29 Best Restaurants in The Western Fjords, Norway

Brasserie Posten

$$$ Fodor's choice

Being one of the best restaurants in Geiranger may not seem such a feat (there's only a handful), but this place distinguishes itself with a stunning fjordside setting and excellent, no-nonsense cuisine that capitalizes on the area's abundant fresh, local seafood, artisanal cheeses, wild game, and produce, not to mention a huge selection of local beers.

Flåm Marina Restaurant

$$ Fodor's choice
With relaxing views of the fjord, this popular eatery serving well-prepared local fare can be found a short walk from the train station. The terrace is the perfect place in warmer weather, and locals and travelers alike find their way to the glassed-in pavilion all year.

Flåmstova

$$$ Fodor's choice

Looking for all the world like a traditional chalet, thanks to the massive beams and honey-color wood floors, you'll feel the Scandinavian hygge (coziness) as soon as you walk inside. The restaurant focuses on fresh local ingredients while encouraging creativity among its chefs. This makes for an exciting menu where traditional flavors meet unusual cooking techniques.

A-Feltvegen 25, 5743, Norway
57--63--20--50
Known For
  • dishes prepared with local beer
  • new takes on traditional dishes
  • locally sourced ingredients
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Oct.--mid-June, Available for groups on request in low season

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Hoven Restaurant

$$$ Fodor's choice

At the top of Loen Skylift, this strikingly modern restaurant is perched off the edge of a cliff. On one side of the dining room is an entire wall of glass, so every table has a spectacular view. Expect Nordic dishes with the freshest local ingredients and a warm atmosphere.

Olebuda and Cafe Ole

$$$ Fodor's choice

In a picturesque white clapboard house that was Geiranger's first grocery store, this restaurant is a popular choice for sophisticated, modern fare. A bright, cozy dining room on the second floor focuses on small plates with an emphasis on local veggies, seafood, and meats: wild poached salmon with parsley butter, scallops, and cauliflower purée; venison medallions with bacon and buttered beets. In mild weather the terrace is a lovely place to dine, and there's live music on weekends.

Gjørvahaugen, Geiranger, Møre og Romsdal, 6216, Norway
70--26--32--30
Known For
  • downstairs café is popular with families
  • homemade desserts
  • good coffee and pastries
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Restaurant closed Sept.–May. Café closed Oct.–Apr., No reservations

Vangsgaarden Gastropub

$$ Fodor's choice
The outdoor seating area boasts spectacular views of the fjord, making this eatery in the village's former bakery well worth a visit. The menu includes pub classics as well as local dishes, so you are bound to find something for the whole family. Locals say the tower of the building is haunted.

Ægir Bryggeri og Pub

$$$ Fodor's choice
It started out as a straightforward microbrewery, but Ægir has been transformed into a complete culinary experience. Conveniently located near the cruise port in Flåm, its local dishes pair beautifully with the award-winning beer. The interior is inspired by Norse mythology, with driftwood furnishings and a central fireplace whose chimney extends through both floors.

Arven

$$$
At the Fretheim Hotel, the Arven offeres dishes based on local ingredients---think mussels steamed in cider and herbs or monkfish with seaweed---in a sophisticated and cozy atmosphere. From the second-floor windows you can enjoy beautiful views of the Aurlandsfjord and the mountains beyond.

Bryggekanten Restaurant

$$$
Decorated in a maritime style, it's no surprise that Bryggekanten has such close proximity to the ocean. Naturally it has lovely views from the dozens of windows. The fish dishes are superb, and the soup is a local favorite.

Bryggekanten Restaurant/Brasserie og Bache Bar

$$$$

Today's catch is all over the menu---crayfish, klippfisk (fish salted and dried in the sun on slabs of rock), and grilled monkfish, to name a few---at this casual eatery. The seemingly mismatched, umbrella-shape roof atop this rectangular blue waterfront restaurant offers a lesson in Norwegian history, culture, and cuisine: it's where locals of yesteryear dried fish by night. It's the modern day preparation, though, that's earned the restaurant a status as one of the best in town.

Storkaia 1, Kristiansund, Møre og Romsdal, 6509, Norway
71--67--61--60
Known For
  • waterside patio
  • freshest fish available
  • great views of the harbor
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.

Cafe Rallaren

$
In Myrdal Station, Cafe Rallaren caters to travelers during the busy summer season. It serves local dishes in a diner-style atmosphere, and also offers bicycle rentals and luggage storage. Hikers often fortify themselves here with Norwegian waffles and other sweets displayed behind the counter.

Ciderhuset

$$$$

This place makes its own cider and expertly pairs it with creative Norwegian and Mediterranean dishes. Dry cider and herbs from the garden fill the soups, while fruit from the garden finds its way into the desserts. Join a cider tasting and learn how they make sparkling cider using traditional methods. They also offer a four-course dinner.

Den Grøne Kafe

$$
Facing the dock in Ulvik, the Green Cafe has big windows with amazing views of the fjord and the mountains beyond, but in warm weather you'll want to head outside to one of the tables just feet from the water's edge. Given the name, you won't be surprised at the number of vegetarian and vegan options, but there is also a wide range of dishes for meat-eaters, from burgers to fish-and-chips. The interior is charming and homey, with exposed brick and shelves packed with books. Hours are more limited in the off-season.

Dølen Eteri

$$

This restaurant's unusual name comes from the steamship Dølen, which used to chug along the Hornindalsvatnet between 1880 and 1950. With a rustic feel, it serves dishes made with local produce. The shop is a good place to stock up on local delicacies.

Egon Ålesund

$$

The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, and perhaps a little loud at peak hours, but you won't find a better spot for a quick meal. There are wood beams, exposed brick walls, and cozy booths with rough-hewn furnishings. The food is family friendly, including generous salads and sandwiches and pizzas.

Løvenvoldgt. 8, Ålesund, Møre og Romsdal, 6002, Norway
70--15--78--15
Known For
  • ordering at the bar
  • great selection of starters
  • several vegetarian options

Fjell og Fjord Kafè

$

Centrally located in Eidfjord, this charming café with a handful of tables outside bakes some of the best pastries around---make sure to to get some cinnamon rolls to take along on your adventures. This is the perfect place for a light lunch—with the best local produce—a filling snack, or a great cup of coffee.

Fjellstua

$$$$

This mountaintop restaurant covered with a dramatic glass canopy has tremendous views over the surrounding peaks, islands, and fjords. It serves a mix of national and international dishes, and on the menu might be Norwegian salt cod or baked salmon. A wraparound terrace opens when the weather allows, and it's a popular spot for lunch after climbing the steps to the Kniven scenic overlook.

Flåm Bakeri

$
This bakery serves up some of the best cinnamon rolls you have ever tasted, and of course the famous Norwegian skolebolle (buns with custard and coconut). In the summer, they move the chairs and tables outside so you can enjoy the sunshine. In cooler weather the space is limited, so you might want to take your treats with you.

Furukroa Kafé

$$
Occupying a traditional Nordic structure, this casual eatery is the kind of place where families head to the picnic tables on the terrace in warmer months and booths in the homey interior when it's cooler. It serves a variety of dishes, most of which are pictured on the wall. The location puts you close to the cruise port.

Glacier Restaurant

$$
In the center of Odda, the Glacier Restaurant couldn't be more relaxed: there are picnic tables outside, a casual eatery on the main level, and a slightly more formal dining room downstairs. With Asian, European, and even Middle Eastern dishes on the menu, everyone in the family will find something they like.

Gloyp Spiseri

$$

This restaurant is bright and breezy, with huge windows letting in lots of light, but the real reason to come here is what's on your plate: beautifully prepared, locally sourced meals by Norway's originator of New Nordic cuisine. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the location is right across from the water.

Kinsarvikvegen 45, Vestland, 5780, Norway
92--85--50--94
Known For
  • great atmosphere
  • local ingredients
  • fine Nordic cuisine
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Various opening hrs and days during season. Check Facebook page. Closed Oct.--Apr.

Hellesylt Boutique and Bar

$

This cozy bookshop and café serves homemade baked goods, great coffee, and local beer. You'll find yourself surrounded by interesting books and some lovely antiques, much of it for sale.

Kjenndalstova

$$
This region's best-kept secret, this little red house perched at the water's edge serves up delicious traditional dishes. Close to a pristine glacier, towering mountains, cascading waterfalls, and a shimmering lake, the scenery makes a visit to this laid-back eatery well worthwhile.

Marianne Bakeri og Kafe

$
The local bakery, named for its owner, is located beside the river in Aurland, with an outdoor seating area that is perfect on warm days. Enjoy the homemade bread and a bowl of soup here, or take an armload of pastries to go.

Mølla Gjestehus

$$
If you want a friendly atmosphere and superb local dishes, this is a great choice. Mølla is located in a handsome building on the dock in Olden, and you can't miss the tall red letters spelling out the name.

Rallarrosa Mountain Cheeses

$$
Rallarrosa is located at the end of the Flåm zipline, and is a great place for a bite after your adrenaline-infused trip. Those hiking or cycling the Flåm Valley will also pass Rallarrosa during their journey. From mid-June to mid-September you can stop here for a refreshing drink or to try their homemade goat cheeses.
Kårdalen, 5743, Norway
48--20--95--20
Known For
  • goats roaming freely outside the fence
  • waffles with homemade goat cheese
  • traditional cheese from unpasteurized goat milk
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed in low season

Restaurant Julie

$$$
If you are looking for a friendly atmosphere and a menu based on regional favorites, this is the restaurant for you. Expect original dishes with a traditional touch and great views of the Geirangerfjord. The restaurant is named after the woman who owned Hotel Union with her husband in the late 1800s, Julie Mjelva.
Geirangervegen 101, Geiranger, Møre og Romsdal, 6216, Norway
70--26--83--00
Known For
  • excellent brasserie menu
  • waterfront views
  • laid-back atmosphere

Sjøstjerna

$$$

Another contender for the best fish restaurant crown in Kristiansund, Sjøstjerna matches its zeal for klippfisk with major skills in hospitality to create an exceedingly warm and convivial environment. In addition to intimacy of the relatively small space, the vast assortment of Norwegian folk art and fishing-related artifacts hanging from the walls adds a refreshing and well-designed layer of intrigue on an otherwise typical menu of bacalao, blandaball dumplings, and klippfisk.

Skolegata 8, Kristiansund, Møre og Romsdal, 6509, Norway
71--67--87--78
Known For
  • best bacalao in the area
  • live piano music in the bar
  • Norwegian dishes with international flair
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch

Vesle Kinn

$
This casual eatery has one thing on its mind: beer. It was opened by the Kinn Bryggeri as a way to showcase its wide range of beers and the foods that pair so naturally with them, and you can expect an impressive array of small dishes that are the perfect size to share.
Strandgata 28, Florø, Vestland, 6900, Norway
900--90--465
Known For
  • friendly atmosphere
  • locally brewed beer
  • light snacks
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.--Tues.