Zoë Waage (1983)

I’m not a big fan of the west side of town, but this little pizza place is an exception, and one of the few reasons I venture out of my comfort zone, that is the east side. It’s like a rabbit hole, one minute you’re in the midst of all of Frogners shallow fanciness, the next you’re under ground in a tiny Italian cave.

The pizzas are great and the wine is served in kitchen glasses, which I’m sure the fur-clad ladies of Oslo’s equivalent to NYC’s Upper East Side find “charming”. And when the white rabbit shows up, it’s just to take you a little further down the street, to another favorite of mine: Gimle movie theater!

Of course there’s no actual risk of being sent off to prison, this little burger joint is perfectly legit – and the burgers are delicious! The small and colorful room makes me feel like I’m sitting in some kind of a hipster doll house, but it puts me in a good mood. And that’s how I know I’m not hipster material (from what I understand, true hipsters are never in a good mood. Not really.). 

Back to the burgers! I like mine spicy, so I go for #6: Greenchilisalsa. Yum! Or the one with blue cheese and bacon. Or the one with jalapenos. Or… The burger comes wrapped in paper, but is served at your table. It’s the perfect mix of fast food joint and restaurant.

They serve smoothies, soft drinks, beer and wine, and if you’re in the mood for cocktails, just tilt your head back (the cocktail menu is written on the ceiling, I’m not just trying to make you look like an idiot).

Perhaps it’s not worth going to jail for, but I’ll take a couple of hours of community service…

In year 258 A.D. a Roman deacon by the name of Lawrence (or Lars, Laurentius, Lorenzo; take your pick!) became a victim of the persecution of Valerian, like many other members of the Roman clergy. He is now the patron saint of chefs and comedians. The first because he was in fact grilled to death, the latter for his comment during this excrutiating departure. While roasting, he allegedly uttered this legendary line: “Turn me over, I’m done on this side!”

A painting portraying the death of St. Lars (the saint) can actually be admired while enjoying a grilled feast at St. Lars (the restaurant). And the saint might care a little extra for this restaurant, because they grill everything here. And I mean EVERYTHING. Even your salad.

Started by Norwegian celeb chef Andreas Viestad, I was surprised by how relaxed and unpretencious this place is. It’s basically a bar, a meat slicer and the above mentioned painting. And tables, of course. The food is served in a rustic manner; on a piece of wood in our case. 

It’s not possible to make reservations, but if you have to wait in the bar, it’s time well spent. They make excellent cocktails, though some a bit unconventional. In retrospect, I wish I had ordered the beet root cocktail.

The only thing that put me off a bit, was that the snacks (deep fried pig ears and snout) had hair on them. But maybe that just proves I’m a city girl…

Coffee shop by day, cocktail bar by night, and every piece of 50′s and 60′s furniture in the narrow café is for sale. It is not cheap, but the concept is so great it has long been recognized internationally (Fuglen Tokyo is a hot spot, I hear).

Until six o’clock stylish baristas serve up coffee and tea like they have since 1963, then the bird rests for a couple of hours, before re-opening as a cocktail hotspot at eight.

So order a drink, sit back in a comfy chair and pretend you just finished a hard days work at Sterling Cooper. That’s a bird’s life!

Prepare to wait a while for the cocktails, the insider tip is to order a beer to sip while the cocktails are being prepared. And if you are a Bloody Mary fan, try the Bloody Boris, where the tomato juice is swapped with beetroot juice! Delicious!

“Lompa” is actually my neighbor, and every time I’m here I wonder why I don’t come here more often. For a beer, a coffee, some snacks or even a full dinner. I guess that’s the curse of being a spotter: I constantly feel like I have to go somewhere I’ve never been before, so I end up neglecting my good old friend that is Olympen.

The food is traditional Norwegian, with a touch of Sweden, and even though they have a decent wine selection, it’s really the beer you should go for. Over 200 bottled beers, around 8 on tap, including one from Schouskjelleren Mikrobryggeri. Just check out the huge beer fridge by the bar!

It can be a bit crowded on Friday and Saturday night, so if you want to have dinner, it could be wise to make a reservation in advance. And if you really want to treat yourself to a delicacy, plan ahead and order the suckling pig (I think you have to order it a week in advance). Sure, Babe is a cutie, but sooo much better on a plate!

Seasonal tip: Christmas is coming up, and the traditional Norwegian Christmas food doesn’t get better than at Lompa. The rakfisk (look it up, but don’t be alarmed by what you learn) is pure heaven!