Best restaurants Oslo, Norway - Lonely Planet (2024)

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…

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…

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…