Restaurant in Rosendal, Norway
Book early. The floating setting earns it.
Iris, housed inside the floating Salmon Eye structure on Hardangerfjord, is a serious destination restaurant that justifies the €€€€ price. Chef Anika Madsen's kitchen ranked #119 in Europe on OAD 2025, applying real technical skill to foraged Norwegian produce. Dinner-only, Thursday to Saturday, reached by boat from Rosendal — book well ahead.
If you have visited Iris once and are weighing a return, the honest answer is: yes, go back, and book further out than you think you need to. The physical experience of arriving by boat to a gleaming structure moored in Hardangerfjord does not wear off, but what justifies a second booking is the kitchen's commitment to produce-led cooking that changes with what the fjord and surrounding landscape yield. Chef Anika Madsen's program sits at #119 on the Opinionated About Dining (OAD) ranking for Europe in 2025, up from #130 in 2024, which signals a kitchen still moving in the right direction. This is a €€€€ dinner that earns its price bracket — but only for diners who are genuinely engaged with where their food comes from.
Iris operates out of the Salmon Eye, a floating steel structure in Hardangerfjord accessible by a short boat transfer from Rosendal. That arrival is not incidental to the meal — it frames the entire evening. The dining room sits over the water, and the view of the fjord at dusk or under late Nordic light is the kind of setting that would make a weak kitchen look stronger than it is. Fortunately, the kitchen does not need the assist.
The cuisine is listed as Creative with Greek and Turkish inflections, which is an unusual combination for a Norwegian fjord restaurant, but the real throughline is the sourcing. Dishes make use of foraged ingredients and produce that does not photograph well but cooks with authority: lumpsucker fish, Norwegian cuttlefish, and similar ingredients that most high-end kitchens would overlook. This is not a menu built around prestige ingredients. It is built around technical skill applied to things most diners have never encountered. If you are coming from a dinner at Le Bernardin in New York City or Atomix in New York City, the register here is different , less precision-polished, more ecologically honest.
The scent profile in the dining room is shaped by the surrounding water and what is happening in the kitchen , salinity from the fjord, and the clean, mineral character that comes from working with seafood and foraged coastal ingredients. It is not the warm aromatic cloud of a wood-fired kitchen. It reads as spare and clean, which matches the setting and the food philosophy.
Iris does not currently operate a daytime service. Hours run Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 pm to 1 am, with Monday, Tuesday, Sunday, and Wednesday all closed. That means this is a dinner-only proposition, and the question of lunch versus dinner value does not apply here in the conventional sense. What that limited schedule does mean practically: you have four service nights per week to work with, which compresses availability considerably. The evening-only format also aligns well with the experience , the boat transfer, the fjord light at dusk, the pacing of a long tasting menu , and a lunchtime visit would likely diminish the atmosphere that makes the setting work. There is no daytime version of this meal to compare against, and if the kitchen ever introduced one, the evening format would remain the stronger choice for first-time and returning visitors alike.
Iris holds a Google rating of 4.8 from 86 reviews, which is a strong signal at this sample size for a remote destination restaurant. The OAD ranking of #119 in Europe for 2025 is the more meaningful credential: OAD aggregates the assessments of frequent serious diners and restaurant professionals, making it a reliable peer-reviewed benchmark rather than a popularity metric. The Star Wine List White Star recognition, published August 2025, adds a wine program signal that matters if you are pairing seriously. For context, a White Star from Star Wine List indicates a wine list with notable depth and curation.
Reservations: Book as far in advance as your travel date allows , four service nights per week combined with a remote location means capacity is genuinely limited, and demand from international food travelers is real given the OAD ranking. Booking is rated as easy in terms of process, but availability windows tighten quickly for Thursday-Saturday evenings. Getting There: The restaurant is reached by boat from Rosendal; the address is Salmon Eye, 5470 Rosendal, Norway. Factor the transfer into your evening timeline. Hours: Thursday to Saturday, 5:30 pm to 1 am. Closed Sunday through Wednesday. Price: €€€€ , this is a full-commitment special-occasion spend. Dress: No formal dress code is listed, but the setting and price point suggest smart-casual at minimum. Cuisine: Creative, with Greek and Turkish influences applied to Norwegian-sourced and foraged ingredients.
For more dining options in the region, see our full Rosendal restaurants guide. If you are building a broader Norwegian fjord itinerary, Under in Lindesnes and Conservatory in Norangsfjorden are worth adding to your shortlist alongside Iris. For stays, see our full Rosendal hotels guide, and for other Hardanger-region experiences, our Rosendal experiences guide covers the surrounding area.
Other Norway destination restaurants worth comparing in the same price tier: Gaptrast in Bergen, Boen Gård in Tveit, Kvitnes Gård in Kvitnes, Storfjord Hotel Restaurant in Glomset, Huset Restaurant in Longyearbyen, and Apotekergata 5 in Ålesund. For the top tier of Norwegian fine dining in cities, Maaemo in Oslo, RE-NAA in Stavanger, and FAGN in Trondheim are the primary reference points. Iris sits in the same conversation as those names, but the fjord-location format makes it a different kind of trip to plan. Also browse our Rosendal bars guide and our Rosendal wineries guide if you are building a multi-day visit.
Yes, for the right diner. The OAD #119 Europe ranking (2025) and the White Star wine recognition confirm this is not a setting-dependent experience masking an average kitchen. At €€€€, you are paying for serious cooking applied to unconventional Norwegian produce , lumpsucker fish, cuttlefish, foraged ingredients , with a wine program substantial enough to earn independent recognition. If you want prestige ingredients and a familiar luxury format, look elsewhere. If you want technical cooking with genuine sourcing integrity in an extraordinary physical setting, the price is justified.
Yes, and it is better suited to special occasions than most €€€€ restaurants because the arrival experience , a boat transfer to a floating structure in Hardangerfjord , provides a clear sense of occasion before you sit down. The OAD ranking and wine recognition mean the meal itself delivers. Anniversary dinners, milestone birthdays, or any occasion where the event should feel distinct from a normal restaurant evening: Iris works well. The evening-only format (from 5:30 pm) and the remote location also mean the group is committed to the experience, which helps the mood.
Book as early as your travel dates allow. The restaurant operates only Thursday to Saturday, which gives you four service nights per week. Combined with the destination-restaurant demand generated by an OAD top-120 Europe ranking and the limited capacity of a floating structure, availability goes fast , especially for Friday and Saturday evenings. If you have firm travel dates in Norway, this should be one of the first reservations you make. Booking is not difficult in terms of process, but leaving it until two or three weeks out risks losing your preferred date.
The menu at Iris is not published in our database, so specific dish recommendations are not something we can confirm. What we know from OAD sourcing and award descriptions is that the kitchen focuses on foraged and locally sourced Norwegian produce , ingredients like lumpsucker fish and Norwegian cuttlefish feature prominently. The creative program draws on Greek and Turkish influences applied to that Nordic sourcing base. Given the Star Wine List White Star, lean into the pairing menu if one is offered. The cuisine direction here is chef-led and seasonal, so the leading approach is to take the full tasting format rather than ordering selectively.
Seat count is not listed in our database, but the Salmon Eye structure is a compact floating venue, which suggests overall capacity is limited. Groups of four or more should contact the restaurant directly well in advance , the combination of limited total covers and a Thursday-to-Saturday-only schedule means group bookings need more lead time than individual or couple reservations. For large groups (eight or more), it is worth asking about private hire or event options when booking, as the venue format may suit that better than sharing the dining room. The Rosendal location also means accommodation planning matters for groups traveling from outside the region; see our Rosendal hotels guide for options.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iris | Creative, Greek & Turkish | €€€€ | Restaurant Iris is a restaurant in Hardanger Fjord, Norway. It was published on Star Wine List on August 21, 2025 and is a White Star.; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked #119 (2025); Chef: Anika Madsen Dining Experience Awards 2025 Achievements; Providing one of the most astonishing dining settings you will find, this restaurant is housed inside a gleaming floating structure known as the ‘Salmon Eye’. Situated in Hardangerfjord, it can be accessed via a short boat ride from Rosendal and presents the opportunity to dine with an unparalleled view of the fjord. Fortunately, this is no example of style over substance, with the kitchen’s technical skill coming across in dishes that make use of foraged and sometimes unglamorous produce, like lumpsucker fish and Norwegian cuttlefish. This is a truly unique experience.; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked #130 (2024); Michelin 1 Star (2024); Esquire Best New Restaurants #13 (2021) | Easy | — |
| Maaemo | New Nordic, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| RE-NAA | New Nordic, Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star | Unknown | — |
| Kontrast | New Nordic, Scandinavian | €€€€ | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| FAGN | Nordic , Modern Cuisine | €€€ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Speilsalen | Nordic , Contemporary | €€€€ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Rosendal for this tier.
Group capacity details are not confirmed in available venue data, so contact Iris directly before assuming a large party can be seated together. The Salmon Eye is a purpose-built structure with a finite footprint, which typically means group bookings need to be arranged well in advance and may be limited. For parties of four or more, reach out at the time of reservation rather than assuming standard availability applies.
Book as far in advance as your travel dates allow — four service nights per week (Thursday through Saturday, 5:30 pm–1 am) means capacity is genuinely tight. A remote fjord location with boat-transfer access adds a logistical layer that fills slots faster than a city restaurant of comparable standing. OAD ranked Iris #119 in Europe for 2025, so demand is real. Treat this like booking a Michelin-tracked destination, not a neighbourhood table.
Iris runs a set menu format — there is no à la carte selection to navigate. Chef Anika Madsen's kitchen works with foraged and local ingredients including lumpsucker fish and Norwegian cuttlefish, so the menu is driven by what the region produces rather than fixed dishes you can pre-select. At €€€€ with an OAD top-120 Europe ranking, the expectation is that the kitchen makes the calls; your job is to show up with an open brief on ingredients.
Few restaurants in Norway offer a setting this deliberate for a milestone dinner: a floating steel structure in Hardangerfjord, reached by boat from Rosendal, with an OAD #119 Europe 2025 ranking confirming the kitchen is operating at a serious level. The Thursday-to-Saturday evening-only schedule means it already has an occasion-specific rhythm. Factor in the boat transfer logistics when planning — this is not a venue you drop into spontaneously.
At €€€€, yes — provided the format suits you. The Salmon Eye structure in Hardangerfjord is not just set dressing; the kitchen backs it with technical cooking that uses foraged and local produce including lumpsucker fish and Norwegian cuttlefish. OAD ranked it #119 in Europe in 2025, which is a meaningful external check on quality. If you want a conventional fine-dining room, the price-to-effort ratio is harder to justify; if the full destination experience is what you are after, it earns its place.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
