Bergen · Nordnes & Nøstet

Pingvinen

Old-school neighbourhood restaurant serving traditional Norwegian comfort food since 1964, with worn wooden booths and vintage beer signs on the walls.

About Pingvinen

Old-school neighbourhood restaurant serving traditional Norwegian comfort food since 1964, with worn wooden booths and vintage beer signs on the walls. Their fiskebollar (fish balls in white sauce) and lapskaus (Norwegian stew) are exactly as locals remember from childhood. This is where Bergen taxi drivers and dock workers eat.

Book ahead

Book Tickets

Live availability and skip-the-line options from our booking partners.

Search on Viator →Search on GetYourGuide →

Booking powered by our partners. DAIZ may earn a commission.

The place

Getting there

Address

Vaskerelven 14, 5014 Bergen, Norway

Neighborhood

Nordnes & Nøstet →

View on Google Maps →

Good to know

Tips, answered

Order the dagens rett (daily special) between 11 AM and 2 PM for a proper Norwegian lunch at NOK 170, about half the price of dinner mains.

Plan for about 1h 15m.

Pingvinen is in the Nordnes & Nøstet neighborhood of Bergen. The address is Vaskerelven 14, 5014 Bergen, Norway. The area is well-served by metro.

This works well at any time of day, though mornings tend to be quieter. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends.

Around the corner

Nearby in Nordnes & Nøstet

Explore all →

Museum

Akvariet i Bergen

Bergen Aquarium houses Norway's largest collection of marine life in a surprisingly intimate setting at the tip of Nordnes peninsula. You'll find everything from massive sharks circling overhead in the tunnel tank to playful seals performing acrobatics in outdoor pools that overlook the harbor. The Nordic fish section showcases species you'd actually encounter in Norwegian waters, while the tropical tanks feel almost secondary to the local focus. The layout flows naturally from indoor exhibits to outdoor viewing areas where African penguins waddle around artificial rockwork. Feeding times transform the place completely: seals suddenly become athletic performers, diving and spinning for fish while kids press faces against underwater viewing windows. The atmosphere shifts from quiet contemplation to excited chatter as crowds gather around the outdoor pools. Harbor views from the penguin area are genuinely spectacular on clear days. Most visitors spend too much time indoors and miss the best parts outside. Adult tickets cost 295 NOK, which feels steep for what you get, but kids under 3 enter free. Skip the gift shop entirely (overpriced trinkets) and don't bother with the cafe unless you're desperate. The shark tunnel is impressive for about five minutes, then you've seen it all. Focus your time around the feeding schedule and outdoor areas for the best value.

2-3 hoursExplore

Cultural Site

Strandgaten

Strandgaten runs parallel to the famous Bryggen wharf, but this working street tells Bergen's less polished story. You'll walk past modern office buildings with medieval stone foundations poking through at street level, remnants of merchant houses that survived multiple fires over seven centuries. The contrast is striking: contemporary Bergen business life happening literally on top of Hanseatic trading post ruins. It's not prettified for tourists, which makes it more authentic than the reconstructed wooden buildings next door. The walk feels like peeling back layers of Bergen's timeline. Office workers grab coffee while medieval stone walls frame their lunch spots. You'll notice how the street level has risen over centuries, with original foundations now sitting below modern sidewalks. The buildings change architectural styles every few doors, showing how each fire and reconstruction added new layers. It's quieter than Bryggen but more lived in, giving you a sense of how Bergen actually evolved rather than how it's preserved for visitors. Most guides skip Strandgaten entirely, which is their loss and your gain. The medieval remains are more extensive than what you'll see at the overcrowded Bryggen Museum (which charges 120 NOK). Walk it in the morning when office workers are arriving for the most authentic atmosphere. Don't expect Instagram moments, but do expect to understand Bergen's real urban archaeology better than most tourists ever will.

30-45 minutesExplore

Park & Garden

Nordnes Sjøbad

A beloved public sea bath at the tip of Nordnes peninsula, featuring saltwater pools, diving platforms, and a sauna. Open from June to August, this facility offers panoramic views across the harbor to Mount Fløyen while you swim in crystal-clear seawater pumped directly from the fjord.

1-2 hoursExplore

From the blog

View all →

COMPARISON

Bergen vs Oslo: Which Norwegian City Should You Visit First

Bergen offers fjords and medieval history while Oslo delivers modern architecture and museums. Here's which Norwegian city matches your travel style.

7 min readRead

ITINERARY

Perfect 2 Day Bergen Itinerary: Bryggen, Fjords and Local Food

Two days in Bergen covers the UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf, mountain funicular rides, and Norway's best fish soup. Rain gear required - it falls 239 days per year.

6 min readRead

Ready for Bergen?

Let DAIZ plan your Bergen days

Tell us how long you've got and what you're into. We'll build a day-by-day plan, with the bookable bits ready to lock in.

Plan my Bergen tripFree · no signup to start