Restaurant of the Month, Norway
A unique dining experience in a relaxed atmosphere With the aim to inspire and surprise you with fun dishes, Hildr Gastro Bar offers a varied menu that mixes international influences with local produce. Situated right near the sea in the north of Norway, where the polar nights last all winter long, this friendly and relaxed restaurant has quickly become the place to go for unique food experiences in Tromsø. By Ingrid Opstad | Photos: Eva Stensland
“Many people say that coming to us is like fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere, which I think is a nice way to put it,” says co-owner Bjørn Pettersen. He set up the restaurant in April 2015 along with four good friends who were united by their love for food. Now, Hildr has become a popular place in town for everyone – a place where guests can truly feel at home. The Norwegian city of Tromsø is a place with unlimited access to fresh seafood 104 | Issue 118 | November 2018
such as salmon, cod, halibut and king crab. When visiting the restaurant, one can not only taste what the Arctic Sea has to offer, but also a great selection of light snacks, sharing dishes, delicious cocktails, and carefully selected wines and beer. With a menu that changes continually with the seasons, current trends and the chef’s mood, Hildr caters well to its diverse clientele. Pettersen stresses the impor-
tance of providing the best-quality food by choosing locally produced ingredients as often as possible, while being inspired by international cuisine. “The stockfish, for instance, comes from our local supplier Halvors, which we then give an Asian twist and also turn into our own version of the British dish fish and chips.”
Like coming home to your grandmother’s house The restaurant is located in the old part of Tromsø, inside an old, renovated house full of character. In fact, the name Hildr comes from a book by the local author Bernt Lie, who used to live in the building, and not from Iceland or old Norse as many might assume. As the building itself has been in Skippergata since 1833, it is full of history, something that is reflected