If you want to try classic Norwegian food and are interested in historic restaurants, visit Cafe Engebret in Oslo.
The restaurant is located in downtown Oslo at Bankplassen, or Bank Square, opposite to a building which was once Christiania Theater. That theatre closed before the start of the 20th century and today, the building houses the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. It’s because of this theatre that Cafe Engebret exists.
Founded by Engebret Christoffersen, there was a need for a restaurant near the theatre for actors and theatre goers. Back then in the mid to late 1800s and even today, politicians, artists and other public figures would meet at Cafe Engebret, and you can too.
Here’s why you should add Cafe Engebret to your list of things to do in Oslo:
1. It’s the Oldest Restaurant in Oslo
Engebret Cafe has been in operation since 1857, making it the oldest and longest running restaurant in Oslo. It was a restaurant for the artists of Norway to meet. Nowadays you can sit at the exact spots that these artists met and discussed their work.
Some well known Norweigian artists who frequented the restaurant were painter Edvard Munch, composer Grieg Norweigan, playwright Ibsen, writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, writer and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920 named Knut Hamsun, actress Johanne Dybwad and novelist Sigrid Undset who also won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928. And right outside the main entrance of the restaurant is a statue of Norwegian stage actor, Johannes Finne Brun.
The Artists Association (Kunstnerforeningen) was founded by painter Hans Gude and violinist Ole Bull in 1848 for architects, visual artists, writers, musicians and theater artists and has a role at Engebret Cafe. Shields from the association are displayed on the walls of the restaurant by the staircase leading to the second floor. One of the goals of the association was to provide scholarships for young artists and today, grants are gifted by Cafe Engebret’s owners to a young artist each year.
2. What to Eat from the Lunch Menu
Smørbrød (sandwiches) have been served at Engebret Cafe since 1862. For lunch, you can choose from their menu or their sandwich buffet available on weekday afternoons. This includes sandwiches topped with shrimp with mayonnaise and eggs, roast beef and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs all served on homemade bread.
3. What to Eat from the Dinner Menu
Engebret Cafe is one place you can try reindeer in Oslo. It’s not every day that you can eat reindeer so try their reindeer served with beetroot and cabbage, carrot and onion, game sauce and potato puree. It’s Kr 389 which is about USD $42.
Main courses for dinner are about Kr 375 (about USD $40), starters are approximately Kr 180 (about USD $20) per person and dessert is Kr 165 (about USD $18). So you’re looking at spending around $80 per person at Engebret Cafe for dinner, not including drinks.
4. Eat Seasonal Items
Other than classic Norweigian food listed on their menu, you may be visiting Oslo on a special day. For example, on the last Thursday of September, Engebret Cafe serves Fårikål, a lamb and cabbage stew, which is considered the national dish of Norway. There’s also a special menu on May 17 for Norwegian Constitution Day, a Christmas menu and around June 1, they start serving whale. There’s always something different depending on the season that you’re dining at Engebret Cafe.
5. Try One of Their Own Wines
In addition to a large selection of alcoholic beverages to pair with your food, the restaurant also proudly makes and serves their own wines. They have Cuvée Engebret Café 2015 from the Rhone Valley in France and Cuvée Engebret Café Chardonnay 2017, their own white wine from the Loire Valley. And if wine isn’t your beverage of choice and you still want to try something unique to the restaurant, they also have their very own Engebret beer made in a micro brewery in Drammen.
6. Dine in a Cozy Dining Room
Apart from having delicious food and the chance to taste Norweigian cuisine, the interior of the restaurant itself is worth seeing. Engebret Cafe offers al fresco dining in the summer, but most of the year, it’s cold in Oslo so when you’re visiting in winter, the main dining room is a cozy room decorated with old paintings, chandeliers and wallpaper with its tables covered in white tablecloths and each table with its own taper candle for additional coziness.
Top this ambience with friendly waitstaff, who all speak English, for a dining experience you won’t forget. (Speaking of waitstaff, according to Wikipedia, Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway was apparently a waitress at the restaurant in the late 90s.)
7. And Check Out the Historic Private Dining Rooms
But wait, there’s more history to share! When you’re finished with your meal, or if you have to wait for a table, see if any of the private dining rooms are open. Check them out because each has a history of its own.
On the first floor:
- Stortingskammeret (parliamentary room) is decorated with pictures and books from the Storting, the parliament building of Norway. There are pictures of each president of Norway on the wall and in the center of the room is a long table for 20 guests.
- Midtkammeret (middle room) is decorated with pictures from Christiania Theater, which was opened across from Engebret Cafe in 1837.
- Hjørnekammeret (corner room) is where the Kristiania Bohemians met. The supporters of this cultural and political movement in the 1880s had their gatherings there.
On the second floor:
- Akevittkammeret (aquavit room) for 20-40 guests is named for the aquavit mills that were in Oslo, including one near Engebret Cafe called Simers & Co.
- And lastly is the banquet hall decorated with old paintings and used for large events. This is where Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg had a gathering in 1906 before he died the following year. The room is also where mayors of Oslo would have their lunch meetings and today is also used for photo shoots and filming.
Details
Address: Bankplassen 1, 0151 Oslo, Norway
To make a reservation: I walked in on an early Tuesday evening for dinner and did not have a reservation. I didn’t have to wait. Depending on when you’re going, you may want to make a reservation. You can do so on their website. (The booking tool is in English but for some reason selecting between lunch/dinner is in Norwegian. Lunsj is lunch and Middag is dinner.)
Dress code: It is a white tablecloth restaurant, so feel free to dress up.
Have you been to Oslo? Leave a comment below!
[…] if you want to try reindeer or moose, go to one of the old restaurants in Oslo. Engebret Cafe, located at Bankplassen in Oslo’s downtown, is the oldest restaurant in Oslo. In operation since […]