Absolute Limbs!

Last night, Erling Haaland went full Roy of the Rovers and fired Norway into the next round with an 86th-minute winner against Ivory Coast. 2–1. Cue Karl Johan losing its collective mind.

The build-up was already bubbling in the city centre earlier in the day. Big screen. Flags. Red shirts and a real sense of joy, enhanced by the balmy weather

By full-time, Karl Johans gate was absolute limbs and quickly turned into a river of flags, chants and it has to be said very responsible chaos. People literally poured up towards the Palace like they were trying to wake the King. Although, let’s be honest, no one really sleeps that well in summer especially during such a unique event!

And then came the inevitable Viking Row. Ro! Ro! Ro!

Hundreds of people sitting in lines, rowing imaginary longships through the middle of Oslo. A proud Norwegian football ritual, yes. But also, to any Brit over a certain age, dangerously close to turning into “Oops Upside Your Head” at any moment. Maybe that’s what England need if they ever get their act together. Norway can have the Viking Row. We’ll bring back the wedding-disco rowing dance, we definitely need an upgrade on Wonderwall and Sweet Caroline!

Joking aside, it was wonderful to see. Pure joy. Total unity. No edge. No menace. Just a city celebrating together in the sunshine like it had won the final!

Yes all this celebration and it was only the first knockout game.

Brazil are next on Sunday night… fun fact - Norway are the only team in the world to never lose against them!

If Norway pull that off, nobody knows what will happen but you know every bar in Norway will be ordering extra stock right now and Norway football shirts might have just gone up in price!

Elsewhere this week, SALT has been suddenly shut down on Saturday with just a few hours notice after an impromptu fire safety inspection revealed big concerns, which is sad news for one of Oslo’s most unusual waterfront hangouts, not to mention a big supporter of the English speaking comedy scene. However, it’s also a blessing in disguise as wooden saunas, big crowds and unclear escape routes are not exactly a dream combo.

We’ve also got a new exclusive offer for cyclists, and it might be one of the strongest local deals we’ve featured yet, especially if you’ve been thinking about investing in a proper e-bike built by a very entrepernurial couple designed specifically Norwegian roads.

Plus: this week’s best gigs, a comedy pick, quick hits, food, dream homes, and the usual hand-picked Oslo stuff worth your time.

Let’s get into it…

Most e-bikes aren’t built for Oslo.

Not really.

Snow, salt, slush, hills, tram tracks, winter corrosion - it all adds up. And when things go wrong, most shops swap out the motor, at great expense, instead of fixing the actual component that’s actually broken.

ELife Cycles takes a different approach.

Run by Shiwen and Sindre, this independent Oslo bike shop designs its own e-bikes around real Norwegian conditions. Not high-volume. Not disposable. Built to last.

They back it with a five-year warranty and are the only bike shop in Norway to repair components inside motors rather than just replacing the whole unit.

So if you’re thinking about an e-bike for commuting, school runs, or to cheat when riding up hills, this is definitely the month to look properly.

Buy an ELife Cycles e-bike in July and you get:

Where: ELife Cycles, Sannergata
When: 1–31 July ‘26
Mention: The Oslo Scoop to get your exclusive upgrade!

This week’s dream home takes us to Bygdøynesveien 12A, a brand-new detached villa sitting around 50–60 metres from the water in exclusive Langviksbukten. The estate agent describes it as “exclusive, well-thought-out and continental,” which is a bold way of saying: this is not a house for someone who panic-checks the price of cheese at Meny.

The asking price? 39.9 million kroner. Or 40.27 million once the various costs have been gently placed on top like gold leaf on an already expensive dessert. Built in 2025, the home offers 256 sqm of usable space, five bedrooms, a 1,448 sqm owned plot, huge glass facades facing the fjord, a double garage and around 115 sqm of roof and ground terraces. So yes, there is room to sit outside, admire the view..and what a view!

Swimming and boating are practically outside the front door, which is where you will start to see where the price tag comes makes sense.
One of the two homes has already sold, leaving just one remaining so if you happen to have forty million kroner available and want to take a chance that you get along with your one and only neighbour then this is for you. Apparently, it is also possible to buy only the plot, should you prefer to spend an alarming amount of money and then create your own pad from scratch.

Price: 39,900,000 kr
Total price: 40,269,840 kr
Size: 256 sqm
Plot: 1,448 sqm, owned
Bedrooms: 5
Garage: Double garage
Built: 2025
Terraces: Approx. 115 sqm roof and ground terraces
Ownership: Freehold
Address: Bygdøynesveien 12A, 0286 Oslo

This week’s Eat & Drink takes us to Rikkes Hage, the new name at the old St. Pauli Biergarten spot on Sannergata. Which means the basic deal is still pleasingly uncomplicated: outdoor tables, drinks in the sun, and something decent to eat.

The place has been reopened as a low-threshold garden bar with a slightly more grown-up food and drink direction. There’s more wine, more small plates and less of that “we accidentally built a temporary beer tent and everyone loved it” feeling. The menu has included things like sausage rolls, ham and cheese toast, olives, onion tart and the kind of snacks that make most sense when eaten Al Fresco.

The honest reason to go is not because it is Oslo’s most polished restaurant. It is because places like this are exactly what summer in the city needs: casual, sunny, dog-friendly, child-friendly. It only has outdoor seating, and they close if the weather is rubbish, which is crazy really and makes you wonder how they make any money but hey you have admire their authenticity.

So this is obviously not the kind of place to plan your big anniversary dinner. Make it your “the sun is out, nobody has cooked, and we need to be somewhere that feels like we’ve made a good life choice” option. Bring friends, bring sunglasses, check the weather first, and order accordingly.

Sleeping badly in Oslo’s warm summer nights? Start with your pillow.

Long Oslo evenings are one of the best parts of summer.

Unless you’re trying to sleep of course!

Coco-Mat Oslo helps customers choose natural pillows based on how they actually sleep, rather than guessing from a shelf or ordering blindly online. At their showroom in Bygdøy Allé, you can test different pillows properly while lying down and get guidance on what suits your sleep style.

A simple expert tip: if your pillow feels flatter than it used to, needs constant reshaping, or you regularly wake up with neck tension, it may be time to check whether it is still giving you the support you need.

Exclusive Oslo Scoop reader offer: buy ONE selected Coco-Mat pillow and get a second one FREE.

(This is not a general public campaign. It is an exclusive offer only for Oslo Scoop readers.)

Mention Oslo Scoop in-store, or use the reader code online.

Click here to find the right pillow for your sleep style.

Reis Deg Komikerklubb kicks off their summer run with a mixed lineup of comedians in a tight basement room that always feels slightly unpredictable in the best way. Expect new material, rough edges, and maybe some comics you can say ‘I saw them first’

A small, central English-friendly standup night with a rotating lineup of local and visiting comedians. This is very much a “hit and miss but often surprisingly strong” room, ideal for catching new voices before they show up on bigger stages.

Electro / acid / house, but with a groove-based, vinyl-heavy angle rather than generic club-night filler. Blå’s event page describes Oslofønk as pulling from afro, funk, disco, acid, techno, electro and dub, while Dirty Hans moves between disco, house and UK-inspired club music. A good old fashioned sweaty electro knees up!

Hypnotic, late-night electronic club session. NAONE brings textured, slow-burning underground energy from Seoul via Europe, with Samuel Feste setting the tone earlier in the night. This is the “don’t go home early” pick of the week. For insomniacs everywhere.

Mass public screening of Norway’s biggest game yet. After the Ivory Coast drama, this one has cup final-like energy written all over it. Expect Karl Johan to turn into a very organised, very loud football street party from 21:00 onwards.

Classic blues-rock on a boat drifting through the fjord at sunset. Simple concept, strong execution: live music + water + summer light. A really unique type of event perfectly suited to a balmy Oslo summer night.

Outdoor English-language theatre in one of Oslo’s most atmospheric historic locations. Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler performed under summer evening light at the fortress. Slow, dramatic, and very weather dependent, unique night out.

Grace Church Oslo
If you’re looking for an English-speaking church in Oslo that feels warm, welcoming and genuinely community-minded, Grace International Church of Oslo is well worth knowing about. It has the kind of atmosphere that can be hard to find in a city: a real mix of Norwegians, expats and long-term locals, with the sort of friendliness that makes it feel less like attending a service and more like arriving somewhere people are actually glad to see you.
They normally meet on Sundays at 11am, with food and fellowship afterwards, and for many people that shared time seems to be part of the appeal. It is not just somewhere to sit through a service and slip quietly out again, but somewhere that seems to offer real friendship, support and spiritual grounding under one roof.

Pub-Up Art Market at The Dubliner

The Dubliner Folk Pub is turning part of the pub into a small art market, with local makers, artists and creative bits to browse over a pint. Handy one if you’re around Rådhusgata and want something low-pressure that isn’t another food truck queue.

A deep, historically rooted Viking strategy board game designed and sold directly by its creator Richard, who works out of Grafisk Senter in Seilduksgata 4.

This is not mass-market gaming. It’s complex, tactical, and built around Norse history — pillaging, trading, settlements, and strategic control rather than luck-driven mechanics. The kind of game you don’t just “play”, you learn.

A small neighbourhood florist sitting right on the square opposite Parkteatret. Known for seasonal bouquets and slightly chaotic handwritten window signs — including frequent “40% off Mon–Fri” offers that feel more Grünerløkka than retail strategy.

These are my personal recommendations…

First up:
Hot Spicy Chicken Fillet
in coconut milk and curry, served with rice or noodles - freshly prepared on site

And to drink:
Turmeric Latte
Choice of milk, tea or coffee and delicious blend of Turmeric, chilli and other flavours

If you’re after something healthy, flavourful and a little different, this is a very decent excuse to stop in. Mention the Scoop when you order!

‘This is so far the best Café I have visited in Oslo.’ - Shalia Hofmann

A small confession: I’ve started guiding walking tours in Oslo.

And it has made me realise something slightly embarrassing: most of us walk past half the city without really seeing it.

The Royal Palace. City Hall. Akershus. Christiania Torv. The Opera House. The Tiger. The old Freia sign. The Nobel Peace Prize buildings. The statues, symbols, myths, fires, kings, resistance stories and tiny details hiding in plain sight.

That’s why I think Artista Walking Tours are worth knowing about this summer.

They’re useful for visitors, obviously. But they’re also surprisingly good for people who live here and want to understand the city a bit better. Iam still learning more about this place and have been here 6 years!

Full disclosure: I’m one of the guides. So yes, off course I’m biased. But I’m also there on the ground, seeing what people respond to and Oslo really does become more interesting when someone slows you down and tells you what you’re actually looking at.

Good for: visiting friends, family in town, new Oslo residents, curious locals, and anyone who wants to understand the city a little bit better.

Sponsored Spotlight - Fru Hang

That jacket you nearly love.
Those trousers that are almost right.
The dress sitting in the wardrobe because one small thing is off.

Fru Hang Tailoring helps Oslo clothes get a second life, alterations, repairs, hemming, adjustments and proper tailoring from a small local specialist.

Useful if you’ve bought something that needs fixing, found a vintage piece that needs rescuing, or just want your clothes to look like they were made for you rather than guessed at by a factory.

If you have some quality garments that need dry cleaning, then look no further. Fru Hang are the only dry cleaners that use non toxic chemicals, so if your health is important to you this could be place for you.
Mention The Oslo Scoop when booking in your clothes for a favorable deal.

If you’ve spotted something local - a job ad, a poster, a pop-up, a hidden gem, a place worth knowing about - send it over. That’s half the fun of building this.

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Stay curious, Oslo.

Spence

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