Vino Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Wine Bar Built on Genuine Passion

At Apotekergata 10 in the heart of Ålesund, Vino Bar has earned a reputation that reaches well beyond Norway's west coast. The bar holds Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence for 2025 — a distinction that reflects not just the depth of the cellar, but the knowledge and dedication behind it.

The People Who Run It

Managing director and co-owner Øyvind Tveit has spent more than 35 years immersed in wine. He has travelled extensively through the world's wine regions and built his career as a wine consultant, lecturer, and writer. That depth of experience shapes everything about how Vino Bar operates.

Alongside him, Jeanette Solheim brings a rigorous hospitality background to her role as restaurant manager. She trained as a chef at Statholdergaarden in Oslo, worked in Sydney, and later managed Restaurant Fjord and Restaurant Annen Etage before joining Vino Bar. She is also a certified sommelier through the Norwegian Sommelier Education programme — a credential that matters in a place where wine pairing is taken seriously.

The Wine List

With over 2,000 wines from most of the world's wine regions available by the bottle, and a rotating selection by the glass, the list is genuinely comprehensive. Champagne runs deep — from Pol Roger and Taittinger to grower producers like Marie Courtin and Cédric Bouchard. Burgundy white wines span village to grand cru across multiple producers and vintages. The selection extends to England, South Africa, Canada, Austria, and beyond. This is a list built for exploration, not decoration.

Food and Atmosphere

The kitchen keeps things focused and Italian in character: boards of own-imported cheeses, salamis, and hams from Italy, alongside a snacks menu of other delicacies. The format suits the setting — this is a place to linger over a glass, not rush through a three-course meal.

The room accommodates groups of different sizes: a long table seats up to 24, a round table up to 10. The private chambre séparé can be reserved during the day for meetings and seminars, and the bar regularly hosts wine courses and tastings for those who want to go deeper.

Wine Courses and Events

Vino Bar runs a regular programme of wine courses and tastings, open to individuals and groups alike. Corporate events and private parties can also be arranged — the team is set up to tailor the experience to the occasion.