During our couple days in Stavanger, we ended up making a couple trips to Kanelsnurren to pick up some goods to eat at our AirBnB. We actually got the recommendation to come visit here from the butcher down the street (A. Isdoe); one of the employees said that this was the absolute best bakery in town - so we dutifully made our way down the block. There's a private parking lot that fills up rather quickly; the alternative is to use the 20-minute parking spot just across the street or hope there is street parking. Nonetheless, once you are inside, you are surrounded by delicious fresh loaves of bread and desserts that look absolutely mouthwatering. At the very least, one must try the brownies here. At NOK 42 for a full-size version, it's definitely more expensive than your average brownie (but then again, Norway is more expensive than your average country), but it is absolutely worth it. It's a bit more on the fudge-like side, but this is probably the best brownie I've eaten anywhere. What really does the trick is the fact that it's sprinkled with so many nuts on top, and the hazelnut flavor (perhaps they are also slightly candied?) in particular really sticks out. I'd buy a whole tray if I could. The pain au chocolat was also excellent; while not the best I've had, the croissant itself was very light and buttery, with just the right amount of chocolate in the middle to make it a nice, sweet treat. The bread is also excellent; we bought a loaf to use for making sandwiches and having toast at breakfast. The only down note is that the small bags of cookies are not pure chocolate chip cookies; they all have dried fruit in them. I probably would have known this if I could read Norwegian (or looked more closely at the cookies), but while they were good, the fruit didn't quite work as well.
Nonetheless, this was a fabulous place to visit, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is in town and looking for a bakery or cafe. It's a little off of the Old City and the cobblestone roads, but it's close enough that it is most definitely worth the trek. read more