When Akshay and I took our one year anniversary trip to Norway and Sweden, it was absolutely stunning. The scenery and nature is absolutely amazing, and there is plenty to do if you’re into the outdoors. However, we did find the food hit or miss, and pricey as well. In fact, we actually ate at a hot dog stand in Norway twice just because it was good, and “only” about $8 per hot dog. However, one place absolutely blew us away when it came to the food, and it was in Bergen, Norway. If you are looking for the best restaurant in Bergen where the staff genuinely cares about your experience, then 26 North should be a definite stop on your list of places to eat.
Akshay and I arrived at 26 North around 6pm on a Saturday, which is when the restaurant first opens for dinner. It was perfect because the dinner crowd hadn’t arrived and so it was more of an intimate experience. Mirabella, our server, was extremely passionate and took the time to introduce herself as well as the restaurant’s mission and motto. She also went through the various sections of the menu and explained the different flavorful ingredients used. She also made sure to point out the ingredients were as local as possible, and there was a lot of organic going on as well. (Akshay’s note: in all sincerity, she was one of the best waiters/waitresses I’ve ever had, and made the experience complete.)
We had a 3 course meal, which included a mixing board of different appetizers, 2 main courses, and a dessert. We also paired our meal with a Barbara D’Alba, an Italian light to medium body red wine.
First, Maribella brought out fresh homemade bread, which is baked fresh everyday. It’s served with basil butter and cucumber vinaigrette. The butter is served inside a bone, which I thought was a cool added touch. She also brought out an amuse-bouche, a complimentary bite sized hors d’oeuvre.
Afterwards, the mixing board was brought out. This included a moose slider, ham potato waffle, and fish and chips. And yes, you read it right! I tried a moose slider! (Akshay’s note: I also made her try reindeer on the plane. Without telling her it was reindeer. EASY negative brownie points.)
Moose Slider: This mini burger included garlic tzatziki sauce and caramelized French chèvre cheese. I was a bit apprehensive since I can be pretty picky with trying new delicacies. Mirabella offered to trade the moose burger out for something else; however, I decided to take a leap and try the burger! I actually ended up liking it and even ate seventy-five percent of it! If no one had told me it was moose, I honestly don’t think I would have noticed anything different.
Fish and chips: This was traditional deep fried cod served with french fries. It was really yummy especially when we dunked our fries in the tartar sauce!
Norwegian cured ham and potato waffle: This one was our favorite. It was sweet and savory with goat cheese and cloudberry marmalade spread across it. The waffle was very moist and all the flavors went well together.
At this point, I was starting to get full. I had also already finished half a loaf of the bread. Everyone says don’t waste your appetite on empty carbs, but bread is my weakness. And this bread was melt in your mouth delicious!
Maribella brought out the two main courses shortly after: 26 North Burger and their special, the Arctic Char.
26 North Burger: This is a pretty thick patty topped with Jarlsberg cheese and crispy bacon. We literally devoured it in seconds. It was so good! The French fries and onion rings it came with were crispy and super tasty! (Akshay’s note: this burger was amazing, and I don’t say that lightly.)
Arctic Char: It’s pan fried Char (flavor profile is between salmon and trout) topped with a creamy dill sauce. It also comes with a carrot purée. It’s served with mixed white and green asparagus and roasted potatoes. I would say this special was a more of a lighter, healthier option.
By this point, we were so full. Mirabella insisted we try at least one dessert, and I am so glad we did.
Chocolate Tower Dessert: Not only was this dessert delicious, but the presentation was so pretty I didn’t even want to touch it. It’s basically a sponge cake with 4 types of chocolate: Vairhona chocolate, raspberry ganache, milk chocolate mousse, and Manjari chocolate jelly. They also sprinkle apple marinates and honey around the cake as an added touch and flavor.
I was so pleased with our experience I decided to write a dedicated blog post for this restaurant. The service was amazing and as I mentioned earlier, I could hear the genuine passion in Mirabella when she was explaining the meal to us. It truly was the best restaurant in Bergen, Norway. Another plus is that 26 North is located in Bryggen, which is where the wooden houses are, so it’s easy to check out some of the touristy sites right before a yummy meal. Thank you again 26 North for hosting us and allowing Akshay and I to enjoy a fresh Norwegian meal!
