The Nordic Nomad

The Nordics

Food, art and experimentation – 5 innovative Nordic restaurants

The Nordics • Eat & drink • Food, art and experimentation – 5 innovative Nordic restaurants

Nordic restaurants that serve up food for thought

While some see the intake of food solely as fuel for the body, we believe that food can be so much more. It also has the potential to bring together people, and make us think about our surroundings in a different way. It may even change our perspective on life. We have gathered the most spectacular, outlandish, inventive, disruptive and boundary-pushing dining experiences in the Nordics – unique gastronomic concepts that you won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Alchemist

What if food could be transformed to transcend the traditional dining experience? That is what Danish chef Rasmus Munk sets out to do through “holistic cuisine” at Alchemist. As a gastronomic sorcerer, his 50-meal dinner, divided into five acts and served at various spaces within the restaurant, draws upon elements from the worlds of theatre and art, as well as science, technology and design, in order to create an all-encompassing and dramaturgically driven sensory experience. It’s edible magic.

Read the full article on Alchemist.

Alchemist
Refshalevej 173C
Copenhagen
Denmark

Photography courtesy of Alchemist

Brutalisten

If you’re an art buff, you’re probably familiar with the work of Stockholm-based German artist Carsten Höller. Höller has teamed up with Swedish chef Stefan Eriksson to write the ten-tenet “The Brutalist Kitchen Manifesto” which serves as a base for the foods served at their Stockholm dining establishment Brutalisten. With a “mono-ingredient” menu, this place is not only a restaurant but also a work of art and a social experiment.

Brutalisten
Regeringsgatan 71
Stockholm
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Brutalisten

Lyst

Situated in the striking Fjordenhus building, designed by artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Sebastian Behmann, Lyst – Danish for ‘appetite’ – serves up a gastronomic experience unlike any other. The engaging, multi-course experience focused on creative dishes which respect their prime seasonal ingredients which are sourced within a 100-mile radius. Head chef Daniel Mcburnie has created twenty servings that have been affected by the four elements of air, fire, water and earth.

Read the full article on Lyst.

Lyst
Havneøen 1
Vejle
Denmark

Photography courtesy of Lyst

Punk Royale

An anti-establishment that refuses to do things by the book, Punk Royale was founded by chef duo Jocke Almqvist and Kalle Nilsson in Stockholm in 2015. The experimental venue, a bizarre world that is surreal, playful, crazy and tasty all at once, has grown into quite the empire with a second restaurant in Copenhagen, as well as sister restaurant Coco & Carmen in Stockholm. In 2022, Punk Royale opened in Oslo, Norway.

Punk Royale
Folkungagatan 128
Stockholm
Sweden

Punk Royale
Dronningens Tværgade 10
Copenhagen
Denmark

Punk Royale
Frognerveien 5
Oslo
Norway

Photography courtesy of Punk Royale

Restaurang Art

Inspired by concepts such as Beauty & Essex in New York, Restaurang Art in Stockholm merges gastronomy with – you guessed it – art. A graffiti-covered world, created by artists Kattis Palmnäs, Kaos and Klive, awaits those who push the red doorbell. The vibe is laid-back and the focus of the menu is mid-sized dishes that are served family-style.