Video: Chef’s Table at Bro The Best Restaurant in Ålesund, Norway

The food scene in Ålesund changed drastically when Bro Kystgastronomi opened three years ago in the city center. Ronny Kolvik (former head chef of Arakataka) and Joakim Hoff (wine expert and front of house) opened Bro together in June 2018. Bro instantly became Ålesund’s best restaurant, and, in our opinion, the only Michelin star candidate in town. Kolvik describes their cuisine as kystgastronomi (coastal gastronomy) since they use ingredients from the coast of Norway to craft their menu. Watch our video below to see the full chef’s tasting menu at Bro.

Looking for more restaurant recommendations in Norway? Check out our city guides and maps.

Did you enjoy this video? Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

BRO KYSTGASTRONOMI

Address & Contact Information
Notenesgata 1, Ålesund, Norway
Website
Instagram
Facebook

At Bro, diners can choose from a three- or four-course set tasting menu, à la carte options, or the chef’s counter tasting menu. The latter option is only available to four guests per evening, and invites the lucky eaters to saddle up to the kitchen counter and watch the chefs at work. Kolvik described this tasting menu as the chef’s playground, where they can really show off their skills in an extended menu of fifteen to twenty small bites. The dishes change seasonally depending on what ingredients are available. They use mostly local food from their region to craft their menu, but they also use produce from the entire coast of Norway – like scallops from Frøya, for example. The menu primarily features Scandinavian seafood, and finishes with some local lamb and dairy cow.

For all traveling oenophiles, this is one of the best places to drink in Ålesund. Hoff’s small but mighty wine list has won several awards from Star Wine List. The list leans classical, but has a few of our favorite natural producers on it as well, like Heinrich, Occhipinti, Loimer, and Denavolo.

Bro is Ålesund's best restaurant.
Bro is Ålesund’s best restaurant.

Bro was one of our favorite meals so far in 2021. The restaurant is at a really high level in the Scandinavian food scene, and is lifting Ålesund up as an interesting culinary destination. In our opinion, Ronny Kolvik’s chef’s counter tasting menu at Bro in Ålesund is worthy of a Michelin star, but since this menu is only available for four people per night and not the sole concept of the restaurant, the inspectors probably won’t consider it. Stars aside, Bro should be your must-visit restaurant when in Ålesund – regardless of if you feel like enjoying a multi-course tasting menu or going à la carte.

The dining room at Bro is gorgeous, and very Nordic in its design – it reminded us a lot of restaurant Barr. On the top floor of restaurant Bro, you’ll find Kolvik’s casual tapas restaurant, Bryt, which opened in October 2020. We only got to try a few cocktails here after our meal, but hope to come for a full dinner on our next visit in Ålesund.

Have you been to Bro Kystgastronomi yet? Let us know how your experience was in a comment below.

The chef's tasting menu is made up of fifteen to twenty small bites.
The chef’s tasting menu is made up of fifteen to twenty small bites.
Norwegian oysters and homemade Tabasco.
Norwegian oysters and homemade Tabasco.
Potato glazed in whey, with sour cream and smoked whale.
Potato glazed in whey, with sour cream and smoked whale.
Red fish, raw shrimps, buttermilk, & elderflower.
Red fish, raw shrimps, buttermilk, & elderflower.
One of our favorite Austrian wines, Graue Freyheit 2017 from Heinrich.
One of our favorite Austrian wines, Graue Freyheit 2017 from Heinrich.
Langoustine, beets, and tarragon mayo.
Langoustine, beets, and tarragon mayo.
One of the most stunning dining rooms in Norway.
One of the most stunning dining rooms in Norway.
Carrots, bronze fennel, and pickled white currant.
Carrots, bronze fennel, and pickled white currant.
Smoked haddock, cauliflower foam, and Rossini caviar.
Smoked haddock, cauliflower foam, and Rossini caviar.
Clipfish, chanterelles, butter sauce, pine shoots, fermented asparagus, and buckwheat.
Clipfish, chanterelles, butter sauce, pine shoots, fermented asparagus, and buckwheat.
Lamb, root vegetables, & buckwheat.
Lamb, root vegetables, & buckwheat.
Dairy cow, mushroom broth, porcini cream, and kale.
Dairy cow, mushroom broth, porcini cream, and kale.
Black currant branch sorbet with black currant leaf oil.
Black currant branch sorbet with black currant leaf oil.
"Svele" with brown butter ice cream, brown cheese toffee, & hazelnut crumble.
“Svele” with brown butter ice cream, brown cheese toffee, & hazelnut crumble.
Mini Norwegian pancakes!
Mini Norwegian pancakes!
Norwegian apples, buttermilk ice cream, caramelized white chocolate, and fennel.
Norwegian apples, buttermilk ice cream, caramelized white chocolate, and fennel.

Kaitlin Orr

Kaitlin Orr and Anders Husa are food & travel bloggers and creative content creators. From their base in Copenhagen, they operate the largest and most influential restaurant-focused travel blog in Scandinavia.

Submit a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.