From The Thief rooftop to dinner at Villa Heftye
Oslo gave us one of those rare late-summer nights – over 20 degrees, soft golden light, and the city buzzing. We started Ninas birthday celebration at the The Thief rooftop bar, where the afterwork crowd had already filled the terrace. Groups laughed over beer, wine and rosé, while we went the cocktail route – and it was the right call.
Our yellow Labrador, Cæsar, joined us and was welcomed warmly. He even got his own bowl of water, which says everything about the hospitality up there.
Nina went for a strawberry spritz, fresh and playful, with halved strawberries lined along the rim of the glass. I chose the matcha martini – herbal, complex, and impossible to pin down. Before serving, the bartender misted it with a fine spray of perfume and finished with a sprig of lavender. Pure elegance.
After cocktails, we walked home briefly to drop Cæsar off in his brand-new Bia Bed, then continued on to Villa Heftye. Perched on a small hill near Tjuvholmen, the villa looks almost like a little castle. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you’ve stumbled upon a secret.
We kicked things off with beef tartare topped with bone marrow emulsion and pork crackling. The tartare had a bright, tangy sauce that cut through the richness, with a smoky note that reminded us of shish kebab. Paired with a pinot noir (served a touch too cold, but still working nicely), it was an excellent start.
When there are only two fish dishes on the menu, the obvious solution for seafood fans like us is simple: order both. Thomas claimed the halibut, Nina the cod.
The halibut arrived with salsa verde and crispy skin – light and fresh.
The cod was the star: a generous, perfectly cooked piece, flaking apart in snowy white chunks, paired with prosecco butter sauce. Honestly, the sauce was so good we joked about needing a spatula. Nina scraped the last drops with a spoon and even fed me a bite – that’s how good it was.
We added a side of cabbage with hazelnuts and parmesan sauce. It felt like something made in heaven – so good I could have happily had it as a main course.
Villa Heftye’s wine cellar is impressive, with champagnes at fair prices and Jura whites calling our names. Browsing via QR code was easy, and we debated bottles in the 1 000–2 000 NOK range to pair with the fish. In the end, the pinot noir carried us nicely through the evening, with spot-on pairings across the board.
Monogrammed napkins, dark wallpaper adding mood, and most importantly: service. Our server, Laila, stayed with us throughout the meal. That kind of consistency is rare – and it gave the night a personal touch, like being looked after by a friend.
From cocktails on The Thief rooftop to dinner in the castle-like Villa Heftye, this evening reminded us why we love exploring food in our own city. Elegant drinks, perfectly cooked fish, sauces we’d scrape every last drop of, and service that made us feel at home. Nina especially enjoyed the wine journey, and we both agreed – Villa Heftye was absolutely worth the visit.
