Where to Eat in Stavanger, Norway: Surprise Foodie Destination
I can’t stop talking about where to eat in Stavanger, Norway.
How did a city I had never heard of before become the surprise foodie destination of my last two-week European trip?
By far, it was the city that excited me the most for its food and drink offerings. And as I ate and drank my way through, Stavanger, it delivered.
It’s a pretty simple story, really.
Stavanger was a small town through the 1960s when the oil boom hit, and has since grown into one of Norway’s most sophisticated dining scenes, with no shortage of oil executives and business travelers eating lavish meals on their expense accounts – supporting excellent restaurants all around town.
READ MORE: Travel Superlatives 2018
Now Stavanger is Norway’s third-largest city and was the first outside of Oslo to have one of its restaurants awarded a Michelin star. Since then, a second restaurant has earned the same accolade.
With Stavanger’s proximity to the Lysefjord’s beautiful scenery and famous hikes, it’s likely to be a pass through point for any outdoor adventuring you do in Norway.
Like many other travelers to this region, I passed through Stavanger both coming and going.
The Stavanger dining scene isn’t just serving up great food and drinks, there is some exciting innovation with local and seasonal ingredients that made it a unique experience, not just your standard “good food.” All with a Norwegian twist, of course.
It’s a city I’d go back to, just to eat.
When you do go, here is where you’ll find your best bites and sips:
Top Coffee Shops
Bøker og Børst
Meaning “books and booze” (since it also operates as a bar) this spot is filled with quirky and fun décor that makes you feel instantly cozy the moment you walk in the door.
The staff was also super friendly, and served up my favorite coffee in all of Stavanger – and I sampled a lot more than made this list.
Plus, the ultra-moist slice of decadent carrot cake was a great way to treat myself after a cold, rainy morning on the ferry ride back from the Lysefjord.
Kokko Kaffebar
This spot is actually just around the corner from the previous coffee shop, but has a very different vibe that is light and airy.
There is beautiful décor across multiple levels and bright, open seating. Kokko Kaffebar also serves up great coffee, with a very smooth flavor. Although I did not enjoy my food quite as much, since I found their baked goods to be a bit dry and not as flavorful as other spot.
Where to Eat in Stavanger
26 North
It is not usually my style to eat at a hotel restaurant – especially one that is a Norwegian chain – but this one is really delicious and it was worth being out of my comfort zone to sample the cuisine here.
26 North offers local “farm & fjord” options daily (an option each from the land and the sea) and what is overall a locally-inspired menu.
There is an appetizer sampler, which is a great way to try traditional Norwegian dishes, especially if you are dining solo like I was.
Even a dish that sounded pretty standard, like the steak I ordered, was both cooked and seasoned incredibly well, and I slowly savored each bite.
READ MORE: How to Eat Well When You Travel Solo
Egget
I knew from the moment I read about the concept of this restaurant that it was my kind of spot and the experience lived up to my expectation – it was my favorite experience in Stavanger and the best food I ate in all of Norway.
There is no menu, just a talented young chef putting together food based on what is available that day in delicious small courses. Like Uri Buri restaurant in Israel, the server will keep bringing additional courses until you stay “stop.”
And they were all so absolutely delicious:
- BBQ crab with cashew cream, celeriac root, grated horseradish, grilled broccolini and mustard, and grilled oat milk bread
- Grilled hake with apple cream from the chef’s dad’s garden, kaffir lime zest, and fennel leaves
- Grilled fish with perfectly crispy skin and a spicy, rich, deeply flavored shrimp bouillon I couldn’t get enough of
- Crispy-skin lamb with blistered carrots and pumpkin seeds
- Cheese course
Of course, you can tell them any dietary restrictions at the start, and the dishes will be tailored to you as needed (and don’t worry, the staff and chef speak excellent English).
There is also a comprehensive wine selection, that you can enjoy without the pressure of buying an entire bottle, with the server/sommelier guiding you in wine pairings for that day’s courses.
Egget was a great solo dining destination, with a counter overlooking the open kitchen where you can sit and watch the details of how each dish is prepared and if you’re lucky like I was, make friends with fellow diners.
Also, the price was so reasonable for what I got!
The total bill came out to 1,020 NOK (105 Euros/US$120), with about one quarter of the price for my wine pairings and the remaining three-quarters covering the four courses plus cheese plate.
Fisketorget
Located right on the water’s edge, Fisketorget is part fish market (its literal translation) and part restaurant serving up local fish and seafood specialties.
For me, this was Norwegian comfort food in a beautiful locale, with plenty of beer and wine options to pair with your food.
While looking out over the nearby inlet, I enjoyed a giant bowl of Norwegian specialty fiskesuppe for lunch, a hearty fish soup which had delicious flavors and lots of different type of seafood – the perfect cozy indulgence to warm me up on a chilly day.
Renaa Matbaren
Although I did not make it to Stavanger’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, RE-NAA, I had a fabulous meal at the slightly less formal version, known as Renaa Matbaren.
Food in Norway tends to be on the pricey side, but if you come for lunch here, there is a great “lunch box” deal with a set starter and dessert, along with a choice of three main dishes.
First, the food is outstanding, with great combinations of cooking techniques to yield delicious flavor and texture combinations that you’ll want to savor for each bite. There is also a great wine list, with many options by the glass to pair with your food.
But the piece of my experience at Renaa Matbaren that put it over the top was the exceptional service.
Although I was dressed for the ferry ride I would take shortly after my meal, I was treated like a queen when I dined there, without any assumptions being made based on my appearance, which was just a wee bit casual:
TRAVEL SAVVY TIP! In addition to this more casual version and the original Michelin-starred RE-NAA, there is also an Xpress RE-NAA bakery and artisan pizzeria.
Where to Drink in Stavanger
Pjolter & Punsj
You know it’s a great cocktail spot when you come for one post-dinner drink and end up staying for three.
Plus, you make half a dozen friends along the way.
First off, let me say that the cocktails are incredible. Mixing drinks behind the bar is award-winning mixologist Truls Thomsen, who was also fun to chat with (plus, he lived in both the US and Perth, Australia, just like me!).
Many of the cocktail ingredients are in-house concoctions that take several days to prepare, and it shows when you taste the delicious result. Which is why this is where the servers from the nearby Michelin-starred restaurant choose to drink at the end of their shift.
There are also a lot of local spirits and sensibility woven into the cocktail menu here.
Each drink on the menu is displayed along with a different sardine tin, an homage to the now defunct canning industry in Stavanger.
Flavor combinations are locally and historically inspired, with aquavit (a local spirit) as a prominent ingredient in the cocktails.
Which isn’t hard to do because the bar boasts the largest aquavit collection in the region.
This spot could easily thrive in London or New York or Bangkok – but instead you get to enjoy it in Stavanger.
Places to Check Out Next Time
Lervig Aktiebryggeri
Craft beer has exploded in Norway in recent years. Lervig is Stavanger’s local brewery, with its beers widely available at restaurants and bars around town.
You can also visit the brewery itself, with lots of information on the English website linked above, including how to book a tour.
RE-NAA
This is Stavanger’s 1st Michelin-starred restaurant and also the older sibling to Renaa Matbaren, where I enjoyed the fabulous three-course lunch mentioned above.
After having tasted the chef’s creations, I’d definitely splurge on a meal at this spot on a return trip to Stavanger. It is 1,600 NOK for the 20-22 course tasting menu (165 Euros/US$190) and then another 1,400 NOK (so almost as much!) for the wine pairings.
Start saving your Norwegian kronor now!
Sabi Omakase
One year after RE-NAA earned a Michelin star in 2016, this spot joined it with one of its own.
A sushi omakase experience limited to 10 diners per seating, Sabi Omakase runs about the same price as RE-NAA, at 1495 NOK per person for food and offering wine pairing at the same price, which is approximately 150 Euros/US$175 for each.
Yes, so now you might have just a bit of an idea why I ate so well in Stavanger during my visit.
It was a big reason I loved Norway, and why I’m now recommending it as a top travel destination to anyone who will listen.
READ MORE: Top Travel Destinations of 2019
Whenever I return to Norway, I’m eager to spend even more time eating my way through the city.
Any other top spots I should check out when I return to Stavanger? What has been your favorite city for eating? Any city that surprised you with its foodie scene?
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2 thoughts on “Where to Eat in Stavanger, Norway: Surprise Foodie Destination”
I started my Norwegian adventure by visiting Stavanger and the surrounding area and it was love at first sight. I think about coming back to Norway and seeing more regions of this beautiful country.
Glad you enjoyed your time in Stavanger, I hope this helped you eat well!