Coffee & tea

Image by Andrea Chirulescu

I went to this ‘shop’ as I thought of making my mum an original and personalised gift and this was exactly the right place for my plan. Once in there, all I had to do was to chose a ‘white’ object . Actually wash my hands first and be handed an apron. ‘White’ object is anything from various sized and shaped cups, plates, bowls, vases, animals, etc made of pottery. They have about 100 different models.

Afterwards I could either make a drawing, use one of the shaped sponges or existing shapes in the shop. Then pick a color, a seat and start working. I covered my palms with paint and put my palms on the side of the cup for example. People around me were painting the cups completely, making drawings and writing words on them. Once I am done, the object is left in the shop for a week so it can be laced and dried.

All along the process a nice lady shows you how to handle stuff, gives you tips and makes sure you have everything you need for your work of art. And she can make coffee, tea or chocolate which, unfortunately, you can’t yet drink from your personalised cup. The cool thing is that the objects waiting to be picked up by their owners are all over the place so you can be inspired.

The place is ideal for a cozy afternoon with friends when you feel like doing something totally different.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Glazed and amused | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Relaxing
Markveien 25 | Grünerløkka
Tue – Thu 13:00 – 19:00, Fri & Sun 13:00 – 18:00, Sat 11:00 – 18:00

Image by Elin Reitehaug

La Sosta is the local café and espresso bar right next to my work, and the name is Italian meaning “stop”.

This place has its own charming ambience and the most charming baristas in town! The owners Henning and Marco are always smiling and joking and make all their guests feel comfortable – or sometimes make them blush if that´s the joking mood of the day. There are a lot of regular guests in this place.

La Sosta was even so popular that when they had to close down for a period because they did not have a location, their regulars arranged a petition to get them back. Luckily, they returned in a different location in the same area!

Besides coffee they also serve fresh orange juice, sandwiches, salads, biscuits, cakes and home-made tiramisu. There are some seats inside, but the best thing is to enjoy the coffee outside – in the sun, or during winter with blankets and heating pads. Whenever I need a break from work, this is the place I go. So whatever you need a break from – this is the perfect place to take it!

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La Sosta | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Snacks | Caffe Latte NOK 34
Brageveien 1B | St Hanshaugen | +4722606470
Mon – Fri 07:30 – 17:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:00

Image by Elin Reitehaug

Mogador is a cosy place with soft light and quiet music, and I get a peaceful mood from sitting down here. It is a nice place to relax and enjoy some nice Afghan or Moroccan food.

I have never seen this place crowded with people, so if you have some work to be done or want to read your book and enjoy a cup of tea this may be the right place. It´s also a nice place to start a night out with some tasty food and wine, and then continue to some of the popular bars on Grünerløkka.

The food is great and pleasant priced. You can choose between a selection of meze (a small dish) or a full dinner, and there are a lot of vegetarian options. Try the lentils with some Arab bread!

The waiters are not always too attentive, but they are always friendly. Dinner, snack, coffee, tea, with friends or alone – you will hopefully enjoy the ambience as much as I do!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Mogador | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Arabic) | Meze (tapas) from NOK 35
Toftesgate 41 | Grünerløkka | +4722351032
12:00 – 01:00 (kitchen closes 23:00) daily

Image by Elin Reitehaug

Sagene lunsjbar is one of my neighbourhood restaurants, it’s a charming place with a great history. The outside is yellow and a bit old-fashioned with places to sit outside. The inside is classy, but the atmosphere is relaxed. The staff is friendly, and there is usually not much waiting, either for service or for the food. And the food is delicious! I would especially recommend the fish soup.

The name of the place refers to “lunch” – but that is not the only thing they serve. You can choose between salads, open sandwiches, burgers, dinner and desserts. They have todays dinner for 119 krone which varies every day.

This is the place to visit if you are up for good food and nice surroundings. Its also the place to visit if you just want to chat over a caffe latte or have a glass of wine. Enjoy!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Sagene Lunsjbar | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Intern.) | Fish soup NOK 119
Maridalsveien 153 | Sagene | +4798448900
Mon – Tue 11:00 – 00:00, Wed – Sat 11:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 23:00

Image by Elin Reitehaug

Evita at Teaterplassen is definitely my favorite espresso bar in town. Why? A combination of great coffee, delicious cakes, nice food and fantastic smoothies! I also like the location, as Grønland is one of my favorite areas in town.

There are a lot of tables outside and it´s usually not too difficult to get a seat even though there are always a lot of people, and you can enjoy in the sun from morning till evening. I love my lazy Sundays when I can sleep late, take a nice walk along Akerselva, and then end my trip with a double latte with vanilla soy milk or a mango smoothie at Evita! They also have a good selection of cakes and sandwiches with several vegetarian options. And do not forget to try their home-made chocolate cake or the carrot cake!

You can also find Evita at two other locations on Grønland (Brugata 17 and Smalgangen 14B). They have the same choice of foods and drinks. So – go for the coffee and the fantastic chocolate cake!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Evita | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Chocolate cake NOK 39
Mandallsgate 10 | Grønland/Tøyen | +4722171999
Mon – Fri 07:00 – 20:00, Sat 09:00 – 19:00, Sun 10:00 – 19:00