Iris — Restaurant in Kvinnherad

Iris deserves 3 Michelin stars!

Already the approach to the eye is spectacular. On the journey with a boat you have a stopover in the old boathouse. My first favourite meal waited here. Fried Skrei cheek (cured in seaweed) in black sourdough. You expect some uneatable from the black lava looking chunk but it is delicious. Soft inside and very juicy. Crispy from the outside.

At arrival a video installation awaits you. The food is hanging from the ceiling. Magical. Up the stairs and an amazing view to the mountains awaits you from your table with beautiful old danish stylish chairs.

The chef is overseeing the kitchen with her newborn baby. Amazing how calm everyone is. Lots of young people in the kitchen and the serving room. A very positive vibe surrounds us.

Every of the 18 courses is a star worth. I never had this before in a Michelin star restaurant, not even in a 3 star. You rarely guess how it will taste. All are local ingredients. A lot from the sea. My favourite dish is cuttlefish with dashi-butter, kelp and a sauce of unripe strawberries, green tomatoes and lovage.

We had the nonalcoholic pairing. The first time ever that I liked every drink. My favourite is the apples juice with Meadowsweet, Hay infusion and Pine oil. I just ordered a second glass.

The only little disappointment was the main course. The sausage was too salty and the meat had the smallest size of all main courses in my life, still I have never been so sad that a menu is ending. I still wanted to discover more dishes. Every dish has been just existing! We have been in many Michelin star restaurants 1,2 and 3 stars but this was the best so fare…. Not only the dishes, the view and also the...

The expedition itself was very nice, and I especially loved the first stop, it was the highlight of the whole experience for me. The host there was humble, and the food had a delicate, almost flowery touch that I really appreciated.

The second stop at Iris was good overall, but I found it strange that the extended menu didn’t include salmon, I imagine most people would expect that, especially given the name. I also noticed that not many of the ingredients felt particularly local, which was surprising. The storytelling that accompanied each dish was engaging at times, but a few of the stories simply weren’t true. For example, using a battery-mounted light to “demonstrate” bioluminescence felt cheap, since it wasn’t actually live as it was presented.

The atmosphere also missed the mark for me, spa music was playing in the background, which didn’t fit the concept. Lounge music, or even something with a touch of suspense to match the expedition theme, would have created a much better mood. Some of the servers’ conversations also came across as unnecessary and didn’t add much to the experience.

That said, the boat trip was a very nice touch and tied the day together beautifully.

Overall, it was a memorable experience with some standout moments, but also areas that could feel more authentic...

A destination of a lifetime, Iris is truly something out of this world. Yes, it took some effort and transits to get there, but every step of the journey was magical. The experience began with a boat pickup from Rosendal, followed by a visit to a boathouse near where chef Anika and her partner Nico (who manages the restaurant) live. This is where the story starts, with a theme built around sustainability—turning local resources into incredible cuisine. The main restaurant, which looks like a spaceship, offers a stunning view over the Hardanger fjord. The service was incredibly smooth, quiet, and precise—we barely noticed plates and cutlery being switched, water wiped down, and everything kept spotless. The sommelier introduced us to a buttery, smooth Chardonnay from Burgundy that paired perfectly with the entire course. Every detail felt exclusive, intimate, and meaningful. You truly feel honoured to be there. One unforgettable moment: near the end, seated in the lounge, I spotted Annika working in the kitchen while carrying her baby. What a powerful scene—balancing motherhood, running a kitchen, and leading such a unique concept in the middle of nature. So much respect for her. I hope I get to return someday. What an extraordinary experience. Highly...