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The Nordic Nomad

The Nordics

From flame to fork: 10 Nordic spots for open-fire cooking

The Nordics • Eat & drink • From flame to fork: 10 Nordic spots for open-fire cooking

The allure of wild Nordic cuisine

There’s something timeless about cooking over an open flame. Long before sous vide machines and temperature-controlled ovens, it was fire that brought people together, transforming raw ingredients into something rich, smoky and deeply satisfying. Across the Nordics, a new generation of chefs is rediscovering this primal technique – not as a gimmick, but as a way to reconnect with the land, the seasons and the very act of cooking itself. Whether it’s fish smoked on wooden planks or vegetables blistered in the embers, the result is a dining experience that feels grounded, elemental and impossibly alive. Here are ten places doing it brilliantly.

Top photography courtesy of Grains

Ekstedt

Chef Niklas Ekstedt loves to play with fire at his eponymous Stockholm restaurant and takes on the New Nordic Cuisine with an added dose of charcoal, soot and smoke. His inspiration is his remote countryside upbringing in the tiny village of Järpen, and a set of 18th-century cookbooks that detail Swedish cooking before the advent of electricity. The result achieved from the heat of the wood-burning oven, fire pit and chargrill is no small feat. Make sure to reserve a seat at the counter for a first-hand view of the action.

Ekstedt
Humlegårdsgatan 17
Stockholm
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Ekstedt

Alouette

At Alouette, live-fire cooking is central to the kitchen’s identity, lending every dish a sense of primal refinement. Chef Nick Curtin uses flame not for show, but to coax depth and nuance from top-quality ingredients. Norwegian langoustine tails are lightly grilled over open fire and paired with a beurre blanc infused with elderflower and oregano oil – precise, delicate and daring. Marsh-fed spring lamb marinated in ramson miso arrives flame-kissed and full of character. This is fire cooking with finesse, rooted in French technique but unafraid to push boundaries. It’s a bold, elemental approach that has helped earn Alouette both a Michelin star and a coveted Green Star.

Alouette
Kronprinsessegade 8
Copenhagen
Denmark

Photography courtesy of Alouette

Knystaforsen

At Knystaforsen, every element of the meal is shaped by fire. Chef Nicolai Tram crafts each dish over open flames fuelled by local birch wood, transforming ingredients sourced from nearby forests, rivers and producers into a seasonal tasting menu that resonates with the surrounding landscape. Signature offerings include charred leeks served with buttermilk, dill oil and pike roe. The grilled duck hearts accompanied by onion jam and hay ash, each dish imbued with a distinct smoky essence. This elemental approach to cooking, deeply rooted in nature, has earned Knystaforsen both a Michelin star and a Green Star.

Knystaforsen
Rydöforsvägen 4
Rydöbruk
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Knystaforsen

Brasa

In the heart of Helsinki’s Senate Square, Brasa ignites a culinary experience where fire is both technique and theatre. Under Head Chef Taneli Korsiala, the kitchen employs open flames to transform locally sourced ingredients – dry-aged meats, fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables – into dishes that are both rustic and refined. The menu features offerings like grilled Iberico pork with salsa roja and coriander and butterflied seabass dry-aged for two to three days before being roasted whole over the fire. Brasa’s commitment to flame-cooked cuisine is complemented by an extensive wine list and a standout in Helsinki’s dining scene.

Brasa
Aleksanterinkatu 22
Helsinki
Finland

Photography courtesy of Brasa

Grillmarkaðurinn

At Grillmarkaðurinn in Reykjavík, fire is the foundation of cooking. Chef Hrefna Rósa Sætran and her team harness wood, coal and smoke to transform Icelandic ingredients into dishes that are both primal and polished. The menu features offerings like grilled puffin with pickled bilberries, Minke whale steak with onion-soy dressing and lamb skewers marinated in angelica and Szechuan pepper. The dining room, with its basalt columns and warm timber, evokes the Icelandic landscape. A meal at Grillmarkaðurinn is truly a sensory immersion into Iceland’s elemental cuisine without being gimmicky.

Grillmarkaðurinn
Lækjargata 2a
Reykjavík
Iceland

Photography courtesy of Grillmarkaðurinn

Hörte Brygga

On the southern coast of Sweden, Hörte Brygga offers a summer dining experience rooted in open-fire cooking and sustainability. Chefs Emma Andersson and Martin Sjöstrand craft a fixed lunch menu using local produce, prepared over a fire pit, wood-fired oven, kebab grill and smoker in their outdoor kitchen. The dishes highlight seasonal ingredients, seasoned simply with salt, pepper and herbs from the surroundings. This approach has transformed Hörte Brygga into a destination that celebrates the region’s natural bounty and culinary traditions.

Hörte Brygga
Hörte Hamn
Skivarp
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Hörte Brygga

All About Salmon

At All About Salmon in Rovaniemi’s Santa Claus Village, the ancient Lappish tradition of open-fire salmon cooking is brought vividly to life. Inside a rustic hut, salmon fillets are affixed to wooden planks and slowly roasted over a central open flame, allowing guests to witness the cooking process first-hand. The signature dish, ’loimulohi’, is served with rieska (Finnish flatbread) and cream cheese flavoured with väinönputki (Norwegian angelica), offering a taste deeply rooted in Arctic culinary heritage. Complementing the meal are traditional non-alcoholic beverages like blueberry juice and ’mummon mehu’, a classic berry juice.

All About Salmon
Tähtikuja 1
Rovaniemi
Finland

Photography courtesy of All About Salmon

Hawkhill Cottage Resort

In the heart of Nuuksio National Park, Hawkhill Cottage Resort offers an immersive open-fire culinary experience led by wilderness chef Anssi Lohvansuu. With over two decades of expertise, Lohvansuu guides guests through the art of campfire cooking in the resort’s unique outdoor kitchen. Participants prepare a three-course meal using locally sourced ingredients, including wild herbs and sustainably caught fish, all cooked over open flames. Dishes such as forest mushroom soup, flamed rainbow trout with seasonal vegetables and pancakes with forest berry jam exemplify the menu’s connection to nature.

Hawkhill Cottage Resort
Haukkamäentie 95
Vihti
Finland

Photography courtesy of Hawkhill Cottage Resort

Soppverket

In the woodlands near Snogeholm castle, Soppverket offers a rustic dining experience centred around open-fire cooking. Founded by Jessica Hermann, this seasonal eatery invites guests to enjoy soups prepared over a crackling fire, complemented by coffee and traditional Swedish pastries. The menu changes with the seasons, reflecting the local produce and the rhythms of nature. Set amidst hiking trails and lakes, Soppverket provides a tranquil setting where visitors can savour hearty meals in the great outdoors. Open by reservation, it’s an ideal spot if you’re seeking a simple and rustic culinary experience in the heart of Skåne’s countryside.

Soppverket
Kvegsänkesvägen 114
Sjöbo
Sweden

Photography courtesy of Typeo

St. Lars

At St. Lars in Oslo’s Bislett district, fire is a guiding principle. Founded in 2011 by food writer and TV chef Andreas Viestad, the restaurant centres its menu around an open charcoal grill, embracing the ethos: “If it can be grilled, it must be grilled”. Dishes range from grilled Norwegian lamb shoulder to langoustines and horse tartare, all prepared with a focus on flavour and technique. The interior features a painting of Saint Lawrence, the patron saint of grill cooks, symbolising the restaurant’s fiery dedication.