Star-studded culinary experiences in Fjord Norway

Western Norway is an exciting region for food and drink with specialities based on different produce from the fjords, mountains and coastal areas. The fish, shellfish, lamb, fruit, berries, cider and kveik yeast beer worth the trip for those looking for the best food and drink around.

In 2016, the restaurant RE-NAA was finally crowned with its first magical Michelin star, while a second star followed in 2017, awarded to the acclaimed Sabi Omakase. In 2019, RE-NAA was awarded its second star, and it is now the highest ranking restaurant in Norway.

It may not come as a surprise that the first Michelin stars to be awarded outside the capital went to Stavanger. Restaurants and produce in this part of Norway are highly rated by both national food critics and the Michelin Guide.

The latest star to be awarded in Western Norway went to BARE restaurant in 2020, bringing the first Michelin star to Bergen. Ten years of hard work finally paid off, and there was great joy and relief in Bergen when BARE restaurant was awarded one star. Bergen became a member of the UNESCO Creative City Network in 2015. Bergen is one of 36 cities working together on food, creativity and gastronomy, and these cities have been designated ‘Cities of Gastronomy’.
 

RE-NAA 

Sven Erik Renaa is an award-winning Norwegian chef, who was born in the Trøndelag region and has an Italian father. Renaa owns several restaurants in Stavanger, but only RE-NAA, which is located in the Eilert Smith Hotel in Holmen, currently has two Michelin stars. The menu changes every day based on the best produce available. There will normally be around 22 servings. The focus is on the best produce from the sea, the fjord and the mountains in the Stavanger region.

Sabi-Omakase

In the small, exclusive restaurant in Pedersgata street in Stavanger, head chef Roger Asakil Joya serves sushi that has been awarded one star in the Michelin Guide. Normally, there is a seven-month waiting list to get a seat among the ten lucky guests the restaurant serves each evening, but it is worth looking into whether you could be one of the lucky ones this summer. 

Bare

Michelin restaurant, BARE, is located on the second floor of Bergen’s old stock exchange dating back to 1862. It is located in the same building, and has the same owners, as the exclusive designer hotel Bergen Børs Hotel. Guests from across the world are served delicious dishes based on local produce in minimalist and stylish premises. BARE Restaurant's concept and vision is to showcase local produce in the best way possible; using the finest ingredients Western Norway – and the rest of the country – has to offer from local independent producers. Almost all the produce comes from local hunters, fishermen and independent producers. The creative flavours are based on Norwegian cuisine and the fjord landscape’s ingredients. Founder, Øystein Ellingsen, says that the food is, in particular, an homage to the beauty of Western Norway.

The Michelin evaluation criteria

• Quality of the ingredients
• ‘Craft’, i.e. the taste and preparation
• ‘Personality’, i.e. the chef has succeeded in developing his/her own style
• Value for money
• Quality over time – the experience must be equally fantastic regardless of when you visit the restaurant.

Source: Michelin

Many exciting culinary experiences await when you travel around Western Norway. Take your time to get to know both specialities and new versions of familiar and high-quality products. The best restaurants share an ability to breathe new life into many of the familiar and traditional dishes and produce, thereby creating something unexpected and exciting.