Brunch in Bergen: the best places for brunch and lunch in the city centre

The best place for brunch in Bergen city centre is Frescohallen at Bergen Børs Hotel, where weekends bring music, brunch and energy beneath the great frescoes. If you would rather have a view, Bjerck has panoramic windows facing the harbour. Here are our places for brunch and lunch in Bergen, and how to enjoy a slow weekend.

Read about brunch and live music at Frescohallen

Brunch in Bergen at a glance

Brunch in Bergen is mostly a weekend thing, and Saturday is when most places go all out. Here is a quick overview:

• Frescohallen: Weekend brunch in one of the world's most beautiful dining halls. Breakfast from 8 am at weekends, lunch from noon and live music on Saturdays.

• Bjerck: Lunch with Bergen's best view over the fjord and Bryggen. Opens at 11 am on Saturdays and noon on Sundays.

• Izakaya Skostredet: Weekend breakfast from 8 am, plus a lunch menu with Japanese flavours.

• Haven: Open sandwiches and small plates outdoors under a roof from noon, Monday to Saturday.

In short: for atmosphere and music, choose Frescohallen. For a view and seafood, choose Bjerck.

Frescohallen: weekend brunch beneath the frescoes

Frescohallen at Bergen Børs Hotel is the place for brunch in Bergen if you want something special. The hall has soaring arches, a vast frescoed ceiling and a large glass bar, and it has been named the world's best in the historic buildings category. It is not every day you eat your eggs in a room like this.

At weekends, Frescohallen fills with music, brunch and energy. Breakfast is served from 8 am to 11 am on Saturday and Sunday, and from noon the restaurant moves on to lunch. The bar opens at 10 am Friday to Sunday, so there is room for a mimosa or two.

The lunch menu runs from noon to 4 pm every day and includes classics like fish and chips, a steak sandwich and toast Skagen.

Saturdays with live music at Frescohallen

Saturday is Frescohallen's big day. From 3 pm to 5 pm there is live music in the hall, and it has become a fixture for locals and visitors who want a long, lovely Saturday.

The set list runs from Frank Sinatra to ABBA, with classics you can sing along to. Waiters bring oysters, burgers and other dishes from the menu, and the mood sits somewhere between brunch, lunch and an early party.

Yngve Hansen, general manager at Bergen Børs Hotel, says it works whether you come with your partner or the whole group of friends. Book a table in advance, and come early. [SJEKK: current name and act, Frescohallen Live with jazz or Fresco Saturday Live with Morten Færestrand Trio]

A hotel breakfast that feels like brunch

Sometimes the best brunch is a proper hotel breakfast you take your time over. At De Bergenske, breakfast is part of your stay, and it is made to be enjoyed slowly.

Bergen Børs Hotel calls its breakfast the finest in Bergen. Expect honey from the hotel's own hives, Fanaost cheese, local ham, freshly baked bread and a liver pâté the brand manager calls the best in the world. And, of course, very good coffee.

Find out more about the best hotel breakfast in Bergen.

Staying the weekend? Breakfast at Frescohallen from 8 am to 11 am is a good reason not to set an alarm. [SJEKK: whether breakfast is open to non-residents, and price]

Bjerck: lunch with a view of the harbour

If the view matters more than the eggs, Bjerck Restaurant & Bar on Torgallmenningen is one of the best lunch spots in Bergen. Huge panoramic windows give you the fjord, Bryggen, the Fish Market and city life right outside.

The menu leans towards seafood:

• Fish and chips with crispy cod and the classic sides.

• Mussels in a spiced tomato and basil sauce with crispy bacon, apple and dill.

• Bergen fish soup, just the thing after a day in town.

At weekends Bjerck opens at 11 am on Saturday and noon on Sunday, with a dedicated Sunday menu. The Sunday menu has its own brunch boards, alongside classics like fish soup and fish and chips. That makes it one of the few places in the centre for a late Sunday brunch with a view.

Izakaya Skostredet and Haven: brunch with a twist

Not every brunch needs eggs and bacon.

Izakaya Skostredet on Domkirkegaten serves breakfast from 8 am to 11 am on Saturday and Sunday, and has a lunch menu with daily specials and grill dishes. When the weather allows, sit on the terrace in Skostredet Hage. [SJEKK: whether weekend breakfast is open to non-residents]

Haven by Ole Bulls plass opens at noon Monday to Saturday. Expect open sandwiches, salads, burgers and small plates outdoors under a roof, with heaters when you need them. It is the closest you will get to an outdoor brunch in Bergen all year. Read more in our guide to outdoor dining in Bergen.

Weekday lunch in Bergen

Brunch is for the weekend, but you need a good lunch all week. On weekdays you have several options:

• Frescohallen: Lunch menu from noon to 4 pm every day, between the Fish Market and Torgallmenningen.

• Bjerck: Open from 11 am on weekdays, popular with visitors and for business lunches.

• Matbaren at Zander K: Lunch from noon to 3 pm on weekdays, next to Bergen station.

• Wesselstuen: Open from noon Monday to Saturday, with a lunch menu.

Something sweet: afternoon tea and Saturday parties

More of an afternoon person? Afternoon tea at Grand Hotel Terminus could be your brunch. It is the British tradition of tea, finger sandwiches and cakes, served in the elegant surroundings of Grand Hotel Terminus. [SJEKK: days, times and price for afternoon tea]

Prefer a livelier crowd? Engen Steakhouse has hosted Bubbles & Beats, a Saturday lunch with music and bubbles from noon to 4.30 pm. [SJEKK: next date for Bubbles & Beats]

Brunch for a group: birthdays, hen parties and celebrations

Brunch is one of the easiest ways to bring people together. It is early enough that everyone turns up, late enough that nobody has to be up at dawn, and it rarely ends at 2 pm.

If you are a big group, plan a little:

• Send an enquiry ahead. Frescohallen, Bjerck and our other restaurants welcome group and event requests.

• Pick your moment. A Saturday with live music at Frescohallen creates its own atmosphere. A Sunday at Bjerck is calmer, with more room to talk.

• Agree on a menu. For bigger tables, a set menu is often easier than everyone ordering separately. [SJEKK: whether the restaurants offer group brunch menus]

It works well for birthdays, hen and stag parties and family celebrations, and once you are seated, it often turns into a long afternoon.

Build a whole Saturday around brunch

Brunch in Bergen is best as the start of something. Here is what a good Saturday in the centre looks like:

1. Late morning: A late breakfast or brunch at Frescohallen.

2. Afterwards: A stroll around the Fish Market and along Bryggen, just minutes away.

3. Afternoon: The Fløibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen for the view. See our guide to Mount Ulriken and Mount Fløyen.

4. Evening: Dinner at Frescohallen, or a drink under the roof at Haven.

Tips for a great brunch in Bergen

• Book a table. Between 11 am and 3 pm on Saturdays, many places in the centre are full.

• Check Sunday hours. Several restaurants in the centre are closed or open late on Sundays.

• Make a day of it. Brunch at Frescohallen, a stroll past the Fish Market and Bryggen, and your Saturday is sorted.

• Dress for the weather. If you are walking between places, an umbrella is never a bad idea in Bergen.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you have brunch on a Sunday in Bergen?

On Sundays you can have breakfast at Frescohallen from 8 am to 11 am, and Bjerck opens at noon with a dedicated Sunday menu and harbour views. Izakaya Skostredet also serves breakfast from 8 am to 11 am at weekends. Several other restaurants in the centre are closed on Sundays, so book a table in advance.

What is Fresco Saturday Live?

Fresco Saturday Live is the Saturday concept at Frescohallen in Bergen Børs Hotel, with live music from 3 pm to 5 pm every Saturday. The music runs from Frank Sinatra to ABBA, and waiters serve dishes like oysters and burgers from the menu. It is a mix of late brunch, lunch and Saturday atmosphere, and tables should be booked ahead.

Can you eat a hotel breakfast in Bergen without staying at the hotel?

Hotel breakfast at De Bergenske is included for guests staying at the hotel, with local produce like Fanaost cheese, local ham and honey from the hotels' own hives. Frescohallen at Bergen Børs Hotel and Izakaya Skostredet have their own weekend breakfast hours. Ask the restaurant before you arrive whether breakfast is open to visitors. [SJEKK: breakfast for non-residents]

Where can you have lunch with a view in Bergen?

Bjerck Restaurant & Bar on Torgallmenningen has one of the best lunch views in Bergen, with large panoramic windows facing the fjord, Bryggen and the Fish Market. The menu focuses on seafood, such as fish and chips, mussels and Bergen fish soup. Bjerck opens at 11 am on weekdays and Saturdays, and at noon on Sundays.

Do you need to book a table for brunch in Bergen?

Yes, booking a table for brunch in Bergen is a good idea, especially on Saturdays. Between 11 am and 3 pm the most popular places in the centre are often full, and live music concepts like Saturdays at Frescohallen fill up quickly. On weekdays it is easier to get a table without a booking, but reserving guarantees your seat.

A long brunch is Bergen at its best: good food, plenty of time and ideally a little music. Book before Saturday comes around, and you will be seated while everyone else is still queuing.

Book a table in Bergen city centre