I Dined At Iris Norway, Michelin Star Restaurant That Floats In A Fjord

Hidden in the middle of a fjord off Rosendal, a tiny town in Norway, is the Iris restaurant, a floating fine dining experience that recently won its first Michelin Star.

Seems like something straight out of The Menu, doesn’t it? No threat of ending the day in a marshmallow flame here – I had the lucky chance to dine at the famous Salmon Eye this autumn and not only lived to tell the tale but lived what is possibly the most interesting and unique dining experience in the world.

What The Heck Is Expedition Dining?

I asked myself the same question when I saw a viral video of Iris pop up on my Instagram feed last year. Turns out, it’s better than I could have imagined.

The Iris expedition dining experience is not just a meal, it’s a culinary adventure. And I don’t just mean an adventure for your taste buds, it’s a literal adventure with multiple pit-stops, a boat ride and interactive food moments.

Unlike other fine dining restaurants, guests don’t simply pull up dressed to the nines and spend all night at the same table. In fact, the dress code even courage practical footwear and outfits that lean on the casual side (hey – heels, wine and a boat aren’t exactly a friendly mix).

I opted for sturdy boots, a soft sweater and scarf from Sezane and a rain jacket (hey, this is Western Norway after all, you have to be prepared for rain!)

Buckle In For A 6+ Hour Day Of Food & Adventure At Iris Norway

My friend Sophie and I started gathered on a dock in Rosendal a little before 1pm, eager to start our day at the Salmon Eye. We had both seen Iris on Instagram and put it on our travel bucket lists thinking it would be a “one day” experience. Between health scares and major life changes, we decided to embrace YOLO and actually book the dang Iris reservations.

We opted for the last weekend in October, and while we planned a whole trip to Norway just for this one (very long) meal, we did enjoy a few days in Bergen before we drove down to Rosendal.

We Started The Expedition On A Boat To The Chef’s Hut

The day starts with a very attractive life vest and a quick boat ride with about 10 other people to the Chef’s Hut all while listening to ethereal, zen music paired with tiny screens running through clips of kaleidoscope waves. The internet jokes that Iris is basically the real life “The Menu” and I couldn’t help but think that if they were luring me to my death, this is the way to do it.

Our tiny boat pulled up to the island of Snilstveitoy to dock at a a 1890’s fishing hut converted into a cozy dining room. As we disembarked, we were treated by a small team from Iris, including Nico Danielsen, husband to Headchef Anika Madsen (yes, Iris is run by a woman *snaps*).

Chef Madsen and her husband moved from Denmark to Norway to spearhead the Salmon Eye, and they live there full time. Even before learning that Nico and Anika hail from Copenhagen, I clocked the Danish influence on the decor in this little hut. (It’s a skill you get after living in Copenhagen for a summer and spending far too much time at the home decor stores on Strøget.)

Our little group sat around the table and were served what I can only describe as the best salad of my life (sugar snap peas, zucchini & beans from Astrid, elderflower oil and gooseberry bullion) paired with specially made méthode traditionnelle apple cider produced just for the restaurant.

This was a nice moment to get to know the other guests on our expedition. One party was celebrating a 30th birthday, and the coupe across the table from us were Aussies now living in London. After chatting, and another snack of Celeriac kebab & lovage emulsion, we boarded back on the boat to head to the Salmon Eye for our main meal.

The Salmon Eye Is Part Art Installation, Part Michelin Star Restaurant

Giddy for the main meal to start, and a little bit because of the sparkling apple cider, we pulled up to the famous Salmon Eye where our group was greeted by a small team from the Iris all in matching uniforms and standing at attention.

Jokes about “The Menu” was flying around the boat while we emerged onto the floating dock and the staff welcomed us. After a minute to grab some photos of the stunning venue, we were ushered down a dark staircase into a dim hallway flooded with blue light.

“Can I take your coat or purse?” someone asked, then we proceeded into what I can only describe as an immersive fever dream. Yarn hung from the ceiling in sheets as green and blue light was projected onto the floor.

That ethereal music was playing again paired with sounds of the ocean, and every once in a while a staff member walked by to rustle the yarn to mimic the look of waves. This section is located on the bottom of the Salmon Eye venue, making it easy to feel the rocking of the restaurant under your feet, adding to the feeling that you are really at the bottom of the ocean.

Suddenly, a movie screen appeared with a voice proclaiming how most of the planet is covered in water, but we get most of our food from land. Uniformed members appeared with a tray and invited us to grab a dip made from blue mussel, beach crab and rock weed, and “forgage” for our own seaweed chip that was hanging from the ceiling behind us.

I had a silly grin on my face as Sophie and I took turns plucking a chip from its hook and dipping it into our dip.

Next up, we claimed a winding staircase to the second level to another projection. Here we tasted a Cone of Plenty (a crispy cone filled with local herbs) before climbing the last staircase to the top level. It was time for the show to end, and the main meal to begin.

We Settled Into the Salmon Eye For 15 Courses Overlooking A Sweeping View Of The Fjord

Well, 14 courses techinally after the snacks at the hut and art installation experience. I was beyond overjoyed when I saw our table was front row to the windows. The Salmon Eye’s windows face stunning mountains and we could spot a waterfall cascading down the mountain side from all the way in the middle of the fjord where we sat.

You mean I get to spend hours dining and looking at this amazing view?! Pinch me, I must have gone to heaven.

First order was business was to decide if we were doing a wine pairing or not. We opted to skip the wine pairing and instead get a bottle to share among us (spoiler alert, we ended up drinking 2 bottles by the end of the night.)

In hindsight, I would recommend a pair split a wine tasting flight between them since it’s a lot of wine, but artfully paired with the food menu. Nonetheless, I was very impressed by the wine menu offered by the Iris. I’m currently studying wine, having earned my WSET2 earlier this year, and was excited to try a 2006 Chablis as our first bottle.

We Feasted On Unique Creations From The Land And Sea

The menu changes seasonally. That’s kind of the whole point of Iris: to make the best dang food out of local, sustainable ingredients, and find those from the sea whenever possible.

No matter when a diner visits, they can expect incredibly thoughtful and unique dishes from the land and sea. Headchef Madsen and her team love to partner with local vendors, sometimes so local and small they’re just a woman who gardens and provides the team with fresh, local herbs or veggies.

Below is a full menu of what we enjoyed while soaking in those epic views:

Crispy croustade, edible flowers, and salted mahogany clam
Raw milk blinis, black currant leaves and raw shrimps
Hand dived scallops, oysters and summer salads
Mycelium, chlorella algae, insect protein and mountain trout parr
Norwegian cuttlefish, kelp, unripe strawberries and lovage
Tartar of venison, grilled leeks, Hanasand tomatoes and sourdough crumble
Dry-aged venison, smoky juniper and charcoal-roasted beetroot
Scallop offcuts, horseradish, squid ink & lemon rind
Jasmin tea, Hardanger pears and cardamom brioche
Crispy tart, spruce, brown butter and Caviar
dible fishnet, montélimar nougat with sunflower-, & pumpkin seeds

Boar is hunted and caught in local mountains, scallops are forged from the nearby Bergen Bay by a team of divers. Heck, we even ate something with cricket powder that I’m sure came from a cricket farm in Norway.

Don’t Miss The QR Code Dessert That You Can Actually Scan

They got a Michelin Star, I don’t need to emphasize how delisous every meal was at the Iris. But, thanks to help from the bottle of wine in me by the time dessert rolled around, I was absolutely tickled by their QR code “ice cream” bar that yes, you could actually scan.

Scanning this brought you to a secret website that revealed what the dessert was made of (not going to spoil this, but it was unexpected in both taste and ingredients, I’ll say that much.)

What I loved about this, though, was it felt like a call back to the snacks we had at the bottom of the Salmon Eye. It felt like art, and almost a little nod at the diner guests themselves. We’re all glued to screens, are taking photos of every meal we ate that day, heck most of us found out about Iris from social media. We all put way too much trust in what we see on our screens.

And here we were, being presented a mystery good item with a QR told and told to eat it. Nice move, Madsen.

After Diner, We Were Escorted To The Rooftop

Yes, the Salmon Eye has a rooftop!!! After we finished our meal, we were brought to the top level deck for a moment to soak in the epic views of the mountains and fjords.

We dined at Iris during October, and by 5pm, the sun was starting to set so we were treated to the mountain being casted with soft pink and purple hues.

After snapping some photos, we headed back down to the last stop of the day (no, it’s not over yet!). The whole meal ends in the lounge with a final dessert that is designed to look like nets caught on a coral reef.

Here, I noticed a wine bottle labeled “Iris” at the top of their massive wine shelf and asked to see it, learning it was a Moscato specifically made for Iris. Of course, we had to grab a final glass of it before departing on the boat.

By the time we stumbled out of Iris, sunset was almost over but everything still had the soft, colorful haze that comes with dusk. If I thought the Salmon Eye restaurant looked good in the day, it was extra beautiful at twilight with its underwater lights shining colors.

Finally, we pulled up to the shores of Rosendal to close out the most unique day I’ve ever had. This is a bucket list experience but I do hope to be back one day.

I’ve had the pleasure of dining in many fine dining and Michelin-star restaurants around the world, and the team at Iris is on top of the game. The worst thing about fine dining is having to deal with snobby staff, but there was none of that pretentious energy here.

Everyone was so welcoming, kind and eager to put on the best service possible. I also loved the chance to get to know other guests at the top of the day, which made the experience feel more intimate.

If you’re thinking of trekking to Norway to dine at the Iris, it’s worth it in every way. And hey, take me with you?

Frequently Asked Questions About Iris Restaurant

How to get to Iris Restaurant Norway?

Getting to Rosendal, the small town that plays home to the Salmon Eye, is a little time-consuming but not complicated. Sophie and I opted to both fly into Bergen directly. We’re American and connected through Amsterdam, but if you are coming from the UK or other parts of Europe, you’ll probably find yourself connecting through Oslo first.

{the perfect weekend in Oslo, a guide}

We spent a few nights in Bergen to adjust to the time zone, and then rented a car to drive the 2 hours to Rosendal. Other than timing the ferries correctly, we found the drive to be easy and smooth.

What is the Average Iris Restaurant Norway Price?

The cost of Iris varies based on the type of wine pairing you get, or any extra drinks added on. For us, our base price was bout 16.000 NOK, which is about $750 USD per person. We also ordered two bottles of wine and an extra glass to share, so our grand total around about $1200 USD per person.

Which, in my opinion, is a steal for the experience and the quality of food.

Where To Stay In Rosendal?

Here’s the thing: Rosendal, Norway was a sleepy little town on a random fjord until a couple of years ago when Iris moved in and put the town on the world map. Hotel options are extremely limited in the city so don’t expected a swanky 5 star hotel to match the 5 star meal.

We booked ourselves at the Rosendal Fjordhotel, which had a nice restaurant but had very outdated rooms. If I had to book this trip again, I would instead opt to stay at the Rosendal Turisthotell which is literally across the street from the dock that Iris picks guests up from.

What’s The Iris Norway Menu Like?

Every season is different at the Salmon Eye restaurant. The team sources seasonal, sustainable ingredients and is constantly playing with food. Expect some fan favorites, like the Cone of Plenty or the QR code dessert, but also expect to be surprised.

How Do You Get Iris Reservations?

To be honest, getting Iris reservations wasn’t challenging at all. In fact, we were able to grab two reservations so we could decide which date we wanted to go. After battling Ticketmaster for Eras Tour tickets, and also Eurovision tickets this year, I was prepared to fight for a reservation.

In reality, it was very easy. Reservations drop a couple times a year, so make sure you follow Iris on Instagram or subscribe to their newsletter to not miss out on dates. They dropped at 3am my local time here in California so I set an alarm, and was able to get a table by 3:05am and went back to bed.