Grünerløkka, Oslo | Noreg

Tourists generally don't come to Norway to see our cities, because who are we kidding? Nature is the real draw. But say you were to visit a city or two on your Norway trip, where would you go? Which cities would you choose? Bergen and Trondheim can offer great atmosphere. Both are major student cities, and so there are a lot of students doing what students do. Bergen, Ålesund, Kristiansand and Stavanger are all cozy cities with traditional architecture and gorgeous waterfronts. I definitely wouldn't visit Oslo for the architecture. Not to say it's not pretty, because it is, but it's just very European. It wouldn't look out of place in Sweden or Denmark or any other Northern European country with its broad boulevard, French-inspired buildings and parks, whereas all other major Norwegian cities have a very distinct Norwegian architecture and style. It's all about colorful wooden houses and narrow cobblestone streets, and Oslo just doesn't fit the bill.

But if you're going to Norway to eat, then there's really only one place to go, and that place is Oslo. It's not that the other cities don't have good food, of course they do. It's just that Oslo has both more restaurants and therefore more variety. Eating out in Norway is a fairly new thing. Of course there are cafes that have been around for centuries, and the rich peeps in Oslo and Bergen have always dined out, but since the 1980s, things have changed. Young people go out regularly, but my parents, for example, would very rarely go out for a meal in Norway. 

Oslo is home to many world-class restaurants. I have not been to any of those. However, I have tried to food-explore Oslo in my own way, within a reasonable budget of course, because Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in the world, and the prices at top-notch restaurants are absolutely cringing. CRINGING! Some day I'll compile a list of my favorite foodie places in the capital, but for now I'll stick to a shorter list of my favorite foodie places in Grünerløkka, the most awesome Oslo neighborhood.

Grünerløkka used to be a working class area, and you can kind of see that in the semi-tattered, artistic buildings. It's become a pretty hip (hipster? Which is it?) place to live in town, so prices are going up, but for now it's still very, very nice. It's the one place I go every single time I go to Oslo. For one, it doesn't feel like you're in a big town because of the Aker River and its waterfalls. There's a lovely walking area around the river, dotted with several restaurants and cafes, which is lovely. The food scene keeps expanding too, so each time I come – about once or twice a year – there's always something to explore!

MATHALLEN

The Oslo Food Hall, which I wrote about here. It's a haven for high-quality products from all over Norway, specifically from small-scale, usually organic, producers and farms, with a few special foreign imports as well.

MÅNEFISKEN

I love this place not for the coffee as much for the live music and location right by one of Aker River's waterfalls. It's tranquil, green and makes you forget you're in a city. 

 

 COCOA

Norway's first and only cocoa bar. They make all kinds of hot chocolate, from dark mixes zested with chili to white chocolate and hazelnut hot chocolate.

AND OTHER GREAT CAFES IN GRÜNERLØKKA

Hønse-Lovisas hus – Traditional Norwegian café serving coffee and cake by the Aker River. Relaxed and cozy.
Liebling – German-inspired cafe with great coffee and food in the Old Industrial area of Grünerløkka. Also doubles as a design gift shop.

Tim Wendelboe – Run and owned by World Barista Champion and World Cup Tasters Champion Tim Wendelboe. All the coffee is roasted in the cafe and the coffee is beyond delicious! To quote Oliver Strand, of the New York Times Magazine, ''feels like a neighbourhood shop, but it's run like a Michelin-starred restaurant''.

Godt Brød – ''Good bread'' is a bakery chain across Norway, but it's super good and uses only organic ingredients. All baked goods are baked on site with prices to match! 

Kaffebrenneriet – The average coffee-drinking Norwegian drinks about four cups of coffee a day, and only the Finns beat us in terms of coffee consumption per capita. Kaffebrenneriet is one of the reasons why we drink so much. The coffee at this Oslo chain is incredible.

OSLO OUTSIDE OF GRÜNERLØKKA