Bergen - Norway - page 271

Café Hordastova NORWEGIAN This elegant cafeteria looks more like a full-
service restaurant with its linen tablecloths and upscale cutlery. On the ground
floor of Hotel Hordaheimen, this no-nonsense place offers alcohol-free, relatively
quick meals. Lunchtime features open-faced sandwiches (smørbrød) and simple
platters of the day. Dinner offerings are a bit more elaborate, with carved meats,
pepper steak, meatballs, and an excellent version of mushroom soup.
In the Hotel Hordaheimen, Christian Sundts Gate 18. & 55-33-51-13. Reservations not necessary. Lunch
main courses 18NOK-105NOK ($2.55-$15); dinner main courses 89NOK-109NOK ($13-$15). AE, DC, MC, V.
Daily 10am-8:30pm. Bus: 1, 5, or 9.
Dolly Dimple's PIZZA This chain restaurant, which has spread like
wildfire across Norway, serves Bergen's most delectable pizzas. Toppings here are
savory. The “Salmon Rocket” pizza features sliced smoked salmon, crème
fraîche, spring onions, tomato sauce, and cheese, topped with arugula. “Hot
Lips” pizza is topped with minced meat, onions, jalapeños, garlic, tomato sauce,
and cheese. Salads are made fresh daily, including a Caesar with smoked breast
of chicken. Homemade lasagna is featured nightly. Desserts are luscious, includ-
ing a carrot cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Bergen Storsenter, Strømgaten 8. & 55-31-17-14. Reservations not necessary. Medium pizzas (suitable for
1-2 persons) 111NOK-164NOK ($16-$23); large pizzas (suitable for 2-3 persons) 143NOK-219NOK
($20-$31). AE, DC, MC, V. Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri noon-11pm; Sat 6-11pm. Bus: 1, 5, or 9.
Ristorante Stragiotti ITALIAN This is the best Italian restaurant in
Bergen. Michele Stragiotti, an Italian native from Piemonte, owns this eatery, a
short walk from the Ole Bulls Plass. Stragiotti's is a trimmed-down minimalist
testimonial to postmodern Italian simplicity. Expect dishes that include filets of
Norwegian beef with your choice of four sauces (mushroom, black peppercorn,
tomato, or béarnaise), Norwegian rack of lamb, pastas, fish, and lots of scalop-
pine choices, including a savory version with Gorgonzola cheese. A grigliata di
pesce, wherein Italian cooking techniques are applied to very fresh Norwegian
fish, is particularly appealing.
Vestre Torgate 3. & 55-90-31-00. Reservations recommended. Pizzas 120NOK-145NOK ($17-$21); main
courses 110NOK-249NOK ($16-$35); fixed-price menu 350NOK-400NOK ($50-$57). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily
noon-11:30pm. Bus: 2, 3, or 4.

Kids

Finds

5 Seeing the Sights
SUGGESTED ITINERARIES
IF YOU HAVE 1 DAY See the top attractions of Bergen, including the old
Hanseatic Bryggen, with its nearby museums. Explore the shops and artisans'
workshops along the harbor, and, to end the day, take the funicular to Fløien for
a panoramic view.
IF YOU HAVE 2 DAYS On your first day, follow the suggestions for day 1.
On your second day, head for the Bergen area, which you can reach by public
transportation. Visit Troldhaugen, Edvard Grieg's former home. In the after-
noon, journey to Ole Bull's Villa, 26km (16 miles) south of Bergen.
IF YOU HAVE 3 DAYS For your first 2 days, follow the suggestions above.
On the third day, take the 12-hour “Norway in a Nutshell” tour (see “Side Trips
from Bergen,” later in this chapter).
IF YOU HAVE 4 OR 5 DAYS On the first 3 days, follow the itinerary above.
On day 4, explore the Hardangerfjord and the Folgefonn Glacier by round-trip
bus from Bergen (see “Side Trips from Bergen,” later in this chapter). On the