Oslo's food courts

This has been reflected in the inclusion of 39 Norwegian restaurants in this year's Michelin Guide. Although the majority are in Oslo, Bergen, Tromso, and Trondheim also feature. With an underground edge to it, Oslo’s strong hipster vibe becomes delightfully apparent when exploring some of the less traditional hangouts emerging to eat and drink. Namely, the food market!

Mathallen, literally Food Hall, was Oslo’s first attempt at emulating the great food halls in Europe and has enjoyed huge success.

Located on the banks of Akerselva river, the original building housed a cast-ironfactory. B uilt in 1902 to produce iron supports for bridges and railway tracks the building was part of a large-scale redevelopment of the disused industrial area and re-opened in 2012.

Open six days a week with 10 restaurants and 18 stores over three levels you will fínd some of the best homegrown produce Norway has to offer. Fresh seafood at Vulkanfisk, gourmet butchers Annie’s, and hipster street food in Hitchhiker. In the basement level, you can find a 27m long bar in Smelteverket which is apparently Scandinavias longest bar.

Formerly a warehouse building beside the fish market on the very edge of Oslofjord, Vippa is one of Oslo’s most popular summer hangouts with views of passing cruise ships and outlying islands.

A hub of international cuisine, the Vippa project has had a strong focus on creating an ethical and multicultural environment for guests and proprietors alike. Opened in 2017, you can find 11 food stands from around the world offering sustainability and diversity in abundance.
The vision was to create a space where farmers, producers, and all levels of chefs could meet and collaborate. The project helps educate its partners in everything from composting/recycling, to the acquisition of ethically sourced ingredients, to the conversion of these raw materials into delicious food!

All the food here is great with Russian, Syrian, and Greek stands all unique and delicious. One of the real success stories here is Aleppo Bahebek serving authentic Syrian street food with locally sourced organic ingredients. Aleppo is run by Mestringsguiden, a non-profit organization helping refugees become independent again with Vippa providing a unique platform of stability and support to showcase their culinary heritage

On one of Oslo's most popular streets, Torgata, you’ll find Oslo Street Food close to Sentrum Scene and the Rockefeller.

A derelict swimming pool from the 1920’s might not be your first thought when looking to set up a new food court, but that is exactly what happened here. One of the biggest baths of it’s time, Torgata Bad offered swimming pools and Roman baths but after a period of neglect was reopened as Oslo Street Food in 2019.

With 4 bars and 16 food stands, Oslo Street Food is a real melting pot of ideas, cultures and cuisines with inclusions of stands like TUNCO changing the way we think about fast food. TUNCO aims to make healthy, tasty and sustainable food available for everyone with the team behind it preaching a healthy gut leads to a healthy life. With every meal sold, one meal is given to school children in Kenya. Since its inception in 2016 TUNCO has provided over 300,000 meals.
In Oslo Street Food you can also find Silk Road, an exclusively vegan and gluten-free establishment offering wholly ethical and environmentally sustainable gourmet street food.

Østbanehallen is the oldest part of Oslo Central Station but it is at the same time the most modern. Reopened in 2015, it has undergone a complete transformation with the hope of creating a small oasis away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Housing a range of restaurants and small shops as well as a hotel and the Oslo Visitor Center, it is the perfect place to find good food and beautiful architecture in the heart of Oslo. Italian, Japanese, and Norwegian fares are all on offer whether you are looking to grab a bite on the go, or to sit down and plan your next activity over a hot coffee or refreshing beer.

Close to the Opera and Karl Johan, and a short walk from the royal palace it is as popular with the locals as it is tourists, with many enjoying pre-show or after-work drinks.

When your bellies are full and your batteries recharged, check out our tips for some of the best food tours in Norway here.