Hidden gems. Off the beaten path. Clichés abound to describe these positive surprises you encounter at places you least expect. Once you find them, you suddenly feel you have established a more intimate connection with the city: you know something more than others—you have your own secret place.

This list encompasses all the nice cafés, bakeries and other dining places we encountered outside of the conventionally conceived inner Oslo city. Some of them can have very creative locations, such as Tid Bakeri, which is located inside the Oslo climbing gym. Some can simply be the production centre of chain stores, such as Begeist Bakery at Frysja. Some of them can be far away and hard to reach. But if you decide to go there, you will find the staff much nicer, the food and drinks cheaper, and the shops more generous with time and space. This is what gives you a more memorable experience.