Some of the world’s best seafood restaurants are at their best right now, plus the top 15 seafood restaurants in Fjord Norway /

Fjord Norway’s seafood is considered some of the best in the world. In winter it is at its best, with flavors that will take your visit to Norway to a whole new level.

“It’s so fresh and so good that I want to show it – not hide it. Nothing needs any camouflage here. The ingredients should shine,” says Ronny Kolvik, chef and driving force behind restaurants Bro and Bryt, located on the waterfront in the middle of narrow and charming Brosundet in Ålesund in Western Norway.

He stands on the dock just outside the restaurant as a small fishing boat lumbers towards us. The dedicated chef has an excellent arrangement to have world-class fresh fish and shellfish delivered directly to his home.

“The taste experience you get from such fresh ingredients gives a completely different sensation in the mouth. The langoustines are so lively that they sometimes jump out of their tanks. We have to let the ingredients settle for almost a while before we can use them,” he adds.

The little boat didn’t have to travel far. The best shellfish in the world, langoustines, oysters and lobsters can all be found nearby. Kolvik shares his enthusiasm for fresh, local ingredients straight from the ocean with seafood chefs and foodies all over Fjord Norway.

World-class locally sourced ingredients

Øygarden outside Bergen is home to Norway’s leading fishing and maritime expertise. Scalmarin supplies ingredients to Michelin restaurants and other seafood restaurants at home and abroad. Manager Knut Magnus Persson says it’s no coincidence that the seafood along Norway’s west coast is so excellent.

“We are in a unique position in this area and that has everything to do with the climate and the temperature of the sea. The water gets cold, but the fish and shellfish survive. It’s about to get too cold, so it’s really going to extremes,” he says.

This is precisely why seafood is at its best in the middle of winter.

“The cold slows down the shellfish’s metabolism, making them sweeter and more distinctive in taste. They spawn in the summer so they start to develop well physically and when they go into hibernation they are absolutely fantastic,” he continues.

Interest in seafood from Fjord Norway has skyrocketed in recent years and Persson is struggling to keep up with the huge demand.

“We supply regular and Michelin star restaurants in Norway, including Under, Maemo, BARE, Lysverket, ReNaa and Credo, as well as Michelin star restaurants in Sweden and Denmark. We need to focus on expansion to meet demand,” says Persson.

Bacalao! Is it from Norway?

Fresh fish and seafood are signature dishes in many restaurants in the towns and cities of Fjord Norway. Seafood has also always been part of the daily life of the locals. In Bergen, the export of stockfish and seafood is the foundation on which the city is built. Similarly, klippfisk (fish dried on rocks) from northwestern Fjord Norway is regarded as the cornerstone of the town of Kristiansund and its development into a major Norwegian seafood export hub. For example, Klippfisk from Kristiansund is used as an ingredient in the Bacalao served in restaurants in Portugal, Spain and Brazil. Bacalao and Klippfisk can also be found on menus throughout Fjord Norway.

“Klippfisk is wild-caught fish that is salted and dried on smooth rocks on the coast. It can be stored for several years and thus became a very popular commodity and formed the basis for many industries in our region. Today we export about 100,000 tons of klippfisk worldwide, and it is an important export trade in our region. It is also a sustainable resource because it can be transported without using air transport,” says Tore Legernes from the innovation company Vindel in Kristiansund.

Fish and seafood have also formed many small and attractive local communities along the coast of Fjord Norway. Solund is an island community that has grown due to its proximity to the sea and fresh seafood. The inhabitants settled on the edge of the ocean in order to be as close as possible to the bounty of the ocean. Today, guided boat tours operate in the area and you can discover how seafood and fishing have shaped the local community throughout history.

“Life on the outer islands was not so pleasant, and the arrival of motorboats made it possible to live more centrally and still fish for a living. All that remains on the outer islands are the buildings left behind by the enterprises that were once located there, and those who grew up there have now moved to Hardbakke, which once housed only a police station, a priest and a school,” says Tom Færøy, general manager of Suljet, which organizes tours and island hopping in the region.

seafood festival

Seafood has been the lifeblood of Norway’s coastal culture throughout history, just as it is an important feature of Fjord Norway’s gastronomy today. This is celebrated every year with a seafood festival in Bergen.

“We celebrate seafood at its best with a lively festival in Bergen restaurants and fishing activities in the Mathallen food court and Vismarkt. There are courses, lectures and competitions and the restaurants serve lunches and dinners with world-class ingredients. There is a chance to experience seafood paired with cider and learn how to make your own sushi at home,” said Alexandra Krage Angell, head of Matarena and Bergen Seafood Festival.

This year the festival will be held from February 17 to 19, with local food producers selling products and specialties from both the sea and the land. You will learn more about the food, discover the story behind it and get an insight into how it is made. More than twenty restaurants participate in the festival, all paying tribute to the local, unique ingredients from the sea.

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Top 15 seafood restaurants in Fjord Norway

Rena, Stavanger

Our focus is on the best products from the sea, fjords, land, forests and mountains in this fertile and generous region.

Sabi Omakase, Stavanger

Sabi Omakase was the first sushi restaurant to receive Michelin status in Norway! Sushi master Roger Asakil Joya creates works of art on a plate from Norwegian ingredients. A delight for both the eye and the palate.

Fiske tower in Stavanger, Stavanger

A fish and seafood restaurant, where the menu is based on today’s catch. The enthusiastic chefs at The Fish Market offer simple and tasty dishes for both lunch and dinner. They focus exclusively on local products.

Cornelius Shomat Restaurant, Bergen

A beautiful boat trip and a unique fishing experience at Cornelius Seafood Restaurant on the island of Holmen just outside Bergen.

Fish me, Bergen

Fish Me is located at the Vismarkt and offers a wide selection of seafood and snacks. Can accommodate groups and can deliver to cruise ships.

Lysverket, Mons

The Michelin-starred restaurant Lysverket offers modern Scandinavian cuisine with seafood from Western Norway and seasonal meat and vegetarian dishes.

BARE Restaurant, Mons

BARE Restaurant is one of Bergen’s two Michelin star restaurants. The award was the result of our philosophy and love for the raw materials that our surrounding nature offers.

Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri, Bekkjarvik

Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri is located on the harbor in idyllic Bekkjarvik in Austevoll, just a 50-minute boat ride from Bergen Airport/Flesland or Bergen city centre.

Restaurant Bryggekanten, Floro

Restaurant Bryggekanten has a passion for good food and drinks. We take no shortcuts in the pursuit of culinary treasures!

Hjornevikbua, Florø

In the center of Florø is restaurant Hjørnevikbua, in what used to be a herring hut.

Knutholmen, Kalvag

Kalvåg is a large residential hotel! Within walking distance around the small bay you will find fishing huts, rooms or apartments, a restaurant, café, dance floor and meeting rooms.

Kami Skotholmen, Fosnavag

We wish you a warm welcome to Skotholmen and the fish restaurant Kami Skotholmen. A restaurant splashing on the waterfront a stone’s throw from Fosnavåg and a glimpse of Ålesund. With a kitchen that follows the season, the sunset and offers the sea and horizon as a mural in a rickety mid-1800s sea gang.

Brother, Alesund

Bro invites you on a journey through what we call coastal gastronomy. It is a Scandinavian restaurant, with a strong focus on what the local and Norwegian coast has to offer.

XL Diner, Alesund

XL Diner is known as one of Europe’s largest bacalao restaurants, and its main focus is on preparing, serving and promoting Norwegian clipfish (dried, salted fish). Combined with inspiration and knowledge from different corners of the world and enthusiastic employees, XL Diner is able to offer a menu to suit everyone’s taste.

Shosjerna, Kristiansund

Sjøstjerna is a fish restaurant in the heart of Kristiansund, in the pedestrian area. This is a small family restaurant known for serving good quality food such as the traditional bacalao and other seafood dishes. The interior is decorated with Norwegian art and ancient remedies from cliff fish production. Only open in summer. In addition to the famous bacalao, you can also order clipfish in small balls; Bolinhos de Bacalhau, or a large piece of tenderloin grilled the Portuguese way and served with tomato salad and aioli. Try bestseller, cheese au gratin squid. Sjøstjerna has 70 seats in the restaurant and a small bar “Star”. Serve outside in the summer.