Huset Restaurant

The Verdict

Huset Restaurant is the most serious dining option in Longyearbyen, and it is not close. If you are visiting Svalbard and want one proper dinner, this is where to book. The Spanish-Scandinavian kitchen under Chef Alberto Lozano operates at a $$$ price point, the wine list runs to nearly 5,000 bottles across 980 selections with a Star Wine List 2026 award to back it up, and the sommelier team — Maxime Resse and Antonio Serrano — is overqualified for a settlement of 2,500 people sitting 78 degrees north. That combination of credentials does not exist anywhere else on the archipelago.

For a first-timer, the short version: book dinner, arrive early enough to settle in, and let the wine team guide you. This is not a venue where you skip the wine pairing.

What to Expect

Longyearbyen has a small but growing restaurant scene, and Huset sits clearly above it. Owned by Hurtigruten Svalbard, the restaurant carries institutional weight in a town where most operations are pragmatic and visitor-facing. The atmosphere is calm and composed rather than buzzy , the Arctic latitude and the hotel-restaurant format give it a quieter register than you would find in a comparably priced city venue. If you are coming from Oslo or Copenhagen expecting a high-energy room, recalibrate. The draw here is the quality of the kitchen and the depth of the cellar, not the scene.

The cuisine spans Spanish and Scandinavian, an unusual pairing that reflects Chef Lozano's background. In practice, this means the menu draws from two distinct European traditions , southern technique meeting northern ingredients. Dinner is the only meal service listed in the database, so there is no lunch comparison to make at Huset itself. The $$$ price tier means you should expect to spend above 66 USD per person for a two-course baseline before beverages. With wine, budget considerably more, and that is not a warning , it is the point. The list's strength in Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône, Bordeaux, Loire, Germany, Italy, and Spain, with 980 selections and 5,050 bottles in inventory, is the primary reason to pay the premium.

The Wine Program

The Star Wine List 2026 recognition is the most concrete credential Huset holds, and it earns it on volume and range alone. A 980-selection list is serious anywhere. In Longyearbyen, it is extraordinary , the logistics of maintaining that cellar at this latitude, under Maxime Resse's direction, represent a real operational commitment. The list prices at $$$, meaning a meaningful portion of the inventory sits above 100 USD per bottle, but there is range across price points. France dominates the serious end: Burgundy and Champagne are the headline strengths, with the Rhône and Loire adding depth. Italy and Spain round out the European coverage well. If wine is central to your travel decisions, this list is a legitimate reason to route through Longyearbyen rather than just a bonus.

Booking and Logistics

Booking difficulty is rated Easy. Given the remote location and the $$$ price point, that makes sense , Longyearbyen has far fewer high-spending diners passing through per night than any comparable Norwegian city venue. No phone number or website is listed in our current data, so the most reliable route is through your hotel or directly via Hurtigruten Svalbard's accommodation booking channels, which typically include restaurant reservations. Dinner is the only service, so timing is not complicated: one sitting, one decision.

Practical Comparison: Huset vs. Oslo's Top Tier

Venue	City	Cuisine	Price	Booking Difficulty	Wine Program
Huset Restaurant	Longyearbyen	Spanish / Scandinavian	$$$	Easy	980 selections, Star Wine List 2026
Maaemo	Oslo	New Nordic	€€€€	Hard	Award-winning, tasting menu paired
RE-NAA	Stavanger	New Nordic / Creative	€€€€	Hard	Strong sommelier program
FAGN	Trondheim	Nordic / Modern	€€€	Moderate	Curated list
Iris	Rosendal	Creative / Greek & Turkish	€€€€	Hard	Destination-specific

Who Should Book

Huset is the right call for anyone visiting Svalbard who wants a dinner that justifies itself on its own terms, not just relative to local options. Wine-focused diners will get the most from it , the cellar depth is the strongest argument for the price. Special occasions work well here given the calm, considered atmosphere. Solo diners and couples will find it comfortable; groups should confirm availability given the remote location and likely limited covers. For broader context on where Huset sits among Norway's serious restaurants, see our full Longyearbyen restaurants guide. If you are building a longer Norway itinerary, our guides to Longyearbyen hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences are useful companions. For comparison with Norway's other destination restaurants worth traveling for, Under in Lindesnes and Conservatory in Norangsfjorden are the closest analogues in terms of remote-location fine dining.