While Geiranger is a lovely spot, once you've seen a few waterfalls, and been driven up to Mount Dalsnibba for the panoramic view of Geirangerfjord, there isn't a whole lot to do. The "city center" of Geiranger is essentially one street with a hotel, a tourist information center, a couple restaurants, and a coffeeshop. Cafe Ole is that coffeeshop, and after you've seen your waterfalls, odds are decent that you'll end up here. Luckily enough, it's a pleasant spot, even if it gets its fair share of pushy tourists from all over Europe with no concept of "personal space." I was jostled around as I waited in line, and people attempted to cut in line on several occasions. So, getting our food was a bit uncomfortable.
The best things about Cafe Ole, beyond providing a much-needed place to hang out in Geiranger, are the unique Norwegian baked goods on offer - things I've never seen in America, like Eplekake, and this fun pancake with brown cheese. Eplekake is a creamy apple cake, and it's tasty. The brown cheese, even though it will seem odd to most American palates, is a whey cheese in which the lactose is caramelized, so its taste is fairly sweet. I was hoping to find food items like this that I'd never heard of before, so this made me happy. I also found that I'm a pretty big fan of this brown cheese.
The coffees and teas are decent - nothing special, but they do the job. Since this is a tourist-oriented town in every sense, the shops here are hardly bargains, so be prepared to break out your kronur if you want some Eplekake. read more