Eat · Karl Johans gate & Oslo Cathedral
Kaffistova (Norwegian home cooking)
A cafeteria-style restaurant for traditional Norwegian dishes such as fish cakes and meatballs: the cheapest sit-down hot meal near Karl Johans gate, best at lunch on a weekday.
- Norwegian home cooking
- Cheaper than most
- Central
- Order: Meatballs or fish cakes
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: 11:30–14:00
- Queue risk: Sundays
- Menu with prices on Voykit
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
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- Nordic countries ↗Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Faroes sell stronger alcohol only in state shops with short hours; buy before evening and before Sundays and holidays.
- Norway ↗Norway is not in the EU but is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources.
- Norway ↗Wine and spirits are sold only at the state Vinmonopolet shops; supermarkets sell beer, and not in the evenings or on Sundays.
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- Oslo and Eastern Norway ↗Book seats for long-distance trains ahead in summer; Interrail and Eurail passes need a seat reservation on most Norwegian services.
- Oslo ↗Taxis from the airport cost many times the train fare; take the train unless you land after its last departure.
- Oslo ↗Wine and spirits are sold only at Vinmonopolet shops; supermarkets sell beer, and not late in the evening or on Sundays.
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Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Lunch and early dinner; check the days
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
11:30–14:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Cards taken
Per person
NOK 200–350 (≈ US$20–35)2026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
Tip
Format
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
How to order
- Read the board and choose the dish of the day.
- Take a table and collect your food.
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian · Limited. · say: “Jeg spiser ikke kjøtt.”
- NoVegan · Rare.
- NoHalal · Not certified. · say: “Uten svinekjøtt.”
- AskGluten-free · Ask.
- AskNut allergy · Ask.
- AskAllergy · Ask staff. · say: “Jeg er allergisk mot...”
Paying
Cards taken
- Order at the counter and pay.
- Ask for the dish of the day for the best price.
- Cards and phone wallets.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- Walk-in; groups should call ahead.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
- 1Read the board and choose the dish of the day.
- 2Take a table and collect your food.
No shared language? Tap dishes in the order builder below and show the waiter the full-screen list in the local script. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Hvor mye koster det? | voor mee-eh kos-ter deh |
| The bill, please | Regningen, takk | ray-ning-en tahk |
| Hello | Hei | hay |
| Thank you | Takk | tahk |
| Delicious! | Kjempegodt! | chem-peh-got |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Drinks: Beer and wine add up — Choose water.
- Alcohol is dear; drink tap water.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Order at the counter and pay.
- Ask for the dish of the day for the best price.
- Cards and phone wallets.
- Tipping: Not expected; round up or add 5 to 10% for good service.
- Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
- Tipping is not expected.
At the table
- Lunch specials (dagens) are the cheapest hot meal.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- NOK 200–350 (≈ US$20–35) per person (2026 estimate)
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Rare.
Standard.
Accepted.
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianask
Limited.
Show: Jeg spiser ikke kjøtt.
- Veganno
Rare.
- Halalno
Not certified.
Show: Uten svinekjøtt.
- Gluten-freeask
Ask.
- Nut allergyask
Ask.
- Allergyask
Ask staff.
Show: Jeg er allergisk mot...
What is in the dishes
- Fish cakesFiskekakerfish · wheat
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- Phone for groups.
- How far ahead
- Same day
- No-show / cancel fee
- Cancel by phone.
- Dress code
- Casual.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sundays | check before you go | Hours vary. |
| Public holidays | check before you go | Closed. |
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Hour by hour, with queue times
Quietest listed hour: 11:00 (light).
- 11:00lightlittle or no wait
- 12:00heavyexpect a line
- 13:00heavyexpect a line
- 14:00lightlittle or no wait
- 17:00busya short wait is possible
- 18:00busya short wait is possible
Desk estimate of crowd on a weekday; weekends and public holidays run one level higher. Not live data. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: check
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: yes · stroller: ok · Children's portions available; check
- Access
- step-free: yes · Level; check the toilet
Hygiene
- Norwegian food hygiene rules apply.
- Tap water is excellent.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Walk-in; groups should call ahead.
- Capabilities
- food · seated_rest · toilet
- Getting there
- Walk from Karl Johans gate or Oslo S (about 8 minutes) · ~8 min walk
Cons
- A plain, canteen-style room.
- Hours and days change; check before you go.
- Norwegian-style portions and flavours are mild.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Dagens | The dish of the day. | Ask for dagens. |
| Kjøttkaker | Meatballs in gravy. | A classic. |
| Fiskekaker | Fish cakes. | A mild classic. |
| Lompe | A soft potato flatbread. | Try it with a hot dog elsewhere. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A dagens costs NOK 200 to 300 (≈ US$20–30).
- tourist price
- Waterfront restaurants charge NOK 350 to 500 (≈ US$35–50) for a main.
- rule
- Ask for the dish of the day for the best price.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks | Beer and wine add up | Choose water. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Do I need to book?
No, except for groups.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is it open on Sunday?
Check; hours vary.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is it good value for Oslo?
It is one of the cheaper hot meals in the centre.
What is the dish of the day?
Ask at the counter.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Bakery and kiosk lunch5 min walkThe cheapest real lunch in central Oslo: a sandwich or a bun from a bakery, or a hot dog in a potato flatbread from a kiosk, for NOK 45 to 120; eat on a bench or take it to the harbour.
- Vippa food hall16 min walkAn international street-food hall in a former warehouse by the harbour: stalls for a range of cuisines at NOK 130 to 220 a dish, a good lunch after the fortress; go before 13:00 or after 14:00 to avoid the rush.An international street-food hall in a former warehouse by the harbour: stalls for a range of cuisines at NOK 130 to 220 a dish, a good lunch after the fortress; go before 1:00 PM or after 2:00 PM to avoid the rush.
- Mathallen Oslo food hall22 min walkA food hall with stalls for bakery, seafood and Norwegian cheese: go for an early lunch or early dinner, share a few dishes and skip the large sit-down meal.
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Oslo, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Oslo in 4 days.
Sources
- officialVisit Oslo (official tourism site)
- secondaryWikivoyage: Oslo
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.