Sample a wide range of Oslo’s best casual food and local producers under one roof at Oslo´s largest food hall.
Located in the Vulkan eco-district (an old industrial area turned hipster hub), Mathallen ("The Food Hall") is a large indoor food hall and market concentrated on high-quality, casual eating and regional food producers. Expect a mix of independent stalls and small restaurants serving everything from traditional Norwegian dishes to international street food, plus a selection of wine, beer and specialty groceries. The hall is filled with specialty butchers, cheese counters, and small eateries.
Seating Hack: On weekends, the main floor "Torget" (central plaza) is a war zone of people fighting for chairs. If you can't find a seat, take your food and walk down the stairs to the basement (Smelteverket) or, if it's summer, walk outside to the "amphitheater" steps by the river.
Highlights
For something Norwegian, go to Vulkanfisk (the seafood counter) and order the creamy fish soup (fiskesuppe), loaded with chunks of salmon and cod, and served with unlimited bread and aioli.
Buy packaged specialty foods and artisan products from dedicated vendors to take home
The "Sausage" Souvenir: Stop by Annis Pølsemakeri (the butcher). Don't just look; ask for a "dry-aged" slider or buy their dry-cured sausages to snack on later in your hotel room.
Best time to go
Weekdays outside lunchtime or early evening on weekends to avoid the largest crowds
Time needed
30–120 minutes
Getting there
Can easily be reached on foot from the city center. Bus 34 or 54 to Møllerveien drops you right at the top of the stairs leading down to the market.
What to do nearby
Norway’s national opera and ballet in a purpose-built, walkable waterfront building that doubles as a public plaza.
Experience the public storytelling side of the Nobel Peace Prize through an immersive dark room with 1,000 fiber-optic laureate portraits, see an actual gold peace medal, and engage with current year exhibitions about conflict resolution 50 meters from where the actual prize ceremony happens.
The largest art museum in Norway exhibiting some of the most iconic Norwegian paintings, including the original Scream oil painting and famous national romantic paintings like The Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord that define Norway's national identity, all in one building.
Hotels nearby
You're on Oslo's most central street, steps from the Parliament, the Palace, and the train station.
The most historically significant hotel address in Norway, steps from the Parliament and the Royal Palace.
The most central address in Oslo, directly across from the Parliament, with everything walkable.