On a quick yet packed Norwegian weekend, we aimed to experience Oslo just like a local would. Thanks to wonderful sunshine and outdoor temperatures, we strolled along the harbor, through both modern neighborhoods and historic buildings, seeking out places where customer care and quality manifest in a young and unique offer.
While Oslo may not be a top destination for barflies worldwide, the city is home to some of the most talked-about cocktail bars of the moment, as well as undisputed gems of the Scandinavian scene.
The location in the very center, on the most commercial and popular street of the city, does not allow Svanen to immediately communicate its identity. Squeezed between clothing shops and teen entertainment, you can glimpse the original signs of Svane-Apotheket, the city pharmacy that opened exactly in these spaces in 1896. Over a century later, in the same spaces of this historic and impeccably preserved site, we now find one of the brightest names in contemporary mixology. Svanen – which, translated from the original language, means “swan” – today occupies most of the entire floor at number 13 Karl Johans Gate, along with a sizeable basement area.
Upon entering through the main door, it feels like being catapulted into another century, albeit with some distortion. The counter from the old medicinal sales has remained intact and today – although with some discomfort for those who work there – serves as the actual bar counter for customers. Marble, mahogany wood, hundreds of cabinets and dressers (as typical of the early apothecaries for spices and medicines), panel ceilings and drawers, details of golden brass, jars, figurines, inscriptions, frames. The venue is structured to revolve around the large central counter, such that what once served as small side rooms for storage and stocking now act as more intimate and reserved lounges for small groups.
In this elegantly vintage context, a particularly contemporary and minimalist mixing proposal is enjoyed.
Next to a timeless selection of classic cocktails, as well as some more popular choices, the menu features a range of medium to low ABV drinks that are extremely well-balanced, easy to understand, and quick to serve.
“Svanen embodies multiple souls at once. During the weekends, when we open in the early afternoon, people come specifically for the pleasure of having a simple drink, not necessarily a house signature, but they choose us for the ambiance and hospitality. Despite being on one of the liveliest streets in Oslo, when you enter the bar, you are able to isolate yourself from the rest and enjoy a different intimacy compared to all other venues. We strongly wanted to preserve the original interiors precisely for this reason,” says Yunus Yildiz, owner and former founder of the famous Himkok (also in Oslo), one of the world’s best bars, from which he branched out with the arrival of Covid. Svanen currently holds the 72nd position in the international ranking of The World’s 50 Best Bars, thanks to an intense program of activities and visibility expertly led by bar manager Karel Varga and a team of passionate young individuals (including many Italians).
To satisfy customers of different ages and tastes, at the end of 2024, a second space was inaugurated in the basement. A sort of futuristic spaceship, hyper-modern, with a dark environment and metallic lighting that serves as a real incubator of ideas and innovation. An author’s bar station signed Tayēr X Behind Bars, with very few covers, an intimate and experiential counter, and a continuously evolving cocktail list. They mainly work with all parts of waste, starting from this to build drinks and develop new ingredients. The music is electronic, and the complexity of the liquids increases due to the verticality of the proposal. A strategy – that of the dual soul of a bar – which we see spreading more and more frequently but that does not always manage to create two truly distinct and independent alternatives. As a completion of all, Yunus has recently launched his line of glassware, Svev Glassware, with which he has already reached over ten countries with the promise of having more and more in the portfolio.
A place where ideas and enthusiasm abound, where you can always feel surrounded by vitality and humanity even without being a great connoisseur. Svanen is an address you might always crave, accessible and sophisticated, vintage and contemporary at the same time, deserving a visit always… even when you’re not thirsty.
