Food & Wine
Aquarie is Oslo's most uncompromising seafood restaurant. In a glass cube near Akershus Fortress, master chef and TV star Jonathan Romano serves delicacies from the Norwegian fjords.
Picolo Editorial
Jonathan's long and impressive CV includes Michelin stars and stints at top restaurants such as Alex Sushi, Omakase, Bagatelle, Statholdergaarden, (Paid link)Hotel Continental, and (Paid link)Grand Hotel. In recent years, he has also become a familiar face in Norway as a judge on the Norwegian version of Masterchef.
Many people give Jonathan a large share of the credit for introducing sushi to the Norwegian culinary scene. After developing a number of successful sushi restaurants, he wanted to focus on a pure seafood restaurant.
In January 2022, Jonathan opened Aquarie. The restaurant is located in the centre of Oslo with a beautiful view of the fjord, right by the famous Akershus Fortress. Large parts of the square building are made of glass, which gives it an exciting aquarium-like feel. The Oslo chef opened the restaurant with a clear goal in mind.
Aquarie
Large parts of the square building are made of glass, which gives it an exciting aquarium-like feel.
"I wanted to serve uncompromising, fantastic seafood with the freshest possible ingredients. Look at what we have right outside the window, the Oslofjord. It's full of culinary treasure," says Jonathan.
Read more: Jonathan Romano became a Michelin masterchef by accident
Prawns and halibut are signature dishes: Jonathan promises that guests at the new restaurant will be surprised with food full of simple and clean flavours.
The Thief: The design hotel at the tip of Tjuvholmen has art from the Astrup Fearnley collection on the walls and a roof terrace overlooking the fjord.
Hotel Continental: The family run hotel by the National Theatre is one of the most classic in Oslo, and Jonathan Romano himself has worked in its kitchens.
Grand Hotel: The hotel where the Nobel Peace Prize laureate traditionally stays, right on Karl Johans gate.
Our hotel pick: The Thief on Tjuvholmen. See rooms at The Thief on Tjuvholmen (Paid link)
The restaurant has been very well received by critics in the Norwegian media:
"Oslo has remarkably few pure seafood restaurants. The newly opened Aquarie is reeling in ecstatic experiences," says the newspaper Dagens Næringsliv.
"The service is good, and the food is excellent at Aquarie. It's bustling and the atmosphere is vibrant," concludes VG, which also writes: "This is a seafood restaurant for everyone, including those who need to learn to like seafood. There are many of them, so Aquarie is going to do well."
And Aftenposten completely agrees: "With a variety of dishes and lots of good flavours, Aquarie is a nice addition to Oslo's restaurant scene."
See available rooms at The Thief on Tjuvholmen (Paid link)
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Good reviews
"This is a seafood restaurant for everyone, including those who need to learn to like seafood. There are many of them, so Aquarie is going to do well."
Jonathan promises that guests at the new restaurant will be surprised with food full of simple and clean flavours. His signature dishes contain two ingredients he loves: raw prawns and halibut. The prawn dish is very simple and consists of just three ingredients. The halibut dish is more complex, and its sauce plays a key role. Romano calls the dish 'naks naman', a Filipino slang expression used when one is very impressed.
He believes that the very best dishes are simple and often have six ingredients or less. The menu at Aquarie also includes oysters, with several sauces to choose from. In the wine cellar, you will also find a rich selection of champagnes and wines from different parts of the world.
Enjoy your trip to Oslo and aquarie
Picolo Editorial
Hotels
Stay by the fjord and you can walk to Aquarie, Aker Brygge and the fortress.
Aquarie sits by Akershus Fortress with views over the fjord. Aker Brygge, Tjuvholmen and Karl Johan are close by, and all three of these hotels are within walking distance.
If you book through the links in this article, Picolo earns a commission based on a percentage of the price. The views in this article are nonetheless entirely our own.
Not sure which neighbourhood? Read our guide to where to stay in Oslo, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
The Thief
The design hotel at the tip of Tjuvholmen has art from the Astrup Fearnley collection on the walls and a roof terrace overlooking the fjord. A short walk along the water takes you to Aquarie.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at The Thief (Paid link)
Hotel Continental
The family run hotel by the National Theatre is one of the most classic in Oslo, and Jonathan Romano himself has worked in its kitchens. Theatercaféen on the ground floor is an institution.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Hotel Continental (Paid link)
Grand Hotel Oslo
The hotel where the Nobel Peace Prize laureate traditionally stays, right on Karl Johans gate. Akershus Fortress and Aquarie are a short walk away.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Grand Hotel (Paid link)
Planning a trip? See the best things to do in Oslo and the 10 best hotels in Oslo.
Aquarie is in central Oslo next to Akershus Fortress, with views over the fjord. Much of the square building is glass, giving you the feeling of sitting inside an aquarium as you eat.
The restaurant was opened in January 2022 by master chef and TV personality Jonathan Romano, known as a judge on Masterchef Norway. His background includes Alex Sushi, Statholdergaarden and Hotel Continental.
Aquarie serves uncompromising seafood with the freshest possible produce from Norwegian fjords. It has received good reviews in Norwegian papers such as Dagens Næringsliv, VG and Aftenposten, and also suits those still learning to love seafood.
Aquarie is by Akershus Fortress. The Thief on Tjuvholmen, Hotel Continental by the National Theatre and Grand Hotel on Karl Johan are all within walking distance.
