Bergen City of Gastronomy builds on its thousand-year history as a meeting place and trading centre for local produce and unique culinary traditions.
Surrounded by the sea, deep fjords and high mountains and with ample access to fertile mountain pastures, the region produces first-rate produce from the sea and land.
Its rich traditional culinary culture and access to a great variety of produce from magnificent, pure surroundings provide the inspiration for creative and innovative cuisine. The Bergen region has a number of internationally renowned restaurants and a growing number of world-class chefs. Creative culinary artists who cultivate, develop and pass on local food culture and gastronomy, and who combine local produce, seasonal twists and creativity exquisitely.
Bergen is a member of UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy network, in which the intention is for the cities to cooperate and share experiences linked to food, creativity and gastronomy. It is international recognition of all the possibilities and potential of Bergen City of Gastronomy.
Long tradition of seafood
Seafood in Bergen has always been at the heart of the city's culinary culture, and the sea off Bergen abounds with tasty delicacies. This is where you will find the season’s best ingredients – mussels and scallops, crawfish and crabs, prawns and the freshest of fish. You can sample traditional Bergen fish soup, an array of seafood dishes that reflect the seasons in their simplicity and freshness, and the old classic Bergen dish ‘persetorsk’, where cod is first marinated in salt and sugar before being pressed.
Photo: Ida Skeie - Cornelius Seafood Restaurant
At Cornelius Sjømatrestaurant, you can combine a beautiful boat trip with exquisite seafood. If you would like to try a 100% natural product that made Bergen one of Europe’s leading trade centres in the 12th century, stockfish, which is rich in vitamins, is an excellent choice that is served at many of the city’s restaurants.
Cornelius Sjømatrestaurant. Foto: Truls J. Løtvedt
Smoking, curing and drying are traditional methods of preserving food that have been used since the Viking Age. Try sheep’s head (smalahove), cured mutton (fenalår) and salted, dried mutton ribs (pinnekjøtt), or how about Bergen’s version of the traditional mutton and cabbage dish fårikål –’puspas’?
Bergen Food Festival
In the heart of Bergen, between the fjords of Western Norway and the seven mountains, we find the Fish Market, a meeting place for locals and visitors to the city since 1276. It was here the fisher-farmers came in their boats from the islands to sell their catches and produce, and it still abounds with fish, meat, fruit and vegetables. You will also find the best produce in the region at Bergen Food Festival which is held in early September every year, and at the Farmer’s Markets that are held once a month.
Bergen Matfestival. Foto: Fylkesmannen i Hordaland
Fruit from Hardanger
The fruit farmers in Hardanger have perfected the art of cultivating apples, plums, pears and cherries to a world-class level since the 14th century. The combination of good soil, a cold climate and a lot of light during the growing season give the fruit a perfectly balanced refreshing, tart and sweet flavour. Sampling the sparkling cider and aromatic apple juice is a must – a taste revelation from beautiful Hardanger.
Locally produced cheese and honey are among the region’s other specialities. Enjoy high-quality cheese with a lovely consistency and lots of flavour, produced from the milk of goats and cattle that graze freely in the varied mountain landscape. You will find everything from the Norwegian alternatives to Parmesan, Brie and Manchego, as well as many other types of cheese including traditional goat’s cheese to cheeses flavoured with sweet clover and wild garlic.
Bergen’s version of a marzipan cake, ‘hvit dame’ (literally: white lady) is another of the city’s specialities. There are lots of stories about this cake, and its name is said to derive from a German Kaiser who regularly visited Bergen: He was served this sponge cake with macaroon base and marzipan on each visit.
And when the cake was served, for the umpteenth time, the Kaiser exclaimed: "Ah, the white lady yet again..."
The white lady was a legendary ghost in German. And, just like the ghost, the cake had come back to haunt him...
Eating out in Bergen
In Bergen you will find just about everything – from coffee bars to fish restaurants and delicious international cuisine, to small arty cafés, bars and nightclubs. At the delicatessen Colonialen Fetevare, you can sample tasty produce from the Nordic countries and the continent.
At the unique Skyskraperen Restaurant, you can enjoy a meal on top of Bergen’s highest mountain with views across the city. Fresh seafood is served in modern premises at the exclusive restaurant Lysverket, and you can sample local specialities from Bergen in historical buildings from the Hanseatic period at Bryggen Tracteursted.
Bergen City of Gastronomy has world-class restaurants and some of Norway’s most beautiful places to eat – it’s just a matter of letting your mood, taste buds and wallet decide.
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