When I was pregnant with Alba I took a solo trip to Norway. Not the regular pregnancy activity but I wanted to exercise what I felt at the time could be my last chance for independent, solo travel. I say solo, I actually loved having Alba on board as I never felt alone and always had my tiny pal with me.

After a few days in Oslo I hopped on the scenic train ride to Bergen, via the fjords. What a beautiful journey. I really recommend the route to anyone considering a trip to Norway. There are plenty of package options you can purchase but I bought the various travel elements myself (very easy to do as all the booking websites are available in English) and saved some money.

Staying safely gluten free in Norway was especially important (given my pregnancy), so I did a lot of research before I went and then reaped the tasty rewards. Gluten free in Bergen was less plentiful that in Oslo, but I did find a number of places that could cater for coeliacs and ate really well while I was there.

This gluten free guide focuses mainly on food options, but I recommend the Lonely Planet Norway guide if you want lots of helpful activity and travel tips.

Accomodation Ideas

The cost of living in Norway is pretty high so a self-catering option might be something to consider, but equally there are enough coeliac friendly restaurants for you to dine out all the time so here are a few different options:

Budget

Marken Gjestelhus – I actually stayed in a youth hostel in Bergen and it was lovely. When travelling solo it’s nice to have some company sometimes and I stayed in a 4-bed female dorm. Very clean and safe with good amenities. The hostel has a shared communal area with kitchen and dining room so you can prepare any meals and store items in the fridge. Great, central location too.

Self-Catering

2 Dotre – this studio apartment looks like a lovely option and would be ideal if you plan on doing some walking while staying in Bergen.

Hotel

Opus XI – a beautiful-looking hotel in an ideal location close to the harbour.

Or click here to see the full array of Bergen accommodation and find the most suitable option for you. Right, let’s get onto the fooooood!

Gluten Free Bergen Food Guide

Finding gluten free food in Bergen wasn’t too hard but it definitely took some pre-planning to find the best coeliac friendly spots. Here are the places I scoped out:

  • Olivia – this Italian chain restaurant is a fairly reliable option for coeliacs and can be found in various cities across Norway, like a fancier version of Pizza Express. I ate at the Bergen harbourside branch and had a really good experience. Staff were knowledgeable, gluten free meals come marked with a tiny gluten free flag and they have good processes to prevent cross-contamination for the pizzas (dedicated trays etc). I also spotted gluten free lasagne on the menu!
  • Daily Pot – it was really cold when I visited Bergen so a warming lunch at the Daily Pot was welcome relief. This vegan cafe has a good number of gluten free options (most of the menu is usually gluten free), including warming soups with substantial toppings and lovely cakes.
  • McDonald’s – soooo they have gluten free McDonald’s in Norway! I know it’s not the most gourmet of restaurants to include so highly on the list but I found this to be a cheap and reliable option when I was staying in Bergen. Gluten free buns are available for most of the burgers and they prepare the burgers in a dedicated area to ensure they are safe for coeliacs. Perfect for a quick, cheap dinner in otherwise pricey Norway.

I also found a few other restaurants during my research that seem to cater well for gluten free diners, or that I popped into while in Bergen, but I have not eaten at these ones personally:

  • Pingvinen – this Norwegian restaurant offers some gluten free options and is a good place to try the local cuisine.
  • Restaurant 1877 – I want to try this place when I next visit Bergen with my family as it looks lovely and the menu is marked up to show allergens (at the time of writing most dishes on the menu were naturally gluten free).
  • Kafe Spesial – this restaurant offers gluten free pizza and pasta and has processes in place to limit the risk of cross contamination.
  • Bryggeloftet & Stuene – wonderful reviews, Norwegian cuisine and with gluten free options available.
  • Enhjørningen – I popped into this fish restaurant in the harbour when I was visiting Bergen and they told me they were able to cater for gluten free diners. It’s located in one of the historic wooden houses on the harbourside.
  • Pepe’s Pizza – menu marked up with extensive gluten free pizza options, plus check about cooking processes.

If you are self-catering, the supermarkets generally all offered some gluten free product selections, including bread, biscuits, flour and other items. If you are staying in Bergen city centre your best options are the following supermarkets:

  • Rema 1000
  • Kiwi

You’ll often find a gluten free section and remember to have a look in the freezer in case extra product lines are stored there (I found pizza!).

Bergen Airport Gluten Free Options

I was plesantly surprised by the range of gluten free options at Bergen airport. Airports can be so touch and go when it comes to gluten free and I usually take supplies with me in advance, but if you haven’t had time to stock up you’ll be pleased to know that Bergen airport has option for us.

Before heading through to departures, I spotted a couple of gluten free options in the main check in hall:

  • Deli de Luca – this cafe has gluten free cereal bars (Eat Natural); and
  • Espresso House – offered a couple of gluten free salad options.

In departures in the area around the B gates, gluten free options were offered at:

  • Narvesen – this newsagents-style shop sells the yummy D&Co gluten free ham and cheese panninis. Staff heated mine in the packet to prevent cross contamination (I think this is their standard process) :). Starbucks sell them too but for 30 krona more),
  • 7 Eleven – sells some gf snacks,
  • Northland – has some gf salads.
  • Starbucks – you’ll find the D&Co gluten free panninis available here too but they are more expensive than in Narvesen. When I was passing through this Starbucks also sold gluten free granola and yoghurt pots.
  • Bølgen & Moi – this restaurant had gluten free menu options including fishcakes and fish soup, plus some other hot options
  • Fiskeriet – another restaurant option, which had some really nice looking gluten free salads and had gluten free moules frites on the menu.
  • Joe and the Juice – they had a gluten free sandwich option but in my experience there are major cross-contamination issues at this chain and if you are coeliac like me I would advise you steer clear.

Obviously it has been over a year since I was there so specific options may have changed but I hope that at least reassures you that gluten free options can be found at the airport.

Make sure you also check out my other gluten free Norway guides if you are planning a Norway trip:

Happy travels! x

* This guide contains some affiliate links, meaning no impact on you but enabling me to keep running My Gluten Free Guide as a free website that is open to all :).