A few of my favourite tables in the city, from French bistros to candlelit wine bars
People have kept asking me for recommendations and I have yet to do my own city. Oslo has changed so much in the last decade. It has become a place where the cooking is confident, the ingredients are the most fresh. Yet most restaurants feel homey and relaxed, in the most charming way. These places hold special memories for me, they are where I have celebrated with my family and had hour long conversations with my closest friends.
These are the places I return to again and again. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.
Brasserie Ouest
Elisenbergveien 19, Frogner
One of my favourite neighbourhood restaurants, only a couple minute walk from our apartment. It is a classic French brasserie, with an extensive wine list. My recommendation would be the tartar (make sure to also order the fries), their oysters with horseraddish, then move on to their fresh truffle pasta in season or the ravioli with cucumber.
Le Benjamin
Søndre gate 6, Grünerløkka
A longtime favourite in our family. Le Benjamin is perfect for a family dinner, a celebration or a date night. It is a family-run french bistro, warm and candlelit, with a menu that changes seasonally. We always order their langoustines and their white pizza to share, then I love having their entrecôte.
Ekspedisjonshallen
Sommerro, Frogner
For a glamorous evening or an amazing breakfast. Ekspedisjonshallen is the Art Deco bar inside Sommerro, set in a beautifully restored 1930s building. It doesn't feel typical Norwegian at all. Perfect when you're not sure to go for a more lively evening.
Enoteca, Bygdøy allé
Bygdøy allé 59, Frogner
Enoteca has been in the neighbourhood since 2001, and still feels like a well kept secret. It is cosy and intimate, but still feels very casual. This is one of my favourite places to go for italian food, they have amazing pizza.
Bar Nektar
Fredensborgveien 42
Nektar sits in a little red wooden house from 1814 at the bottom of Damstredet, one of the most beautiful old streets in Oslo. It is small, lively, and always full, with a wine list that leans toward Burgundy and small producers, and Norwegian sharing plates. A perfect place to put on your list if it is your first time visiting Oslo.
Brasserie France
Øvre Slottsgate 16, City Centre
A true Oslo classic. Brasserie France is a Paris-style brasserie in the centre of town with an all-French wine list and a timeless, elegant room. It is one of the few places in the city that does a proper lunch, which makes it my favourite for a long midday meal.
Palate
Dronning Eufemias gate 23, Bjørvika
Down by the waterfront in Bjørvika, Palate is a family-owned restaurant made for sharing. The cooking is Mediterranean with a Scandinavian touch, much of it from an open charcoal grill, with produce from small farms and fishermen. It feels relaxed but quietly luxurious, the kind of place where you order a little of everything for the table.
Nedre Foss Gård
Grünerløkka
Set in a historic farmhouse beside the Akerselva river, Nedre Foss Gård is one of the most atmospheric places in the city and their dining room has an amazing De Gournay wallpaper, who was the inspiration for our livingroom. In summer, the courtyard is the best spot in Grünerløkka for a long lunch in the sun. In winter, the old rooms feel warm and full of history.
Grotto
Hallings gate 5, St. Hanshaugen
Set in a historic farmhouse beside the Akerselva river, Nedre Foss Gård is one of the most atmospheric places in the city and their dining room has an amazing De Gournay wallpaper, who was the inspiration for our livingroom. In summer, the courtyard is the best spot in Grünerløkka for a long lunch in the sun. In winter, the old rooms feel warm and full of history.
St. Lars
Thereses gate 45, Bislett
St. Lars is named after the patron saint of grill cooks, and almost everything here is cooked over an open charcoal fire. The côte de boeuf and the beef tartare are wonderful, the music is loud, the staff are charming, and the wine list is a joy to read. It is a meat lover’s dream and one of the most fun dinners in Oslo.
These ten places are where I celebrate, catch up with friends, have a dinner with my family or slow down after long days in the studio. If you visit any of them, I hope they feel as special to you as they do to me. And if you find a new favourite of your own, write and tell me. I’m always looking for the next table worth keeping.
With love from Oslo,
Camilla
