Norway: The world’s largest underwater restaurant receives the first Michelin star

The “Under” in Norway is not only Europe’s only underwater restaurant, but also the largest in the world with space for up to 100 guests. Although this extraordinary gourmet address only opened in April 2019, it can already look forward to its first Michelin star.

The spectacular design for the “Under” comes from the Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta: half below and half above sea level, the concrete and glass structure fits like a monolith into the rocky surroundings of the archipelago at Cape Lindesnes – at the southernmost point of the mainland.

Around five meters below the surface of the water, a four by eleven meter large panoramic window allows a clear view of seals, fish, mussels, crabs and other marine animals that live around a sandbar directly in front of the restaurant and thanks to lighting in the water even in the dark and rough sea conditions are admired.

The head chef of the underwater restaurant comes from Norway, of course: Nicolai Ellitsgaard Pedersen used to run the renowned “Måltid” in Kristiansand and also mainly uses regional ingredients at his new workplace. Depending on the season, 15 to 18 dishes are on the menu, ranging from fresh fish and seafood to seabirds and wild sheep – accompanied by a selection of excellent wines.

Overall, the new “Michelin Guide Nordic Countries 2020” has given four restaurants from four different regions of Norway the first star. In addition to the “Under”, this also includes the elegant “Speilsalen” restaurant by Christopher Davidsens in the historic Britannia Hotel in Trondheim, the “Bare Restaurant” in Bergen and the Japanese bar restaurant “Omakase by Vladimir Pak” in Oslo.

The “Re-naa” in Stavanger can look forward to its second star and is now the best gourmet address in the country. Because the previous three-star restaurant “Maaemo” by chef Esben Holmboe Bang in Oslo is currently moving to a new location and could therefore not be tested. Six Norwegian restaurants kept their star from the previous year.

Michelin restaurants in Norway:

** RE-NAA / Stavanger
* Bare / Bergen (NEW)
* Omakase by Vladimir Pak / Oslo (NEW)
* Speilsalen / Trondheim (NEW)
* Under / Lindesnes (NEW)
* Statholdergaarden / Oslo
* Galt / Oslo
* Contrast / Oslo
* Sabi Omakase / Stavanger
* FAGN / Trondheim
* Credo / Trondheim

These pictures show the “Under”:

Photo: Ivar Kvaal

Photo: Ivar Kvaal

Photo: MIR / Snøhetta

Photo: MIR / Snøhetta