Fløirestauranten

anno 1925

Finally, after operating for almost a century, Fløirestauranten restaurant is now part of Destination Fløyen. Fløibanen AS purchased the restaurant building in 2013 and now, ten years later, we have also taken over the operation of the building.

Bergen architect Einar Oscar Schou designed Fløirestauranten in the early 1920s. The interior, lamps, fittings and furniture were also entirely designed by Schou. The building’s profile was to be reminiscent of the fairytale ‘Soria Moria Castle’. The restaurant opened in 1925 and is Schou’s most famous architectural achievement from his later years. Among his list of credits is the theatre Den Nationale Scene in Bergen. Common features of his buildings are the use of yellow ochre and simple geometric ornamentation. Schou’s design for Fløibanen lower terminus (1912-1918) is an early example of inspiration from older Bergen architecture.

As we reopen the restaurant building in its new guise, we will pay homage to Schou’s classical approach to style where old meets new. We will honour our heritage and remain mindful of the traces we leave behind.

Many restaurateurs have tried their luck over the years, and many have failed. When Hotel Norge opened its banquet hall in 1964, Fløirestauranten effectively lost its importance as the city's and municipality's primary venue and reception rooms. The building gradually fell into disrepair, and the restaurant closed its doors in 1981. After extensive renovation, the property development company Bergen Tomteselskap leased the building to Bellevue Restaurants owned by Eric Saudan in 1992. He successfully ran a restaurant there for many years, and the building once again became a popular venue in Bergen. When Eric Saudan sold Fløirestauranten to Fløibanen AS in 2013, there was an agreement of continued operation for ten years.

When Fløirestauranten finally opens its doors again in Easter 2024, Bergen will no doubt feel a collective sense of nostalgia and innovation, pride, belonging and ownership. A century-old restaurant building will be brought back to life in a whole new guise. The building has enjoyed a great deal of loving care over the years, and we promise to treat it with care and respect for the next hundred years.