Villani Skostredet — Restaurant in Bergen

Everything was wonderful, until we arrived We booked a table for a large group and the people I spoke to were so polite, I asked if we should pre-order since we were so many and they said it was no problem. We had booked the private room upstairs, but as one in the group broke her leg a week prior we asked if we could get a table on the ground floor. No problem. Wonderful service.

Then we entered the restaurant.... The waitress started taking orders from one side and they all ordered a main course. The birthday girl wanted a starter so we at the end ordered starters as well. The waitress got huffy and we said if it was a big problem we could just order mains as well. "No it's fine, I just have to re-do everything!".

Then they serve the main courses for the ones that only ordered one dish. Then when they are half way through the main we get our starters. Everyone else is very much done and ready when we get our mains. Mine is a fish with a rubber like texture. I tell our waitress that this is overdone, and she replies that this is the way it is supposed to be, she can take it to the kitchen but they will say the same. I have eaten this fish plenty of times, no rubbery texture, the weekend before at a Michelin restaurant so I believe the kitchen will agree with me.

But alas.. 10 minutes later, everyone else is done eating, she comes back. They also say it is cooked correctly. So I reluctantly get the option to order something else. It was meh.

I am continuingly telling everyone going to Bergen to avoid...

I was looking forward to having lunch at Villani today after having read good reviews, especially about the level of service. It’s safe to say I was surprised when the waitress started off by telling us a number of items on the menu wasn’t available today. That also included some of the types of beer and finally Tiramisu, one of four desserts and frankly one that every Italian restaurant should have! After having ordered drinks the waitress disappeared for about 20 minutes, apparently it took time to find the Prosecco!? We ordered food thinking that would take the same amount of time only to discover it arrived shortly after we’d started enjoying the drinks. So the white wine we wanted to have with the food would have to wait until the pasta was eaten. A pasta that was ok, but tasting too much of tomatoes and tomatoes alone. Since the Tiramisu was missing I ordered another dessert and was looking forward to a good cup of coffee with dessert. The coffee menu was rich and promising. Except; the coffee machine was broken... If the restaurant wanted to leave a good impression they would’ve at least have offered to let us have the dessert and plain black coffee for free. I will finish off by saying the home made bread with lovely olive oil was good, so was the house wine...

Bergen is known for its near-constant rain, and during our visit, Villani became the perfect cozy refuge from the weather. With impeccable food and warm service, it was just what we needed after skipping lunch and feeling ready to refuel.

We were happy to be seated without a reservation and started with the mussels and their unique take on a Caesar salad. Let me just say—the salad was probably one of the best I’ve ever had and easily the best Caesar salad I’ve tasted. However, it’s not a traditional Caesar, so keep that in mind. The mussels were also fantastic, served in a white wine sauce with a subtle hint of spice that elevated the dish.

For our mains, we chose the Margherita pizza and the Strigoloni pasta. Both were fantastic. The pasta’s meat was tender and flavorful, while the pizza was simple yet perfectly executed.

To finish, we indulged in dessert: the Trio al Cioccolato and Choco e Amarena. Both were rich, decadent, and exactly what dessert should be.

The service was excellent; our waitress was sweet, attentive, and made everything easy with an English menu. Villani is a must-visit in Bergen, and I’d definitely return for another cozy,...