Food · Oslo · Norway
What to eat in Oslo
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Oslo, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Orjanarvola, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Brown cheese, Norwegian waffles and Fish soup. Mathallen at Vulkan gathers cheese, fish, meat and bakery counters with small restaurants under one roof. Norwegians eat early: lunch is often a light open sandwich around 11:30am, and dinner from about 5pm at home, though restaurants serve until late.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Brown cheese
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Service is included and wages are high, so tipping is not expected.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Snack · Vegetarian
1.Brown cheese (Brunost)
Caramelised whey cheese with a sweet, fudge-like taste, sliced thin with a cheese plane onto bread, crispbread or warm waffles. Varieties range from mild cow's-milk Gudbrandsdalsost to the sharper goat's-milk geitost.
Where: Every supermarket and breakfast buffet; cheese counters at Mathallen Oslo let you compare styles.
Dessert · Vegetarian
2.Norwegian waffles (Vafler)
Soft, heart-shaped waffles served warm with sour cream and strawberry jam or with brunost. They are a standard treat at cafés, ski cabins and the huts along forest trails.
Where: Cafés across the city and the cabin cafés in Nordmarka, such as those on the trails beyond Sognsvann and Frognerseteren.
Dish
3.Fish soup (Fiskesuppe)
A creamy soup of white fish, salmon, shellfish and root vegetables, often finished with dill. It is a warming lunch on a cold day and a good way to try Norwegian seafood without the price of a full fish dinner.
Where: Seafood restaurants around Aker Brygge and the fish counters at Mathallen Oslo.
Dish
4.Shrimp sandwich (Rekesmørbrød)
An open sandwich piled with peeled cold-water shrimp, mayonnaise, egg and lemon on white or rye bread. It is a classic summer lunch by the water.
Where: Waterfront cafés at Aker Brygge and fishmongers' cafés around the city.
Dish
5.Cured salmon (Gravlaks)
Raw salmon cured with salt, sugar and dill, sliced thin and served with a sweet mustard sauce (sennepssaus) and bread or potatoes. Smoked salmon (røykelaks) appears beside it on almost every breakfast table.
Where: Hotel breakfast buffets, delicatessens and traditional Norwegian restaurants.
Dessert · Vegetarian
6.School bun (Skolebolle)
A soft cardamom bun filled with vanilla custard and topped with icing and grated coconut, originally made for school lunch boxes. Cinnamon buns (kanelboller) are the other bakery staple.
Where: Bakery chains and independent bakeries across Oslo; best fresh in the morning.
Street food
7.Hot dog in potato flatbread (Pølse i lompe)
A grilled or boiled sausage wrapped in lompe, a soft potato flatbread, with ketchup, mustard and crispy onions. It is the default quick snack in Norway and one of the least expensive hot meals in the city.
Where: Convenience-store counters such as Narvesen and 7-Eleven, and kiosks at stations and ski areas.
Dish
8.Mutton and cabbage stew (Fårikål)
Norway's national dish: lamb or mutton on the bone layered with cabbage and whole black peppercorns, simmered for hours and served with boiled potatoes. It is an autumn dish, eaten most when the new season's lamb arrives in September.
Where: Traditional restaurants put it on the menu from September; look for 'fårikål' specials.
Dish
9.Norwegian meatcakes (Kjøttkaker)
Large, soft meat patties in brown gravy, served with boiled potatoes, mushy peas (ertestuing) and lingonberry jam. It is everyday home cooking and a hearty, fairly priced restaurant lunch.
Where: Traditional lunch restaurants and cafés serving 'husmannskost' (home-style food).
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Aquavit (Akevitt)
A caraway- and dill-flavoured spirit sipped with Christmas food and with fish. Linie aquavit is aged in casks that cross the equator twice on board ship before bottling.
Where: Bars and restaurants; bottles are sold only in the state Vinmonopolet shops.
Food experiences
Food hall lunch at Mathallen
Mathallen at Vulkan gathers cheese, fish, meat and bakery counters with small restaurants under one roof. Graze on brunost, smoked fish and cured sausage, then walk it off along the Akerselva.
Cabin waffles in the forest
Hike or ski from the end of the metro lines at Sognsvann or Frognerseteren to one of the forest cabins in Nordmarka, where waffles, coffee and hot chocolate are the reward.
Fjord-side seafood
Restaurants along Aker Brygge, Tjuvholmen and Sørenga serve fish soup, shellfish and the catch of the day on terraces facing the fjord; in summer, book for sunset.
Specialty coffee crawl
Oslo is known for light-roast filter coffee. Grünerløkka and the streets around Torggata have a dense cluster of roasters and cafés where baristas brew single-origin beans to order.
Quick bites and street food
- Brown cheese — Every supermarket and breakfast buffet; cheese counters at Mathallen Oslo let you compare styles.
- Hot dog in potato flatbread — Convenience-store counters such as Narvesen and 7-Eleven, and kiosks at stations and ski areas.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Brown cheese, Norwegian waffles, School bun and Aquavit. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Norwegians eat early: lunch is often a light open sandwich around 11:30am, and dinner from about 5pm at home, though restaurants serve until late.
- Tap water is excellent and served free; ask for 'vann fra springen'.
- Alcohol is heavily taxed, so wine with dinner can double a restaurant bill; many visitors choose beer or skip it.
- Lunch specials and soup-of-the-day deals are the most affordable way to eat in sit-down restaurants.
- Supermarkets (Rema 1000, Kiwi, Coop, Meny) sell good bread, cheese and smoked fish for picnics at a fraction of restaurant prices.
Tipping
Service is included and wages are high, so tipping is not expected. Rounding up or adding around 5–10% for good table service is a kind gesture, not an obligation.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hei | Hello |
| Takk / Tusen takk | Thanks / Thank you very much |
| Unnskyld | Excuse me / sorry |
| Skål | Cheers |
| Ha det | Goodbye |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Oslo famous for?
Brown cheese, Norwegian waffles, Fish soup and Shrimp sandwich. Caramelised whey cheese with a sweet, fudge-like taste, sliced thin with a cheese plane onto bread, crispbread or warm waffles.
+Is Oslo good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Brown cheese, Norwegian waffles and School bun.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Oslo?
Service is included and wages are high, so tipping is not expected. Rounding up or adding around 5–10% for good table service is a kind gesture, not an obligation.