacular night views of Oslo harbour. The latest listings can be found on their website (it is in Norwegian, so some google translate is required).
With worldwide food options, you should also check out the Vippa Oslo. The warehouse style food court is cool as it gets. As with most things in Oslo, it sits by the harbour and offers great view from its outdoor seating (as well as plenty of space inside).
For further guides and information check out the excellent Visit Oslo website (available in Norwegian, English, Spanish, German, Italian and French).
What would you like eat the most? What’s your recommendations? Let me know in the comments!
Unless otherwise linked, all pictures are my own and full rights reserved.
