If you push an Oslo resident to name the most traditional Norwegian cocktail, they’ll most likely land on the Fjellbekk. It’s a combination of Norway’s national spirit, aquavit, plus soda and, oddly enough considering it’s a fruit grown thousands of miles away, lime. It seems paradoxical but in Oslo the traditional drinks are the ones that rely on imported ingredients and classic bar constructs, while the innovative, forward-thinking bars are the ones crafting drinks that celebrate all things Norwegian.
Talk to anyone plugged into the Norwegian bar scene and they’ll point to a single bar as the start of the cocktail revolution in the country: Oslo’s Himkok. ‘Himkok is really the pioneer of Norway’s cocktail scene,’ says Øyvind Lindgjerdet, executive bar manager at Britannia Bar in Trondheim, one of Norway’s leading cocktail bars, ‘and it’s now stood the test of time over 10 years.’
While ‘of course’ the menu at Himkok has occasionally seen a lime, according to founder Erk Potur, tart acidity is more likely to come from Nordic produce like vibrant orange Sea Buckthorn. Local flavours have always been central to the menu; the signature Martini showcases birch alongside an olive stuffed with local cheese, and there are drinks dedicated to ingredients like Norwegian carrot cake and wild thyme. And it doesn’t get more local than the aquavit, gin, and vodka at Himkok, which are made on the premises.
When Renate Nikolaisen of wine and spirits group Anora Norway has friends and colleagues to visit in Oslo, Himkok is usually the first stop. ‘They serve Norwegian cocktails at such a high level, and I can show friends a little bit about the world I live in,’ she says.
In the decade since Himkok opened, alumni from the world-renowned bar have spread throughout the city, establishing their own projects, always with an eye on celebrating Norway’s culture, design and produce. One such bar is Svanen, opened in a historic building that housed a pharmacy in the 1800s. The ethos of the bar centres around its setting: drinks, especially classics, are built to the exacting measurements of a pharmacist and then served to guests by lab-coat-clad bartenders in a space that still looks every bit the pharmacy.
The type of high-end hospitality offered by Himkok and Svanen is growing in Oslo but not yet commonplace. ‘People will still come to order at the bar,’ says Daniel Pappa, head of production and R&D at Svanen, ‘and I let them know: relax, have a seat, we’ll take care of you.’
But it’s not just high-end table service that’s becoming part of Oslo’s bar scene. ‘Norwegians are more likely to go out to eat and then they’ll go for drinks. So most of the bars, even the greatest cocktail bars in Oslo, won’t have a kitchen,’ says Pappa. This, however, is also changing. In 2024, Boho House, a fusion restaurant featuring a cocktail list led by another Himkok alumni opened with equal emphasis on culinary dishes and mixology. Just a couple years earlier, in 2022, Ekspedisjonshallen, a classic brasserie built around an opulent central horseshoe bar, opened in the Sommerro House Hotel.
Ekspedisjonshallen’s signature drink menu changes annually but each iteration spotlights innovative techniques and ingredients both local and exotic. As with most cocktail menus in the city, whisky, brandy and dark spirits are available but feature less heavily than the unaged spirits to which the Norwegian palate is accustomed. Highlights of the latest edition include an Aquavit Martini with local rhubarb and apple, as well as a twist on a Mai Tai with pineapple, banana, and hazelnut.
‘If you want to eat and still have great drinks, you’re going to be somewhere fancy,’ says Paul Voza, director of R&D at Himkok. ‘There aren’t many mid-range options [in Oslo] right now.’
A glitzy crowd gathers at Ekspedisjonshallen partially for the superior dining experience but also for the house jazz band that plays nightly in a grandiose room filled with lush velvet booths and stools. In this city, it’s common for a thoughtful drink to come with a considered ambiance too. ‘Oslo is a pretty design-focused city,’ says Lindgjerdet, ‘The people really care about what the room feels like. I think that’s a very Scandinavian Nordic attitude.’
This eye for aesthetics extends beyond just the posh corners of the city. At Nedre Løkka Cocktailbar & Selskapslokaler, which Lindgjerdet calls his favourite ‘five-star dive bar,’ the Pisco Sours come thoughtfully garnished with bitters and dried citrus, even if they might be consumed on the dancefloor. And popular wine bar Nekktar is a cosy red house with mismatched, hand-painted plates and casually chic, exposed wooden beams.
In the last five years or so, the bar scene in Oslo has elevated its game to match the design-focused ambiance of the city, so there is truly a bar for every mood or desire. Below are six of the best bars in Oslo to try.
Six of Oslo’s best bars
Himkok
After making the World’s 50 Best Bars list eight times, Himkok is a must-visit for any travelling cocktail lover, but you’ll still find the place brimming with locals on arrival. The bar contains three distinct spaces all featuring Norwegian ingredients; most famously, an intimate distillery bar where bartenders donning lab coats serve signature drinks like the tart and frothy Sea Buckthorn or the Quince, which has acidity extracted from local apples. Upstairs is a busier bar pouring crowd pleasers like Espresso Martinis or a Nordic Paloma on tap. Finally, there’s a casual, partially covered cider bar in the back garden.
Nektar
Tucked in a charming wooden house, Nektar is a recurring recommendation from locals. Ben Symes, wholesale manager at espresso bar Tim Wendelboe, says it’s his favourite bar in the city; his review sums up what others love about this rustic-but-modern bistro: ‘Great wine, delicious food and genuinely nice staff.’
The wine list is precisely curated to have a glass to please any guest. The trendiest sought-after natural and orange wines find a home next to exceptional red and white Burgundies. For the more adventurous drinkers, waiters can point towards hidden gems from Austria and Italy. While the wines aren’t Nordic, (though with the changing climate, Norway is seeing its first vineyards) the menu of small plates leans heavily on local farmers for ingredients.
Svanen
The service at Svanen is very personal – a one-to-one interaction with your bartender ensures you’ll get the perfect drink for your mood. Classics with a twist, such as a banana Ramos Gin Fizz or an Old Fashioned made with Calvados make up most of the menu. There is also a section dedicated to straightforward takes on much-loved cocktails like the Penicillin (fitting for the 1890s apothecary setting), Margarita, and an excellent Irish Coffee made with beans from a favourite local shop.
Downstairs, the futuristic, ultra-sustainable Den Grimme Ælling (or Ugly Duckling in English), which is only open at weekends, makes drinks by upcycling leftover ingredients from Svanen: think peach pit cordials and discarded banana peel infusions.
View this post on Instagram
Andre Til Høyre
Self-proclaimed as ‘the apartment bar’, Andre Til Høyre is a cocktail and wine bar styled like a home. The concept encourages mingling, as if all the guests were invited to the same house party, rather than a formal bar. ‘The bar is in what would be the kitchen area,’ says Nikolaisen. ‘So you walk through what feels just like a living room. And people are sitting on couches or gathered around the kitchen table.’
Cocktails here are creative and infused with good humour and big flavour, and the menu is designed to invoke a tabloid magazine. You’ll find a larger variety of base spirits here than at other bars in the city, with cocktails on the current menu using mezcal and rum. However, plenty of guests opt for glasses of wine and the team emphasises that ‘Champagne is always in stock.’
Nedre Løkka Cocktailbar & Selskapslokaler
As you’d expect of a capital city, Oslo has a respectable nightclub scene but there are places that walk the line between sophisticated bar and full-on club. A local favourite is Nedre Løkka. You won’t find many party bars with a cocktail lab but in the ‘Lokka Lab’, bartenders create syrups and foams for their menu of specialties. A highlight is the house Negroni made with an infusion from local strawberries.
Though your drinks will always be shaken and garnished to order, the ambiance shifts to DJs and dancing as the evenings progress at weekends. However, you may find some spontaneous dancing any night of the week.
Ekspedisjonshallen at Sommerro House
Located in the sumptuous Sommerro House hotel the Art Deco-inspired Ekspedisjonshallen bar is a decidedly luxe night out in Oslo. The menu of signature drinks focuses on complex and sometimes unexpected flavours (think beet and shiso, or green apple and cucumber) in refined drinks. There is also a selection of classics that focuses on Martinis but guests can ask the skilled bartenders for their favourite cocktail and their cravings will be more than satisfied.
A stately central bar is surrounded by velvet booths and tables where guests can stay for drinks or a full meal. Many nights, a live jazz band featuring a silk-clad singer elevates the already elegant atmosphere.
