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Bergen City of Gastronomy
Bergen has a rich culinary tradition based on the city’s thousand-year history as a meeting place and trading centre, and the region’s ability to create high-quality produce from both sea and land.
Food is an integral part of any event. Food fills in all the blanks between sessions, and creates an opportunity to connect with new people and spark conversations. If the food is local, it can also tell a story about the region or country where the event is held. A story you can use to enhance the value of your event.
Photo: From an event in the Grieg Hall in Bergen.
In 2015, Bergen was designated a City of Gastronomy, as a member of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. The cities included in this network have a special role in ensuring that food culture, gastronomy and sustainable food have a vital role in the city and regional development plans.
The Bergen region is probably most known for it’s world class seafood. The sea outside of Norway offers perfect conditions for mussels and scallops, crawfish and crabs, prawns and fish, all delivered fresh to the local restaurants in Bergen. The Bergen fish soup and the old classic dish called persetorsk are two of Bergen’s signature dishes.
Photo: The traditional Bergen fish soup
The region is also famous for the tender meat that comes from wild sheep. Wild sheep are the most sustainable meat type of meat served in Norway, perfect for your eco-friendly event in Bergen. These sheep graze all along the coastal landscape, which gives the meat a unique taste that can remind you of a mix between deer and sheep.
It doesn’t stop there. The Hardanger area, close to Bergen, produces prize winning apple cider, based on apples grown by the local fruit farmers. And in 2018 a local cheese called Fanaost won the World Cheese Awards, beating as many as 3472 competitors.
The abundance of locally grown food also has it’s benefits for the environment. Less need for transport reduces the emissions of greenhouse gasses. And eating fresh food in season is good for all of us. A focus on local food also supports all the small farms utilizing the local farm land.
Photo: Hotel Ullensvang/Morten Knudsen
Several cider producers in Hardanger welcomes groups and individuals for tastings. At Siderhuset Ola K in Sørfjorden you can combine a great dining experience with cider tasting in a beautiful setting.
Foto: Siderhuset Ola K
In the Bergen region there are more than 250 eateries. Several of these are internationally renowned restaurants run by world-class chefs. At Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri (a family-run hotel located in Austevoll, an hour from Bergen) the Bocuse d’Or winner from 2015, Ørjan Johannessen is the head chef, and Christopher Haatuft and his restaurant Lysverket was in 2022 awarded it's first Michelin star.
Photo: Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri Hotel & Suites and the home of Bocuse d’Or winner from 2015 Ørjan Johannessen.
Spectacular food creates memories and can enhance the value of any conference/congress or event. And when the delegates are raving about the food, the brownie points goes to the organizer!
Other Sites
Visit Bergen
Strandkaien 3
NO-5013 Bergen
© Visit Bergen 2024
