Best Burgers in Oslo: Grünerløkka to Vulkan

To find the best burgers in Oslo, head east of the city centre first. Grünerløkka, along the Akerselva river, and the small Vulkan quarter beside it hold the densest cluster of burger kitchens, with Grønland and Tøyen a short walk south. Smash burgers and thick grilled patties share most menus.

Oslo’s casual food scene grew out of old industrial land. Mathallen, a food hall in a 1902 ironworks building at Vulkan, opened in October 2012 and gathers Norwegian producers, stalls and counters under one roof. Away from the halls, the everyday quick meal is still the gatekjøkken, a snack bar selling burgers next to hot dogs and fries. Norwegians eat their main meal, middag, early, often around 5 pm, so burger places fill up well before the usual European dinner hour.

Burgers in Oslo: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: Grünerløkka, Vulkan, Grønland and Tøyen, Sentrum, Majorstuen and Frogner.
• Food hall: Mathallen Oslo at Vulkan, open since 2012 in a former ironworks by the Akerselva.
• Local format: the gatekjøkken, Norway’s corner snack bar, where a burger sits next to sausages and fries.
• Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK). Card payment is the norm, and eating out costs more than in most of Europe.
• When locals eat: middag, the main meal, comes early, often around 5 pm.
• Getting around: trams run up to Grünerløkka; the T-bane metro stops at Grønland, Tøyen and Majorstuen.

Every guide we publish on Oslo is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. To compare Oslo with other capitals, browse our burger restaurant guides from around the world.