Lovinda

Oslo has seen many cafés with birds in their logos (such as Fuglen, Pust and Papegøye), but one of the latest newcomers draws its inspiration from tropical rainforests. Located inside Nordstrand Kulturarena (Nordstrand Cultural Centre), Lovinda Kafé & Bar opened its doors in August 2025.

This location has witnessed many attempts to establish a neighbourhood café. Almost a year ago, Iva Kastelec, a sourdough baker, teamed up with chef Thea Marie Fongaard to open a French bistro that doubled as a café and bakery during the day, only to shut down in June 2025.

The new owners, the couple Bernard og Nadia Tønder Smith, while keeping it as a café and lunch venue during the day, have decided to turn it into a bar in the evening, according to their interviews with local newspapers. This should hardly come as a surprise: Bernard Tønder Smith has many years of experience in the whisky business, and his older brother, Martin Tønder Smith, is one of Norway’s leading experts in the spirit.

Walking into Nordstrand Kulturarena, one immediately notices the café’s sign—a large toucan—by the entrance. Stepping inside, there are more toucan-themed oil paintings, including one almost two metres long, tilted against the wall. All these paintings were made by Bernard Tønder Smith and are available for sale.

The café occupies a spacious room, with twelve four-person wooden tables in addition to four sofa groups—enough to host all sorts of events. The interior is decorated artfully, dotted with a large quantity of green plants, paintings, velvet sofas and mirrors, creating an intimate and cosy atmosphere that transitions smoothly into a bar in the evening. A performance area is hidden behind curtains, allowing the space to be turned into a concert hall within 15 minutes. This is indeed the main venue of the Nordstrand Cultural Centre, with events ranging from children’s puppet shows and rock concerts to wine tastings—you can find a busy schedule on their webpage.

The absolute highlights of Lovinda are their buns. Iva Kastelec, the previous owner and baker, has stayed on and is responsible for the pastries. Their sourdough cardamom buns are made with purely vegan ingredients. Slightly dense and with an almost homemade character, the buns feature a strong cardamom flavour. Do not be fooled by their simple and innocent appearance—once you bite into the caramelised crust and taste the depth of the sourdough, you will recognise the baker’s skill. To put it simply: if you miss how Håndbakt used to make their cardamom buns, this is a further-developed version.

Their cream buns are also must-tries. On our latest visit, we tried both their apple and walnut buns as well as their new raspberry buns. The apple and walnut buns have already become one of their classics. Baked with chunks of apple in the dough, the bun is filled with cream cheese and cinnamon, and sprinkled with roasted walnuts. The sweetness of the apple, combined with the walnuts, gives a deep and rich flavour. The raspberry buns, on the other hand, offer a more refreshing taste. Filled with raspberry jam and topped with cream mixed with lime zest, they strike a perfect balance between sweet and sour.

All the buns at Lovinda cost 50 NOK at the time of writing, while buns of a similar size and filling in central Oslo are typically priced at around 60–65 NOK. In addition, the coffee is brewed with beans from Fuglen—and served in generously sized mugs. Find a lazy weekend and make a trip to Nordstrand. If possible, take the Line 13 tram on the way back—sit on the left-hand side, wait for the tram to curve around the Ekeberg hillside, and watch as the Oslofjord, mirroring the blue sky, unfolds before your eyes. You will then realise that such a wonderful day can only be experienced by venturing slightly beyond your usual path.