Best of 2009: Best Norwegian bar

This category will absolutely be based on the bars and restaurants I visited in 2009. Many Norwegian cities were not visited by me, so I will be very thankful for comments where I really should have gone. This especially goes for pubs in Oslo, as I only was in the Norwegian capital once in 2009.

But still it was not difficult finding three great places that ought to be able to compete for the best Norwegian bar in 2009. Let's have a drumroll for these three nominees:

- Bar Barista, Bergen
- Bryggerikaia, Bodø
- Naboen, Bergen

All places are great places to visit, but one place is really great and feels like an English local pub - but with a twist. The atmosphere was what hit me the first time I entered Bar Barista. It is a very enjoyable place to be, even though the place is small. At the first times, there were no draught beers at the pub, but Bar Barista offered various beers from the Bergen brewery Hansa in cans and bottles. These days Hansa is to be history at Bar Barista, and the bar sells the Spanish lager San Miguel from draught. There are also bottled beers from the Norwegian Ægir craft brewery. I would love to see some extra draught beers at Bar Barista, and it would be an even better place for beer interested people. The atmosphere is there, and I hope they will keep it.

It is not the atmosphere that is the big thing about Bryggerikaia in Bodø. The pub has its own microbrewery, and the beers brewed there are on the menu. I liked Bryggerikaia, and the location on the wharf was a big plus. This is a must for travellers to Bodø.

Naboen has been good at having a varied beer menu. This year they have installed more taps, and beers like Heineken and Newcastle Brown Ale have been replaced by interesting brews from Norwegian craft breweries like Haandbryggeriet, Nøgne Ø and Ægir. This is also a place with a nice atmosphere, and I enjoy visiting.

But which pub is my winner, then?

- Naboen