This past fall I went on a work trip to Oslo, Norway! Pretty crazy for a first work trip! While we spent two solid days working we did get a full day of sightseeing and more food and wine then I thought possible. We seriously ate some of the best meals I have ever had in my life in Oslo. Since our trip stretched our over the course of a week I have condensed my recommendations into what shakes out to be about two full days.
Where to Stay in Oslo
Hotel Bristol
We stayed at the Hotel Bristol and I could not recommend it more. Hotel Bistro is in a great central location, with an old world feel that made it feel very European. The breakfast buffet was SO DMAN GOOD. I had never seen a breakfast buffet so impressive in my life – check out the video below.
I have been told breakfast buffets are a thing in Oslo and ours was only “ok”!! Some of the best “brunch” restaurants I researched were actually hotel buffets. So when researching hotels I totally suggest reading the breakfast buffet reviews to find a truly stellar one.
Where to Eat in Oslo
Just a disclaimer here – Oslo is expensive and we were on a company trip… so we dined at some pretty incredible places that if I was on this trip solo or with Clay we would not have eaten here. But read through and maybe pick one to indulge!
Hanami
Dinner
Hanami is an incredible Japanese/sushi restaurant in Anker Bay. A few coworkers had visited here before and raved about it non-stop so as soon as we landed we went here for dinner. Everything was so damn good. The miso cod was so incredibly delicious, I can picture if perfectly in my mind’s eye… drool. The oysters – one of the best I have ever had – yea a single delicious oyster that I am still thinking about! This place is pricy but honestly one of the best meals I have ever had. This is worth the splurge.
Mirabel
Dinner
I wanted to find a restaurant outside on the water because it’s as so beautiful and Mirabel fit the bill but honestly, the food was just okay. Good, but nothing to write home about in comparison to our other meals.
Sudost
Dinner
Our business partners treated us here for dinner and it was so good. Asian cuisine in Oslo is very popular and it seemed like all the nicer restaurants had an Asian twist. Sudost did not disappoint. We enjoyed the chefs tasting menu but by far my favorite was the duck wraps. Goodness, the duck was out of this world good! The décor is also on point it reminded me of Nobu in NYC. This area of town seemed very cute too; I wish we had explored this area a little more.
Ling Ling
Dinner
Our Asian meals had been so divine we wanted our last dinner to be another one. We chose to do the chefs tasting menu and I’m so glad because everything was incredible. The dim sum, oh my goodness. Not only where the dumpling gorgeous they were delicious. I am still thinking about them. Ling Ling is located on the waterfront too in a very cool shaped building. One party of the bar turns into a fun dance club scene as well. I had them charge my phone during dinner so I don’t have any photos of our meal.
Gunnars Genersajonsbar
Breakfast
Our hotel breakfast was so yummy but on our day off we decided we needed a brunch a well so too we headed to Gunnars. The decor was trendy and they had a cute outdoor area where we sat. The avocado toast was spot on. My coworker ordered the eggs benedict and raved about it.
What to do
Oslo Fjord Boat Tour
It may have been October but Oslo was having great weather with temperatures hitting the 60s while there so we were outside as much as possible. We knew this with this amazing weather we need to get out on the Oslo Fjord. We wanted a fun informative boat tour and one where with booze. Our two-hour tour was on an old ship that offered snacks, beer & wine. We went around 3:15 and were treated to a beautiful sunset. There are also food trucks nearby so you can pick up more food to bring there too. In retrospect, I wish we had had a cheese plate!
Oslo Opera House
The Oslo Opera House is an iconic part of Oslo and I’d have to agree it’s pretty gorgeous. The building is actually a giant walkway to the roof of the Opera House giving you gorgeous views of the Oslo fjord. This is a must do on your trip!
Vigeland Park
A short taxi ride away from the city center is Vigeland Park. The entire park is filled with sculptures by Gustav Vigeland, who also designed the layout of the park. This is another great place to grab some food and have a picnic.
The Royal Palace
After a day inside working, I decided to go on a run around the Royal Palace gardens. This is a beautiful area with lots of cool statues and fountains, definitely worth a stroll.
We did not get a chance to visit any of Oslo’s museums (I hope to on a future work trip) but the Munch Museum and Viking Museum are at the top of my list. The Munch Museum is where you can find the famous Screapaintingng.
Hope this helps plan your trip to Oslo! I can’t wait to go back – hopefully in the summer!