Top foodie destinations

When it comes to food, Trondheim offers both bold new flavours and traditional favourites. In 2018, prominent Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv wrote that Trondheim had become Norway’s new food capital. Today, it boasts two Michelin-starred restaurants and a vibrant and innovative food scene.

More and more restaurants are popping up in the city, and you can now spend a whole week savouring the epicentre of great taste.

Here's Norwegian food blogger Helle Øder Valebrokk and Visit Trondheim's guide to must-try eateries and cafés from morning to evening:

1. Breakfast: Start the day with Norway's best breakfasts at Scandic Nidelven or in the stylish Palmehaven at Britannia Hotel.
2. Coffee stop: Go sightseeing, and have a break at Bakklandet Skydsstasjon, the cosiest cafe in town, or sample the coffee at one of the city's great coffee roasters, such as Pala and Jacobsen & Svart. If you are more a tea person, you should head for Gravraak Teateliér, which is the only themed master blender in Norway.
3. Lunch: If you like good food, excellent coffee and books, Sellanraa Bok & Bar is the place for you – a bookstore with Norway's best barista and a sustainable menu. Isaks, Café Ni Muser and Lille Skansen are also good lunch spots, the latter featuring a panoramic view of the city. Gubalari is a fun alternative. Young visual art meets culinary art at this cool, informal bistro located in the K.U.K. Kjøpmannsgata Ung Kunst art centre, the town's newest venue for young artists, founded by artist Kjell Erik Killi-Olsen.
4. Dinner: The options are almost endless! You can basically walk in any direction in Trondheim and come across a fantastic restaurant.

But it's not just at the restaurants that you get good food. "Stop by the self-service local food shop at the train station in Trondheim and buy goodies with you for your train journey or picnic," recommends Øder Valebrokk.

There are also plenty of options for your sweet tooth. "There are many good bakeries in the region. And if you come across something that Lars Lian, one of Norway's best confectioners, has made, try it immediately," she continues.

Indulge in a Michelin experience

Two Trondheim restaurants are now among the crème de la crème of Nordic culinary destinations.

"The fact that there are two Michelin-starred restaurants and a Bib Gourmand restaurant (Fagn-Bistro) in such a small city is really quite unique," says Øder Valebrokk, who believes that there are many more eateries that should be mentioned in the Guide next time, including Spontan Vinbar.

The exclusive 2024 list includes:

Speilsalen: The $150 million restoration of the stately Britannia Hotel put Trondheim on the map for seasoned travellers and foodies alike.

At Speilsalen, Håkon Solbakk is the new executive head chef and presents a culinary journey of Norwegian ingredients, many of them locally sourced, that's full of delightful surprises. If you book the chef's table for the evening, you can get a closer look at how the magic happens. Norway's top sommelier, Henrik Dahl Jahnsen, who received the Michelin Sommelier Award in 2021, will assure the very best wine pairings.

You can also enjoy amazing cocktails and delicious food elsewhere in the hotel at the Brasserie Britannia and the cosy Jonathan Grill.

Fagn: This gem, whose name means to embrace and to receive with joy, offers another classical style Michelin treat, based on exquisite local and national products with an international touch. Sister restaurant Fagn Bistro, on the upper floor, has a BIB Gourmand.

To experience Speilsalen or Fagn, it's recommended to book a table well in advance.

More unique places to eat:

To Rom og Kjøkken: One of the really classic fine dining restaurants in town, founded by food guru Roar Hildonen. His ambitious son, Eskil, is now running the show, serving halibut from Roan, clams from Frøya, and lingonberry cocktails that shine like rock stars.

Le Bistro: A small piece of France in the middle of Trondheim! Le Bistro has been named the country's best bistro. This is the ideal place to relax and enjoy snacks or a tasting menu in warm and cosy surroundings.

Spontan Vinbar: Wine bar and restaurant offering tasting menus based on pure seasonal ingredients.

Kitchen & Table: Great taste combined with the best views. The menu is Nordic with a touch of America and Asia.

Troll Restaurant: 100 per cent Norwegian, with an exotic twist! Surprise your taste buds at this rebel kitchen that takes traditional Norwegian food to the next level.

The Crab: The team behind one of Norway's most legendary seafood restaurants, Ansnes Brygger, on the Island of Hitra, have now brought their delicious seafood to the city by opening their unique new seafood restaurant.

Food festivals

The region hosts several annual food and drink festivals, including the Trondheim Wine Festival in March, the Trondheim Brewery Festival and the Trøndelag Food Festival, one of Europe’s largest, both in July, as well as the Trondheim Gin Festival in August.

However, the city is not just about good food. according to a 2022 article in Forbes, "Trondheim is one of Europe's most underrated cities." Check out these insider tips to the city, and discover chef Live Krangnes Edvardsen's tips on her favourite cultural and culinary experiences in the city!

Premier countryside cuisine

Located by the E6 motorway between Trondheim and Bodø, The Golden Road is roughly a 2-hour drive or train ride from Trondheim. "Norways tastiest detour" offers a wide range of farm shops and local food, juice makers, microbreweries, cheese producers, and one of the country's most innovative aquavit producers, Inderøy Brenneri at the Berg Gård farm.

This has made Inderøya one of the top rural destinations for foodies in Norway. The small peninsula is packed with amazing food experiences, including the peninsula's most well-known comfort food: Inderøysodd, a hearty stew that dates back to the Viking Era, served with ginger beer and skjenning, a local flatbread.

According to farm owner Liv Elin Olsen at Gulburet farm shop and café, to get the right flavour sensation, the sweet side of the flatbread should touch your tongue and the salty side should face upwards.

For a real gourmet evening based on the best local ingredients, head for the restaurant at the unique Øyna Cultural Landscape Hotel. It was named one of the 101 Most Incredible Hotels in the World in 2021 by Fodor’s Travel, thanks to its unique architecture and setting, integrated into the lush terrain on a hilltop.

Round off the evening in its incredible sky bar with panoramic views over the Trondheimsfjorden, with an Inderøyningen cocktail featuring homemade dandelion syrup.

Well worth a visit:

1. Øyna Cultural Landscape Hotel: An incredible and unique hotel with a great restaurant and sky bar.
2. Inderøy Mosteri: The world's northernmost commercial apple orchard! Enjoy wonderful juices made from apples, rhubarb, raspberries and other local fruit.
3. God Mat Lokalt: Discover local culinary treats from more than 70 suppliers in this café right by the E6 motorway between Trondheim and Bodø.
4. Gangstad Gårdsysteri: One of the most renowned cheese makers in Norway, with numerous award-winning cheeses, including a World Championship winner. Sample award-winning cheeses including Nidelven Blå and Granstubben.
5. Inderøy Brenneri at Berg Gård: Book a tasting session to get an introduction to traditional and trendy aquavits at this super cosy farm, some on the more experimental side, made with granskudd, a spruce sprout known as 'the vanilla of the north', as well as meadowsweet, sea buckthorn and raspberry, to name a few. Also home to a well-stocked farm shop.
6. Gulburet:A cosy café and farm shop, with freshly baked buns, bread, and traditional cuisine. They also have their own microbrewery.
7. Inderøy Gårdsbryggeri: This farm brewery makes more than 20 varieties of beer, based on old recipes and traditions.

Join us for a tasty guided cycle trip around The Golden Road!

More foodie destinations in Innherred:

In nearby Steinkjer, you will also find a very special spot the Michelin inspectors have missed. Experience at Bjerkem farm offers a culinary evening in a former barn transformed into a rustic restaurant!

The super cosy, former mining town of Røros, just over 2 hours' drive southeast of Trondheim, is lined with timber-clad traditional houses and is often recognised as the birth place of the local food boom in Norway.

Røros has a very strong focus on dairy products, cloudberries, wild meat from reindeer, moose, and excellent cheeses from Eggen Gardsysteri and Galåvolden Gård. Its traditional food and pastries include lemse ( a flat, soft and sweet pastry with butter and sugar topping), pjalt (a distinctive pastry from the Røros region that can be described as a cross between a waffle and a bun)and flatbrød (flatbread).

Look for products from Rørosmeieriet and Rørosmat, widely available in supermarkets throughout Norway. Fresh water fish, especially white fish, char and trout, are also a must try in the region.

Well worth a visit:

1. Vertshuset Røros: Get a delicious taste of the fascinating history of this town, the mountains and lakes in this cosy, unique timber building from 1844. The menu features the finest seasonal ingredients, including exotic reindeer meat.
2. Galåvolden Gård: Sample delicious farm fare such as Gårdsis (ice cream), Røroskake (a delicious cheesecake), Rørosost (cheese) and a range of cured meats.
3. Eggen Gardsysteri: The cheese factory is located in the mountain village of Vingelen in Tolga municipality. Try the award-winning blue cheese Fjellblå and other excellent cheeses.
4. Søberg Gård: Experience lots of local food and brews from the region in this large, rustic location in Alvdal.
5. Kalsa Gårdsbakeri: Almost everything here is handmade! Sample traditional lemse andpjalt among other baked goods at this farm in Glåmos.
6. Grillhuset Røros: Enjoy a magnificent meal based on local ingredients from Røros and Trøndelag, made with Danish craftsmanship and French techniques.
7. Rørosrein: Taste the Sami culture with reindeer and local ingredients from Røros.
8. Local food safari: Eat your way through the tastes and traditions that have made Røros a true foodie destination.

Hitra, Frøya and the rest of the Fosen peninsula are like one big buffet! There is something unique about the soil, climate and ocean currents on the Trøndelag coast that results in world-class local produce.

Hitra and Frøya are renowned for their famous Hitra crab (a brown crab), mussels, scallops, and langoustine, regularly supplied to the most exclusive restaurants in the Nordics and beyond. Here, you also find some of the world's largest sites for salmon farming.

The area is an eldorado for farm food, with local cheese, and deer and wild sheep that roam freely in the coastal landscape, giving them a unique taste.

If you don't intend to fish or hunt your meals yourself, don't worry, you will find a number of excellent restaurants and suppliers – from both sea and land:

​Well worth a visit:

1. DalPro Gårdsmat: Welcomes you to a pleasant farm visit and tasty shopping experience. Here, you find local delicacies such as meat from deer and wild sheep that graze on heather, herbs, grass, juniper and seaweed all year round.
2. Ansnes Brygger: Its famous seafood buffet is a must! Indulge in langoustines, crab, prawns and other fresh shellfish. In addition, you will be served anywhere from 5 to 9 delicious seafood dishes. You won't leave the table hungry here ...
3. Hitra Gårdsmat: Gourmets should also head here to sample distinctive and award-winning "grotto" cheeses, which are organically produced locally. Hitra Gårdsmat is located on a small island outside Hitra called Helgebostad.
4. Stokkøya Sjøsenter and the Beach Bar: Savour fresh seafood served on the beach, made by some of Norway's most skilful chefs. Round off the summer night with a drink at its famous Beach Bar!
5. Helgebostad Hagebruk: The farm is located on Helgebostad island, near Hitra. Here, you can pick your own vegetables, including chili, tomato, watercress, pak choi and edible flowers directly from the garden!

Trøndelag offers exciting and varied flavours all year round. At Frosta, Trondheim's own kitchen garden, you will find farm shops around every corner, and in Selbu you can visit the chocolatier Jentene på Tunet, for some of Norway's best chocolate.

Here are some other food destinations that are well worth a visit:

​Oppdal:

1. Mathallen in Oppdal: A food hall with fresh produce in Oppdal. Here, you will find the local food outlet Smak & Behag and the stone oven bakery SPRØ.
2. Bortistu Gjestegard: Bortistu is a mountain farm at the very far end of Storlidalen in Oppdal, in the heart of the Trollheimen mountain range. The menu is based on local produce with smoked leg of lamb as its specialty.
3. Quality Hotel Skifer: A hotel restaurant in Oppdal with an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs create delicious meals.

The Værnes region:

1. Meråker Fjellhage: Vegetables and herbs from Meråker's lush mountain garden.
2. Restaurant Einberget: A first-class farm restaurant in Skatval.
3. Route 26: Go on aharvest trip to the farms along Route 26 in Stjørdal.
4. Valberg Slektsgård: Buy local produce at this self-service vegetable shop that is open 24/7! Located at Frosta.
5. Klostergården: Dine on historic ground at Frosta, at this restaurant located by the ruins of an old Cistercian monastery that dates from the year 1207.

Selbu and Tydal:

1. Jentene på Tunet: This chocolatier in Selbu makes award-winning chocolate in a range of exciting flavours.
2. Lykkemat: A small business located in Selbu where they make organic products based on Norwegian primordial grains.
3. Per-Hansagarden Gardsysteri: A small cheese factory located in Tydal.

Namdalen:

1. Jørem ved Namsen: A bakery, brewery and farm shop with a wonderful location along the famous river Namsen in Namdalen.
2. 64⁰Nord: A cosy café and restaurant located in Rørvik city center.
3. Skjenkestova: One of Norway's most distinctive pubs located in scenic surroundings in the old mining village of Skorovatn in Namsskogan.
4. Gammel Erik (Elvekanten Ysteri): A cheese factory situated by the E6 motorway in the centre of Namsskogan.