Tromso's Top 10 Restaurants, Norwegian Eats And Fine Dining

Emmas Drommekjokken (Emma’s Dream Kitchen) can be found spread out over two levels (downstairs being a touch more casual), right in the heart of Tromso’s stylish harbor-side district. There, the eponymous head chef, Emma, is dedicated to serving unpretentious, simple and homey food, all infused with an undercurrent of finesse and elegance that’s expected of a fine-dining bistro. Inside, the decor is chic and stylish but never overdone, which perfectly mirrors the seasonal menu which features a medley of local Norwegian seafood; a mix of Mediterranean dishes; and the restaurant’s self-proclaimed specialty fish au gratin.

Guests can expect a menu modeled upon the ocean itself at Fiskekompaniet, with a line-up of the freshest Nordic seafood and fish currently in-season. While undeniably gourmet, the à la carte menu also has a refreshing simplicity about it, with options such as fresh oysters and half lobster taking center stage. The listing of fish cuts, varying in culinary complexities, owes itself to the chef’s sleight of hand and the natural flavors of the sea. http://instagram.com/p/BDETu1tAcwx/?taken-at=27742884

Boasting a truly multicultural kitchen alive with culinary influences from Norway and France to Portugal and Thailand, De 4 Roser is arguably the best place in Tromso for innovative, fine-dining cuisine. The menu is short, sweet and simple, but changes virtually daily, which is testimony to Head Chef Lasse Fisker’s dedication to using only the freshest local ingredients and produce. Interesting starters, such as shrimp in a bed of seaweed, next to succulent mains, like cod with cauliflower and butter sauce feature. What’s more, the interior is modern and cool, loaded with thought-provoking art works and chic furnishings to boot. http://instagram.com/p/5ZJgjfFREE/?taken-by=de4roser

Three parts earthy Norwegian fisherman’s haunt, one part rustic Greek taverna, the folk at the Bardus Bistro do well to fuse local Nordic staples, such as cod and North Sea fish, with a twist of Mediterranean culinary flair. That said, the cooking philosophy here is simple through-and-through, deferring at every stage to the innate flavors of all the produce used. Consequently, patrons can expect curious combinations such as crispy cod tongue with French remoulade, ox cheeks dressed in cherry tomatoes, and halibut with fennel and mango.

Situated beneath a pretty timber façade in the midst of Tromso’s charming downtown area, Compagniet is a restaurant that’s truly committed to the philosophies of chic fine-dining and creative haute cuisine. What’s more, guests can expect a slightly more adventurous and worldly line-up of options than in some of the other gourmet restaurants on this list. It extends its reach right across Europe; combining Hungarian goulash with local Tromso cod cuts, beef from Burgundy and creme brûlée straight out of Paris.

The Aunegarden restaurant, housed in one of the oldest buildings in all central Tromso, continues a gastronomic tradition of over 100 years. Both inside and out, the decor oozes classic charm and authenticity, with wood-paneled bar coverings and rustic wood flooring punctuated by the occasional art deco light fitting and filigree window pane. And while the backbone of the menu is traditional too, there’s an undeniable twist of creativity involved; poking through in the bacon and endive avocado salads, or the liver pâtés with crunchy rye bread sides.

Making use of Northern Norway’s super-fresh produce and natural ingredients as a base, and adding a distinctive twist of haute French flair to every dish, Brasserie 69 has made some serious waves on Tromso’s fine-dining scene in recent years. In fact, the dual nature of the menu is evident from the get go, with classic French onion soups rubbing shoulders with seared Norwegian reindeer steaks, and main courses such as baccalao salted cod served up with sides like potato gratin and red wine jus.

Strewn out between the charming interior of an old harbor-side cottage and an airy outdoor terrace that bubbles with local chatter during the summer months, Arcantandria does exactly what it says on the tin: simple, fresh, Norwegian seafood. Accordingly, the à la carte offering is dominated by various fish cuts, with halibut, monk fish, and semi-dried stock fish complementing a slightly more adventurous offering of Arctic whale meat. Perhaps a little surprisingly, there are also options here for the veggies with pastas and salads to boot.

Travelers to Tromso will discover Fjellstua perched high above the town center, on the wild and windswept ridges that form the tips of Mount Floya, with the Northern Norwegian fjords looming all around. It can be accessed via the city’s cable car (or a web of winding hiking trails for more intrepid types), and offers a range of mouth-watering, fine-dining treats, from Mediterranean pastas to local Nordic specialties. However, the real attraction here has to be the incredible view, which ranges 360-degrees around the drama of the Tromso basin. http://instagram.com/p/yHbCGHCY4C/?taken-by=fjellheisentromsoe

Offering something a little different from the usual seafood medleys of most other gourmet restaurants in Tromso, Steakers brings a dose of American panache to the table, while still retaining a bit of focus on Norwegian coastal flavors and the traditions of the Scandinavian kitchen. This means T-bones and thick-cut chips dominate and mussels and North Sea fish fillets take something of a back seat, while the decor of the place has more touches of noir 1930s Chicago than of rustic Northern Norway. http://instagram.com/p/BJqnLsFjhwH/?taken-at=9710285