Speilsalen

The Verdict

Speilsalen earns a clear recommendation for anyone serious about Nordic fine dining in Norway. Holding a Michelin star since within its first year of operation, consistently ranked in the Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe list (162nd in 2025), and running one of Scandinavia's most decorated wine programs per Star Wine List, this is the most credentialled restaurant in Trondheim by a significant margin. Book it for a special occasion dinner, accept that the €€€€ price point is the entry fee, and plan well ahead — this is not a walk-in venue.

What Speilsalen Is

Speilsalen sits inside the Britannia Hotel on Dronningens gate, one of Norway's most historically significant hotels. The dining room itself carries weight before the food arrives: high ceilings, formal proportions, and the kind of ambient quiet that separates a serious restaurant from a lively one. This is not a high-energy room. The sound profile is composed and unhurried, which makes it a genuine conversation venue rather than a backdrop for celebrations that need a pulse. If you are returning for a second visit, what stays consistent is exactly that register — the atmosphere is controlled and deliberate, not dependent on a full room or a particular night of the week.

Chef Håkon Solbakk leads the kitchen, and the cuisine is classified as Nordic Contemporary. That framing covers a wide range in Norway right now, from the hyper-foraged minimalism of Maaemo in Oslo to the coastal precision of RE-NAA in Stavanger. Speilsalen sits closer to the classical end of that spectrum , its OAD ranking is under the Classical Europe category, not the progressive or contemporary lists. That positioning matters for your decision: if you want avant-garde technique and experimental format, this may not be the call. If you want technically grounded Nordic cooking executed at a high level in a formal hotel setting, it is the strongest option in Trondheim.

The Wine Program

The wine list is a genuine differentiator. Star Wine List has ranked Speilsalen in its leading three Norwegian lists every year from 2020 through 2025 , five consecutive years with at least a top-two finish. That kind of sustained recognition is unusual even among Michelin-starred restaurants in Norway, and it suggests a list with real depth rather than a competent but standard hotel wine offering. For wine-focused diners, this tips the balance firmly toward Speilsalen over its Trondheim peers. Norway's dining scene at this level , alongside venues like Iris in Rosendal and Under in Lindesnes , takes the wine pairing format seriously, and Speilsalen belongs in that company.

The Anniversary Angle

The most relevant milestone here is the early Michelin recognition. Earning a star within ten months of opening is the kind of credential that signals a kitchen that arrived fully formed rather than one still finding its footing. By 2025, the restaurant has had time to consolidate that foundation, and the OAD rankings moving from 162nd (2025) after 155th (2024) and 140th (2023) suggest the kitchen's profile is still developing within the broader European classical fine dining conversation. For the returning visitor, the question is whether the cooking has matured beyond its opening ambition , the evidence from external rankings points toward ongoing refinement.

Peer Context: Norway's Fine Dining Map

Speilsalen is Trondheim's clearest answer to Oslo's and Stavanger's starred dining scenes. Maaemo holds three stars and occupies a different price and ambition tier entirely. RE-NAA in Stavanger is arguably the more technically progressive kitchen. Speilsalen's value proposition is access to Michelin-starred Nordic cooking in a hotel setting with an exceptional wine program, without requiring travel to Oslo. For visitors already in Trondheim, or for those building a Norway dining itinerary that goes beyond the capital, it is the strongest single-night reservation in the city. Gaptrast in Bergen and Boen Gård in Tveit serve different contexts but are worth knowing if you are building a wider Norwegian fine dining trip. For other directions in Trondheim's dining scene, FAGN and Bula Bistro are the most relevant alternatives at different price points.

Practical Details

Reservations: Book well in advance , this is a hard reservation, particularly Thursday through Saturday. Do not assume availability within two to three weeks. Hours: Dinner only, Wednesday through Saturday, 6 pm to midnight; closed Sunday through Tuesday. Budget: €€€€ , expect this to be one of your most expensive meals in Norway outside Oslo's top tier. Dress: Smart to formal; the Britannia Hotel setting sets the tone and the room dresses accordingly. Location: Dronningens gate 5, 7011 Trondheim, within the Britannia Hotel.

For more dining options across the city, see our full Trondheim restaurants guide. If you are planning a broader trip, our Trondheim hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the full picture.

FAQs

• Is Speilsalen good for a special occasion? Yes , it is the strongest option in Trondheim for a formal celebration dinner. The Michelin star, the historic Britannia Hotel setting, and the calibre of the wine program all point in the same direction. The €€€€ price range is appropriate for a significant occasion rather than a casual night out. For comparison, if you are weighing this against a trip to Oslo for Maaemo, Speilsalen delivers comparable occasion credibility at a lower total trip cost.
• What should I order at Speilsalen? At this price point and format, expect a tasting menu rather than à la carte choice , Nordic Contemporary restaurants at the Michelin star level in Norway typically run a single set menu with optional wine pairing. The wine pairing is worth taking seriously here given Star Wine List's multi-year recognition. Specific dishes are not confirmed in available data, so ask the team about the current menu structure when booking.
• Is Speilsalen good for solo dining? The formal atmosphere and tasting menu format are workable solo , many Nordic fine dining restaurants at this level accommodate solo diners at a counter or small table. That said, the €€€€ spend is higher per-head solo than split across two. If solo dining in Trondheim at a lower price point appeals, FAGN-Bistro or Kombo are more casual and easier to justify for one. For food and wine enthusiasts who treat solo dining as a focused experience, Speilsalen's wine program makes it worth the solo spend.
• Can I eat at the bar at Speilsalen? No confirmed bar dining option is available in the venue data. The restaurant operates within the Britannia Hotel, which has its own bar facilities, but whether Speilsalen's kitchen serves at a bar counter is not confirmed. Contact the restaurant directly before assuming a bar-seat option exists , for context, many Nordic fine dining rooms at this level do not run an informal bar counter format.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Speilsalen? Dinner is the only option. Speilsalen opens Wednesday through Saturday from 6 pm only , there is no lunch service. If you are building a Trondheim itinerary and want a daytime fine dining option, you will need to look elsewhere. FAGN or Bula Bistro are the places to check for earlier sittings.