Lola — Restaurant in Bergen

As I wind down my last two days of my extended stay In Norway, I look back upon the pleasures of foot tours in Bergen. The City Center is flanked by colorful wooden houses on the old warf, once the center of the Hanseatic League’s vast trading center. Not unlike Amsterdam and other major European trading centers, Bergen hosts a large variety of foreign cuisines brought in through the centuries. To find a restaurant that presents an eclectic, world wide menu though, is a marvel. So I present ‘Lola Bistro’, a new and exciting Bergen dinning spot. Recommend by Sigrid Rostad, a local glass artist, I wended my way from the bus station through boulevards, lanes, and small cobbled side streets to find one of the finest meals I’ve had in ages. Not one to take or enjoy food pictures, I will describe what Lotta, one of the owners, described as non-complicated dining fare. For starters, six tiny, silvery, no salt or fishy taste, anchovies swimming in a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of herbs. Next served was a small dish of freshly pitted sweet cherries, topped with fresh, very creamy, imported Italian mozzarella, with a thin layer of shaved almonds. One of three available main courses was a dish of three very small, succulent meat balls served over a very white, creamy hummus (not the typical ecru colored paste I usually see), topped with a piquant mix of very thinly sliced garlic and tiny green peppers and a light coat of mild olive oil. A side salad of summer greens, extremely mild feta cheese and finely ground Egyptian nuts and seeds provided not only a wonderful taste but a pleasant texture as well. A small desert of creamy white chocolate mouse adorned with sliced plums, raspberries, and red currants brought to an end a delightful meal of varied taste and textures I shall long remember....

The food here is INCREDIBLE. Far and away the best meal we had while touring Scandinavia. We were here almost 2 months ago and I haven’t had a chance to write my review yet but the food was so good that I have no problem remembering every detail.

We started off with a Cesar salad. The lettuce was crisp, the dressing was rich and flavorful. I also appreciated the full anchovies.

For an appetizer, we got the fried(?) artichoke. I’m my word, the artichoke leaves were marinated and seasoned perfectly and were soooo good. We ate up every last morsel.

My partner got the white fish (can’t recall the exact fish type) and it was sooooo flavorful and flaky. The only slight complaint (of the entire meal) was that he wish his food was a little hotter (it was warm but he likes his food fresh out the kitchen hot). However, we were their last patrons of the day so not sure if that maybe impacted his food’s heat.

I got the seasonal special which was a chanterelle cannoli. Now, I am not a big mushroom person. I was going to get the chicken but our waitress convinced me that the cannoli was something special. And boy, was she RIGHT. It was so rich and cheesy and flavorful. It was also piping hot and cooked perfectly. I was so glad she told me to get it because it was hands down the best thing I ate during our entire trip in Scandinavia.

For dessert, my partner and I split some sort of cake with custard and ice cream. It had some unique flavors but it was also quite delightful.

The service was wonderful. We got there right before close (after having completed the Norway in a Nutshell tour) but we never felt rushed or like an inconvenience.

Truly, a...

What a find in Bergen! How is this restaurant not referenced in more of ‘recommended restaurants Bergen’ Google Search! Lola’s is an absolute must for those visiting Bergen looking for high quality food that is worth every single penny, particularly when tourists are aware that eating out in Norway can be expensive.

The service was excellent & kind - despite arriving at 9pm, they were patient with our menu choice & questions, asking of our travels & providing recommendations for our stay in Bergen (across things to do & other restaurants).

The food - wow. Delicious & hearty! If you are looking for delicately placed thumb sized piece of fish with a foam, this isn’t the place for you. This is the place that does a beautifully cooked hearty fillet of fish with a sauce that you want to wipe your finger across the plate and hunks of bread & whipped butter that you can’t stop eating. This is the place where you can’t leave food on your plate and you gladly walk out feeling full!

Biggest of congratulations to the owner, chef & service team at Lola’s, and thank you for your...