Gladmat

Held each year at the end of June in the coastal city of Stavanger, Gladmat has grown into one of Scandinavia's leading food festivals, drawing visitors to sample food from more than 100 stands and producers set against Stavanger's picturesque harbour. Described by organisers as a place 'where you can taste food from all corners of the world,' the festival combines genuine culinary breadth with the kind of relaxed, outdoor summer atmosphere that defines much of Norway's festival culture.

Beyond the tastings themselves, Gladmat features live cooking competitions between emerging and well-known Norwegian chefs, giving visitors a chance to watch skilled cooks work under pressure while sampling their creations. The festival's timing, right at the height of the brief Norwegian summer, makes it a natural gathering point for both locals and travellers exploring the country's southwestern coast, and its harbourside setting adds a genuinely scenic backdrop uncommon among larger food festivals.

For visitors wanting a single, comprehensive introduction to Norway's growing food scene — much of it built on the country's exceptional seafood and increasingly ambitious New Nordic cooking — Gladmat offers one of the most complete overviews available anywhere in the country.