Changes in the restaurant scene in Stavanger

First of all: Happy New Year! This posting will just be a bit about what has happened on the Stavanger restaurant scene in 2018 – and what will happen in 2019. 

Let’s start with the bad news! It seems like it is hard to run a restaurant business in Stavanger and there are unfortunately many places that have closed down in 2018. Alex Sushi (that I wrote about a couple of years back) closed in December after struggling financially for the last few years. It was also a bit of a shock to read that California Republic and Cuba Compagniet are struggling (after only 9 months open) and it was also surprising to see that the beer pub Gulating had to close even if it had a prime location in the middle of a thriving area in Stavanger (Fargegadå). In addition to this Wrap & roll is struggling and it seems like they have to close their venues at the malls but the food truck might be back under a different name.

But let us move on to the more positive news: which restaurants are due to open in 2019? First of all: the flagship of the Stavanger restaurant scene, RE-NAA, is closing down the business at the current location in Breitorget and they are moving to the new Eilert Smith hotel just a few hundred meters away. Renaa Matbaren will continue the business at Breitorget and the plan seems to be to open a wine bar in the old RE-NAA location. Talking about moving: Ostehuset also moved in December and they are now located in a beautiful new setting at Bankplassen next to the cathedral of Stavanger.

There are a few brand new restaurants on the horizon as well. Tango moved in with Fish & Cow a while back and the old place has not been in use since then. But now a new place called Diablito will open up in March and they will focus on authentic tapas! A lot of the new things are happening in Stavanger Øst at the moment so it is not a surprise that many of the new restaurants are opening there. In Pedersgata we will see the opening of Hekkan burger and Mano Pizza – in the same house actually. Further down the road, Yips Dumplings & Digg will open. Pedersgata is really turning into the restaurant street of Stavanger with a great variety of places.

Near Tou Scene, we will see the opening of Tako (by the owners of Fortou) and this will focus on Mexican food. They will open the place in Ryfylkegata 22 and right next door there will be a new branch of the bakery Kanelsnurren. Kanelsnurren have expanded quite a lot over the last couple of years and now they will be competing with Ostehuset Øst as they are in the same neighborhood.

Which restaurants are you looking forward to checking out in 2019?