Art Cafe, Tromsø | Big Flavors, Humble Place

Set in humble surroundings, with a casual, yet welcoming feel, Art Cafe in Tromsø is one we'd definitely recommend. It's cozy, comfortable, and delicious. Even if you're not in the arctic visiting, this is still an inspiring place to take in via amateur internet review. Again, we are simply average people, sharing about great food experiences in unique environments.

The Basics

• For starters, the cafe is small. Beautiful small. Cozy small. Eclectic small.

• Reservations are helpful. They only take a small amount of patrons to be available to serve well. We tried to get in on a Norwegian holiday - definite no-go. Booked solid.... for the foreseeable future. They took us in a week later finally.

• The owners/staff are casual, welcoming, and take great care to be hospitable.

• Locals are clearly comfortable here. This seems to be a place to come and "just be." Which, is great. It's even stated on the menu that they embrace a casual, family feel in the cafe and that was felt and visible.

The Food

Being that it's the reason you're there, one would expect it to make an impression. And it did! All we can say is that the food is prepared with such care you can taste it! It's the perfect combination of home-cooked richness, with fine dining flavors. Yum!

The kids loved their selection, Beef Bolognese... they couldn't pass it up. It was flavorful and didn't last long enough for us to taste more as the kids devoured it.

For the adults:

• King Crab Bisque - probably the best seafood bisque we've ever had! This is a staple selection for us in travel and have tried it all over the States, but this was amazing. Creamy, flavorful, and the freshness of the crab did not disappoint.

• Norwegian Salmon Eggs Benedict - another favorite of ours and one that was done very well. Fresh herbs, delicately smoked salmon, and a perfectly poached egg. We also discovered dishes are often served with something similar to a Crème Fraiche, although it wasn't labeled as such. It was very smooth, subtle, and added a nice airy sour creme flavor and texture to the dish (and others we had it with). It was wonderful.

• Beef Bourguignon - finally, the Beef Bourguignon. We have not been to France...yet. But, we do seem to enjoy French cuisine. This Beef Bourguignon is one of the best we've had as well. It was comfort food at it's finest along with well executed cuisine. The beef was exceptionally tender, vegetables flavorful, and even the potatoes had more flavor than some in the States. Why is that? Blog for another time.... Anyway, it was rich, bold and delicious.

Final Thoughts

Lastly, we have to mention the hospitality and presentation. Again, it is a casual establishment, so it's not "fancy" per se. However, the hosts and owners take time to do everything with an excellence and quality that draws you in and makes you feel like you're the only one being waited on.

Drinks, even simple soft drinks, and water, are served in unique glasses and flutes. The cutlery, dishes, and bread boards are all a bit different and unique. It's a fun way to take in things with your eyes as well as your tastebuds.

The way they do things simply stands out.

To our foodie friends, chefs, and even other cafe owners... sometimes it really can be the small things that make the biggest impression.

Thank you to the locals that recommended the cafe to us! We are glad we went and thoroughly enjoyed our time and dinner there. If we ever find ourselves in Tromsø again, we will revisit this eclectic place.

If you're looking to enjoy a great place in Tromsø, we found their information on Facebook, Click Here.