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    Kaffistova

    3.8 (72 reviews)
    Closed • 10:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Kaffistova Photos

    KAFFISTOVA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - Kaffistova

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    Reviews With Photos

    08/28/23
    Michael U.

    Originally intended to serve country youth in the largest Norwegian cities Oslo's Kaffistova opened in 1901, and although now something of a tourist hotspot the collection of traditional plates still fairs well. Open from lunch through dinner daily, a few quick items offered to-go and reservations strongly encouraged, it at the counter that orders are placed before seating with an average wait time of just fifteen minutes even during peak times. Located on the ground floor of Hotell Bondeheimen, hearty portions at reasonable prices part of Kaffistova's appeal, look to Fjord Shrimp with or without Crayfish served openface and during the right time of year see Whale Tataki replace Salmon. Loosely translated as "Coffee Stove," though Baked Goods are more limited now than in the past, Fried Chicken resembles that served in Austria while ground Reindeer with Mushroom Gravy and moist Apple Cake are traditional and filling.

    Menu!
    Matt C.

    Discovered via the Yelp-ola app! Yeah, I get it... I'm an American. I was staying at the Karl Johan rite around the way (which was for the most part lovely except for one of the staff members who needed additional training)... Anywho, my room was not ready until 4-pm or so (read my review for Karl J if you want more info...) So I had some time to kill and was hungry, and walked to Kaffistova. Had a lovely experience, and very tight service. I had the cheese-burger with fries (did I mention earlier I am an American). And an ice old brew. And everything was real nice. The bathroom was very clean too, which is alway an A+.

    Meatballs (kjottkaker)
    Jess A.

    We were told we had to try meatballs while in Norway, and Kaffistova came recommended. It was a chilly fall morning, and we spent it walking the city and the Viegland Sculpture Garden, so we were looking for something warm. Kaffistova fit the bill. The ambiance is beautiful--it feels like a nice hotel lobby but is also very casual. We both ordered the meatballs and they were definitely the stick-to-your-ribs meal we were looking for. I do wish they were served a little warmer and had a bit more flavor, but otherwise they were good. However, the passionfruit cheesecake stole the show: crumbly crust (graham cracker?), creamy base and sweet, flavorful passionfruit on top. This is a great spot for lunch!

    Reindeer patties with veggies and potatoes
    Kate N.

    We stopped in here to get some Norwegian food. We were shocked at the prices of the food. This meal was 275 NOK. Approximately $26 USD. The reindeer was actually very good- similar to pork. The service was okay. The ambiance was good. They do have restrooms in the basement.

    Cheeseburger and fries!
    Jennifer D.

    Delicious cheeseburger and fries! Delicious meatball dinner!! Great atmosphere. Recommend to anyone that's looking for a good place to eat.

    Diversity Cake with a lemon cream cheese frosting
    Greg B.

    We loved this casual restaurant and it's wonderful comfort food. There's a nice menu of both traditional Norwegian dishes and burger options, as well. I loved the meatballs in brown gravy served with potatoes, lingonberries and mushy peas. Really hearty and tasty. The others at the table enjoyed the chicken burger that was prepared to everyone's liking. Their desserts are fabulous. I highly recommend the Success cake (layers of sweet custard on a delicious ground nut base) and the Diversity cake with its tasty lemon cream cheese frosting.

    Meatballs, mushy peas, and potatoes
    Marc O.

    Not mind-blowing, but good comfort food. Meatballs, potatoes and mushy peas hot the spot. I wouldn't necessarily seek out this place but it won't disappoint either.

    Moose  patties with mushroom sauce, tastes a bit like veal and not gamy. The berry sauce adds flavor to it.
    EV S.

    They were busy so we had to ask to sit down after waiting for a while. But once we sat down the actual server was very nice, food was fast and tasty, nice ambiance. Will go back.

    Meatballs = Yum!!!
    Brian S.

    *Review in English from a tourist standpoint* Kaffistova is the PERFECT place to stop for lunch on a day-long tour of Oslo. Here, you can have a very traditional Norwegian meal at a fair price in a cafeteria-style restaurant with lots of seating and super friendly, English-speaking staff. You'll be able relax in a comfortable setting and enjoy some authentic, good-value Norwegian dishes, but not feel like you are using up valuable sightseeing time and paying high prices like you would at a table-service restaurant. There are a few reasons that we loved this place. The first, of course, was the food. They offer a lot of authentic Norwegian dishes, mostly centered around meat and potatoes. We got the meatballs (always available) and the lamb (in season right now). Both dishes came with potatoes and a vegetable, and the meatballs came with lingonberry sauce too. You order at a counter, and all the food is prepared and served cafeteria style, so the whole process of getting your food only takes a few minutes. However, despite being already cooked ahead of time, the food tastes amazing: super fresh and flavorful. They also have a large selection of Norwegian and other more popular drinks. The staff speaks English and can answer any questions you have. They have good allergy info for all the plates as well. The second reason we loved this place was the price. Yes, it's expensive compared to most other European nations (even compared to London...the cheapest plate here is just under $20 US), but Norway is an overall pricey country, and the value here is amazing compared to most of the other restaurants we looked at in Oslo. The portion size is also huge, and many couples could probably split a large plate. The third reason we liked Kaffistova is the setting. The restaurant is HUGE (they have a large downstairs if the ground floor is full), well located (just steps away from the Grand Hotel and Parliament and right next to a tram line), and comfortable. Bathrooms are large and clean. If you are looking for a fast bite to eat, but are craving some down-home Norwegian cooking at a fair price, then look no further than Kaffistova!

    We enjoyed an excellent meal. The service was extraordinarily good!! The young man who made suggestions was so kind and helpful.

    Food and service were both excellent. The young man who helped us was so helpful with suggestions. We would definitely return.

    Norwegian dumplings with lamb
    Swan L.

    This was a cafeteria style, apparently more authentic homemade Norwegian food. Usually they have 2-3 warm entrees to choose from and available in Large or Small/Medium size, the entrees also come with 2 sides. Order at the counter, with their not so easy to read "English menu" (aka small font English description under the Norwegian description). Then they'll scoop your food on a plate and it's open seating. My sister and I had the smaller portions of the 1. Norwegian dumplings with lamb and 2. The Norwegian meatballs with potatoes. 1. My not so favorite dish. The lamb was a bit tough and extremely salty. I got up 3 times in the course of the meal to refill my water glass. The sides that came with it were the Norwegian dumplings and mashed sweet potatoes. The dumplings looked like and the texture felt like the Chinese lotus leaf wrapped rice. But no chicken like the Chinese one, so it was super bland - maybe to help balance the salty lamb? The mashed potatoes were pretty good though, creamy and smooth. 2. The small portion came with two meatballs, two potatoes, and mashed chickpeas. The meatballs we're very good. Texture was not crumbly, but rather almost processed - like hotdog texture. It worked well with either gravy or the preserves they put on the plate. I also liked the chickpeas although there were a few undone ones mixed in there.

    Chun P.

    Kaffistova has been around since 1901. I'm not Norwegian, so I have no clue how authentic this place is or not...but Rick Steve's Norwegian grandparents used to take him here all the time, so there must be pretty legit, right? The food is hearty, good, and affordable...plus you get an extra 20% off if you show your Oslo Pass! No frills setting, but the staff was nice to this Yelp tourist, and the food is cafeteria style so you get it asap. 149kr - 20% = 119kr "Meat Cakes"...hearty and yummy! Beef? 129kr - 20% = 103kr Reindeer patties...hearty and yummy...sorry Rudolf! 79kr - 20% = 63kr Fish soup...good, but a bit bland. 45kr - 20% = 36kr Chocolate...good, but I've had better. $43 dinner for two an authentic Norwegian dinner(I think) in expensive Oslo is a steal, especially considering tax and tip are already included in this country. Best Customer Service: I grabbed a beer and put in on my food tray... The lady said "Just to let you know, there is no alcohol in that beer, do you still want?" I promptly replied "No"...so nice of her to save me some kroner and from drinking crappy beer! No real alcohol served here...but that just saves you money for alcohol later.

    Damian W.

    Food: 3.0/5.0 Service: 2.0/5.0 Value: 4.0/5.0 Decor: 3.0/5.0 Overall: 3.0/5.0 This place was recommended by a Norwegian for 'cheapish traditional fare', and at just under US$30 for a reindeer cake plate and a soda, this was indeed one of the cheapest (if that word can even apply in Oslo) non-fast food, non-pastry meals I had. The setup is cafeteria style with the food coming out of warming trays, but the quality of the reindeer cakes exceeded my admittedly low expectations. If I had to do Oslo over, this would still be on the list.

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    2 years ago

    That was good. Pretty bland on the ambience but that suits the place. Food hit the spot. Would search out again when passing through Oslo.

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    3 years ago

    Good food. Hotel setting is okay. Friendly service. Good spot for some casual local flavor.

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    Kaffistova Reviews in Other Languages

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    Elias Mat & Sånt - Reindeer stew

    Elias Mat & Sånt

    4.4(89 reviews)
    0.2 km•Sentrum
    •$$

    This restaurant is a great place to pop in for a casual meal and enjoy some delicious food. If you…read moredon't have a big appetite, you might be a little concerned as the main courses are quite generous, but I think you'll be able to finish them as they're so tasty. The staff are cheerful and friendly, so there's no need to feel nervous.

    Elias Mat & Sant is a delightful restaurant in Oslo, a city that has endless restaurants. But…read moreElias Mat & Sant is perfect if you're looking for classic, Norwegian food in a casual setting. I enjoyed my time here. Elias Mat & Sant is located in the sentrum, Oslo's city center, so is walking distance to many sites and attractions. I visited here after walking from the palace along Karl Johans Gate as the restaurant is located off this main drag. Make reservations here for the restaurant is small and intimate. It was time to try reindeer while in the Nordic region of the world, so here I did. I ordered the reindeer stew, which was delicious. The reindeer stew was similar to a beef stew, but the reindeer is leaner, so didn't taste as heavy, which is a good thing. Over some mashed potatoes with a gravy and herbs and a side of lingonberry, it completed the meal. It also came with a side of complimentary bread, which is not always the case at other restaurants. That was a nice bonus though because the bread helped soaked up the stew. Perfection!

    Photos
    Elias Mat & Sånt
    Elias Mat & Sånt - Baked salmon

    Baked salmon

    Elias Mat & Sånt - Beer

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    Beer

    The Salmon - Creamy salmon soup (265 krone)

    The Salmon

    4.6(42 reviews)
    1.2 km•Tjuvholmen

    An amazing meal followed by an educational experience? Yes, please! I had no idea that Norway was…read moreso renowned for their salmon! Coming from Seattle, another salmon capital, we had to try it out. We came for a late lunch around 2:00P and were seated immediately on the covered patio. The menu features hot and cold salmon dishes alongside a selection of sushi. Our waitress said that their most popular item is the Grilled Salmon, served with mashed potatoes and broccolini. + SALMON SUSHI PLATTER: This plate of 20 pieces contained salmon sashimi, salmon nigiri and spicy salmon maki. The fish was extremely fresh with a smooth buttery texture and a vibrant color. The sashimi was topped with black fish roe and spring onion while the nigiri had an ideal rice-to-fish ratio. I loved the salmon maki as well, although I wouldn't consider it spicy at all. Highly recommended! + SALMON TRILOGY: Cold-smoked, hot-smoked and cured salmon, each with an accompanying dipping sauce (I believe they were a creamy horseradish, mustard and crème fraîche). This was a fun dish to share, served with bread and butter that tasted great as-is or topped with the salmon. + GRILLED SALMON: Simply seasoned and flavored from the grill, this plate lets the natural quality of the salmon shine. The menu stated that it's cooked to medium unless otherwise requested, but to us, it seemed closer to medium-well. No complaints though; it was still moist and delicious! The sides of potatoes and broccolini were perfect pairings, making for a well-rounded meal. + SIDE OF BROCCOLINI: This isn't a menu item, but we requested six spears to add some extra greens and they only charged us a few dollars. The spears were crunchy and lightly salted. After our meal, we went inside to their educational center. Our guide started us off with a short video about Norway's salmon farming and then led us into their "control room" where he shared deeper insights. He was so knowledgeable about the industry! Here are some facts we learned: * Salmon get their pink color from the saltwater oceans since they eat krill, small crabs, etc. Freshwater salmon have white or pale flesh. * Norwegians believe fresh salmon must be enjoyed within 21 days and they will not freeze nor can it. Any canned salmon that you see in the country is canned elsewhere and then shipped back. * Norway exports salmon to 110 countries. They are raised in farms within the fjords! This was one of my favorite meals in Norway for the spectacular food, fantastic service and new learnings!

    It was a nice evening since it wasn't raining in Oslo so we circled back to an outdoor place along…read morethe harbor for an early dinner. A great dining environment. This was a more casual outpost of their regular restaurant across the way. The menu was smaller so no salmon soup for example but we did get the grilled salmon. It was lightly grilled and almost a bit too rare for my wife who hates overcooked salmon. She really did enjoy it since this salmon was so fresh. The serving was a decent size and the bed of mashed potatoes was very good (lots of butter)! Service was lightning fast. Prices were reasonable for Norway ( which means expensive compared to most other places).

    Photos
    The Salmon - Curing on site

    Curing on site

    The Salmon - Salmon Sushi Platter

    Salmon Sushi Platter

    The Salmon - Cool place

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    Cool place

    Stangeriet - Klar for kyllingburger!

    Stangeriet

    4.9(11 reviews)
    1.1 km•Grünerløkka, St. Hanshaugen
    •$

    I don't usually have the habit to go for the same on the menu each time, but the chickenburger here…read moreis amazingly good. The chicken is breed the old fashion way- Breath of fresh air, fresh oat, wheat and corn and this combination makes the meat so juicy and tender. The burger itself is boneless (they remove bones), coleslaw, bbq sauce and a good dressing on top of a amazingly good bun. The bun actually makes the whole difference. It's so moist and tasty when you let the burger sit for a minute(if you got the patience to wait), it just suck up all of the good dressing and bbq sauce and that combined with the juicy chicken just makes it even better. I tend to go for the burger whenever I'm down at the local football pub watching a game and I combine this meal with a Brooklyn Lager. Good taste combined. The service is also great. No mocking around. Quick and done. Since they started up their local shoppe at Mathallen, the price has risen from a comfortable 60NOK to 90NOK. I personally think that's a little steep but I can't resist it. It's worth it. They also got a good chicken sandwich, but I've never eaten it. (Never change a winning team) but I've heard it's also very good. It's not only burgers and sandwiches at Stangeriet, they also sell wings, thighs and whole chickens. It's definitely worth a try and a chicken for sunday supper is a winner.

    Any food stand with a bubbling pan of meat is promising, and Stangeriet delivered. The sandwich we…read moreordered was humongous, with meat practically bursting out of the seams. The meat was flavorful and juicy.

    Photos
    Stangeriet - Come check this place out!

    Come check this place out!

    Stangeriet - Nam! Lettvint og kjempegod mat i farta!

    Nam! Lettvint og kjempegod mat i farta!

    Stangeriet - Pulled chicken sandwich - 70kr

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    Pulled chicken sandwich - 70kr

    Kaffistova - norwegian - Updated October 2026

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