Contact
+47-22332310
Coffee shop and vegetarian cafe serving a variety of vegetarian dishes, vegan soups, coffee, and beverages. Relaxed atmosphere. English spoken by staff. Open Mon-Wed 7:30am-6:00pm, Thu-Fri 7:30am-7:00pm, Sat 10:00am-7:00pm, Sun 11:00am-5:00pm.
Category: Vegan-friendly, Lacto, Ovo, Take-out, European, Norweigean
Reviews (31)
First Review by kamikazekid
Contributions +40
Nice Place - Edit
This is a very pleasant restaurant in a large square just behind the Oslo City Hall. It's clean and white with indoor and outdoor tables on the square, and has clean toilets and friendly staff. We had the vegetarian lasagne and the pad thai, and both were excellent. We weren't in Oslo long enough to go again, but we would have liked to.
Contributions +134
yum - Edit
We had a tofu curry, a veggie wrap, and three desserts which were especially good. Would go again.
Contributions +132
nice place with healthy vegan food - Edit
when I came there, they had several pies to choose from, plus the dishes of the day. about the pies I'm not sure, but as i was told everything of the daily menu was vegan. there would have been two soups, but i decided for the beetroot "burger".
despite my expectations of getting a burger, it was only the pattie, plus some special rice and salad. it was very tasty, though the pattie was maybe a little bit dry. Nonetheless I'd definitely recommend the place and would come back myself :)
Pros: healthy vegan food, cozy atmosphere
Cons: bit dry burger pattie, but that might have just b
Contributions +20
excellent vegan, gluten and sugarfree choc cake! - Edit
Lots of choice of savoury and sweet treats. Really nice and generous soy cappuccino. Lovely staff. Central location, just behind town hall. Highly recommended
Contributions +39
Vegetarian Restaurant in Oslo - Edit
Um excelente restaurante vegetariano no Centro de Oslo mesmo ao lado da Câmara e perto do mar. Um espaço que transmite paz e harmonia a quem chega. Pratos bem confeccionados com um toque a especiarias.
Sem duvida a repetir.
Contributions +133
Not a lot of options, but great for a quick bite - Edit
This vegetarian cafe did not have a lot of vegan options, but they were definitely interesting. There was a vegan, gluten-free pie made with sweet potato, quinoa and lentils. Then the beetroot coconut soup was also great. Not a lot of variety but definitely recommended for a quick bite.
Pros: Relatively original dishes
Cons: Not a lot of vegan options
Contributions +122
Well, if you ain't got anywhere else to go.... - Edit
The interior looks terrible, the atmosphere is not very inviting...It felt like the café of an indoor public pool. The posters and pictures they have there are not very cozy, actually I found them quite creepy. The staff was not friendly and the food was "meh". There are better places in Oslo than this one, but if you can't find them and you're desperate, then I guess this is OK.
Pros: Location, Vegan friendly
Cons: Atmosphere, Interior , Staff
Contributions +172
Nice and vegan-friendly - Edit
I went there for breakfast and for lunch on the same day, so I really liked it, but it's also so hard to find vegan food at Oslo that it was nice to know at least one safe place. I had a hommus pie (really tasty and filling), a chocalate ball (good) and some soup (only ok). The staff is extremely kind.
Cons: no wifi
Contributions +38
Pleasant - Edit
We had a very very tasty vegan apple and raspberry pie with a coffee. A pleasant space with helpful staff and great location in Central Oslo.
Contributions +21
Very pleasant - Edit
Hubby and I ate here after doing the coach trip tour of Oslo; we tripped over it by accident after booking the tour, so were pleased to see that the opening hours would accomodate us at the end of the tour.
At 15:30 ish, there was a choice of food and we settled on a slice of polenta cake, warmed, stuffed with vegetables ( gave me an idea so I have been out shopping, since coming home, and have polenta....) and salad, and a drink each. The cake was delicious, and then we had to have pudding - a slice of cheesecake and blueberry pie. Absolutely scrummy, the staff were lovely, nothing was too much trouble and their English was perfect. Highly recommend - nice spot, handy to go and sit and watch the harbour, or visit the City Hall.
Pros: Friendly English speaking staff, Scrummy food!, Nice and clean
Contributions +201
Pretty handy - Edit
Of the two in this chain this is the smaller, more 'cafe' branch. Not much to choose from, and the guy looked at me funny for wanting a glass of cold soy milk.
But the cherry apple pie was delicious (except for the crust which was hard and awful). It's part of the Sri Chinmoy cult.
Pros: decent, good location next to city hall
Cons: boring, almost no selection, not all vegan
Contributions +620
Nice little cafe but not so great for vegans - Edit
I came here for a quick bite to eat and a coffee at lunchtime during a trip to Oslo, and ended up with a piece of apple-cherry pie and a black coffee. It was good food but I was slightly disappointed to see that the vegan options were pretty limited and that they even charged extra for using soy milk (Nkr 5)! It's a handy central location for a quick snack and drink in a nice, bright and airy space, but I wouldn't rate it especially highly as a vegetarian/vegan venue.
Pros: Nice vegan pie, Good coffee, Bright, airy, central location
Cons: Charge Nkr 5 extra for soy milk!, Limited vegan options
Contributions +23
Disappointing - Edit
We went to The Fragrance of the Heart because it seemed to have good reviews. When we got there, it was inside some sort of mall. Everything is pre-made and wrapped in plastic. We ordered a "veggie burger," an avocado wrap, and two bottles of water which cost us about $30 USD. The veggie burger was open faced and served to me cold, but did taste pretty good. The avocado wrap was mainly lettuce with one bite of avocado and a gummy tortilla. The table we sat at had quite a few gnats that we had to brush away from us.
Contributions +26
a lovely cafe - Edit
Excellent vegetarian cafe with very good vegan alternatives. The soups are delicious as are the daily specials! Today we also had a cherry apple pie and it was scrumptious .
Contributions +4112
For vegetarians the place to be - Edit
Nice and obviously quite popular restaurant in the city center, close to the city hall.
The place is mainly ovo-lacto and has the same dishes as the "GlasMagasinet" branch.
The owners are inspired by some spiritual leader, and vegetarism is part of the philosophy - veganism isn't. An owner (?) told me that he does not believe veganism is a good idea. In spite of this they do have a few vegan dishes on their changing menu. I have been here three times and I had a vegan quiche with salad, beetroot "borscht" and two different sorts of cake, all of this was quite good. The staff seems to be more aware which dishes are vegan and which aren't than the staff at "GlasMagazinet".
Friendly staff. Nice details like free tap water from a designer tap.
For vegetarians for sure "the place to be".
Pros: good for vegetarians, nice staff, great location
Cons: limited vegan options
Contributions +18
Not recommended for vegans - Edit
Nice place, nice staff, nice prices. However, the only reason I go there is because there aren't really any other places that serve a range of vegan foods in Oslo. I always ask the staff if something is vegan, and I have had it happen twice now that I've eaten something, come back and asked again and a different member of staff has told me it's not vegan. This is the last time I'll be going to this place. I would definitely recommend avoiding for vegans unless you want to get them to check every meal with the kitchen.
Pros: Cheap, Friendly staff
Cons: Inexperienced staff, Have been told non-vegan food is vegan
Contributions +36
Very good cosy place - Edit
You should definitely check this place for lunch or early dinner if you are in Oslo. Nice tweak with relaxing Indian music and quite tidy inside. Staff is very friendly and English-speaking. Good things for lunch - like hot vegetable soups, but also things for raw foodist - like some sort of raw pizzas/pies and sallads.
Pros: Not that far from center, raw food, awesome staff and atmosphere
Cons: no label outside - hard to find building
Contributions +37
Loved itñ - Edit
Really nice veggie-friendly place in Oslo - shame they're only open until around 5pm. The guy who worked there was super friendly and the food (I had a huge piece of quiche with salad and a really nice tahini dressing) was tasty and filling, and reasonably priced for Oslo (the most expensive country I've ever been to in terms of food!). I'd definitely come back :)
Pros: nice food, nice staff, not too expensive for Oslo
Contributions +86
Worth A Visit - Edit
For tourists in Oslo this is a must-visit; it's in the center of the action downtown and the staff are friendly and speak English. There are always lots of vegan options, just ask. Take a trip to the bathroom downstairs to see a big bank vault door if you are easily entertained like me.
Pros: healthy, good price, location
Contributions +23
veggie haven close to city hall - Edit
this place isn't just close to city hall, it's directly behind it. not a very extensive menu, but enough is offered here to grab a meal or just a quick snack. i ordered the veggie burger off of their menu and my husband ordered the vegan daily special of caribbean stew. if you're vegan, be sure to order the veggie burger without cheese and mayo (as they're not listed as ingredients on the menu). the burger was pretty good...it was a handmade patty with lettuce and tomato on a nice toasty bun. the stew my husband got was more exotic than my burger. served on top of a bowl full of rice it had lots of root vegetables in a flavorful and slightly spicy sauce. service was quick and friendly and sitting outside offered a great view of city hall and people passing by.
inside their case, they offered some baked goods such as cookies and brownies if you're just looking to grab a coffee and something sweet.
Pros: close to lots of tourist attractions, fast, friendly
Cons: a bit expensive
Contributions +11
A peace island in Oslo - Edit
I was the first time in Oslo and in lunch time went to Akker bryge, but than near the City hall I saw an elegant place - coffee shop -„The Fragrance of the heart". Of course at the beginning my mind started to wondering "Oh, it's just another coffe shop, but You are not drinking coffee and even can not to smell a coffee flavour."
But there I get even a dicafe capuchino with wonderfull flower on the top of cup..., delicious "Red beet coco nut" soup and very tasty cake "Gulrotkake". All together it costed only 130NOK wich for lunch meal in Norway is nothing.
I felt a peacfull atmosphere, real smiles of witers!
Next time I will lead there my friends amd my wife, too.
Pros: Menu, Servis, Music
Cons: More tables, Bar lette at window, A flags in wich languages stuff talks!
Contributions +46
Peaceful atmosphere, great soups - Edit
Although the place is in the very center of town, right next to the town hall, it has a very peaceful and quiet atmosphere. They have a limited range of dishes; two main dishes usually including rice, two soups, and a few cakes and other treats. I especially like their soups (they are usually always vegan), they are rich in taste and quite filling. When I feel a little down, I go there to fill myself with good and healthy food, and lots of positive energy.
Contributions +22
healthy and simple - Edit
I had rice with beans and soup- all yummy. It was very crowded with families when I was there. As a solo traveller I felt more comfortable at their Glassmagasinet location.
Pros: healthy, good value, friendly staff
Contributions +299
Nothing special but quite convenient - Edit
This little cafe is conveniently situated near the city hall and the main street. In a city where it was challenging to find vegan food, The Fragrance of the Heart provided some alternatives... unfortunately not very good ones. We tried both soups on offer (lukewarm and not very tasty) and some vegan pastries (pretty average) and were left quite disappointed with what we had hoped would be a satisfying vegan meal.
At least we were happy with the teas and soy hot chocolate, not irrelevant considering the freezing temperatures outside!
1 Response
pansypuss 10 Mar 2010 - I think we were in (March 07) at the same time but have to disagree. We both enjoyed our vegan soups and thought the pastries very good. It could be that our expectations are very low as we have lived in Norway for 16 years and finding ANY vegan food in a cafe/restaurant is wonderful!
Contributions +20
Fast Food that is Delicious and Nutritious - Edit
The Fragrance of the Heart offers a curry of the day, plus soups, sandwiches, and a salad. I had chickpeas with basmati rice and bean soup and salad. The salad was simple, black olives, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce that was fresh and green. The chickpeas were delicious. They also have a variety of desserts. I ate a chocolate peanut butter ball with sesame seeds and a chocolate covered puffed rice treat. Both were very yummy. They have vegan and gluten-free dessert options. Everything is expensive in Norway but 99 to 139 kroner for a meal is about average for the city of Oslo. It's affordable compared to some other restaurants.
Pros: Fast and delicious food, Cozy atmosphere
Cons: Small dining area, No selection of main dishes
Contributions +64
Nice cafe outside city hall - Edit
I ate here twice while visiting Oslo recently. I had a very good veggie and cheese baguette sandwich the first time, and a delicious Indian vegan lentil soup the second. They also offered a curry dish, which might have been vegan, a couple different quiches (obviously not vegan) and several sandwiches, one of which might have been vegan but most had cheese or egg on. The two soups were both vegan. Be prepared that the fresh-squeezed lemonade is hardly sweetened at all. Also, I ordered the soup with bread, and they only had a single piece of stale bread left. Bummer. Other than that, the coffee was good and I liked the ambiance.
Pros: Good coffee, Fresh-tasting food, Relaxed atmosphere
Cons: Stale bread
Contributions +17
DELICIOUS AND FRIENDLY! - Edit
Delicious food and beverages, very friendly service and a very relaxing atmosphere with soft meditative music. Everything is home made, you can really taste it. Prices are very affordable too.
This is an oasis in the hectic city well worth a visit.
They are opening another Fragrance of the heart cafee in Glassmagasinet also in Oslo. Cannot wait to try it too next time we visit there.
Pros: excellent food, very friendly service, relaxing atmosphere
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