Spontan Vinbar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Wine Bar That Earns Its Stripes

Spontan Vinbar sits at Dronningens gate 26, right in the heart of Trondheim, and it has the kind of easy confidence that comes from knowing exactly what it wants to be: a casual wine bar with an extensive food menu that quietly punches well above its weight. The White Guide awarded it a "Very fine level" distinction in 2026, describing it as "a little oasis of culinary glee" with a very now feel — without chasing any particular food or wine trend. That independence is part of its appeal.

The Space

The dining room spreads across two floors, with simple furniture, striking modern artworks, and gastronomy books by notable contemporaries. A communal table by the bar keeps things open to walk-ins, and hip hop plays in the loudspeakers. When the weather allows, the outdoor terrace is where you want to be.

Chef Fredrik Engen's Kitchen

Chef Fredrik Engen's approach is built around small plates and bar snacks rather than traditional main courses. The format — four smaller dishes that can be ordered individually or as a tasting menu — keeps things flexible and social. The menu changes frequently, tracking what's seasonal and local.

The White Guide singled out several dishes worth seeking: the chicken liver with lingonberries and buttered toast, described as "super smooth and creamy, with a clever tart, slightly bitter boost" from those quintessentially Scandinavian wild berries. The mushroom, chicken skin and egg yolk dish draws equal attention, as does the hanger steak with sunchokes. For something lighter, locally sourced raw shrimps arrive with kohlrabi, turnip, goat milk yogurt, and dill oil — a combination the guide called uniquely milky-fat in texture and unmistakably of this place.

Why It Works

Spontan Vinbar doesn't overcomplicate things. The bar snacks are genuinely terrific, the wine list earns the name on the door, and the atmosphere — fun, unpretentious, event-friendly — makes it somewhere people return to rather than simply visit once. For Trondheim, it represents exactly the kind of neighbourhood anchor that a city's dining scene is built around.