Cafes in Trondheim

Trondheim's café scene was shaped by the student city and its coffee pioneers. Dromedar opened the city's first modern coffee bar on March 19, 1997 at the Old Town Bridge, founded by Preben Oosterhof and Andreas Hertzberg just after the World Ski Championships. Tony Jacobsen started Jacobsen & Svart in a 6-square-meter space behind a hair salon in 2012, among the first to bring Scandinavian light-roast coffee to the city.

Bakklandet is the heart of café culture — home to the original Dromedar, Antikvariatet with around 300 concerts a year, and wooden-house cafés along the Nidelva river. Beyond Bakklandet, neighborhoods like Solsiden, Ila, and Midtbyen have strong offerings: ISAK Bakeri serves sourdough bread with ancient grains from local producer Gullimunn, Onkel Svanhild recreates a grandmother's living room in vintage furniture, and Digs Kafé serves Pala coffee in the city's first coworking space.

The coffee standard is high. Erlend Wessel-Berg won the Norwegian Barista Championship 2025 at Sellanraa Bok & Bar in the old fire station. Bristol Conditori has baked their Georgine cake from an original recipe since 1921. Tea from Gravraak Teatelier — made by Norway's only Master Tea Blender — is served at ISAK Bakeri.

This guide curates the cafés in Trondheim, from quick espresso to slow breakfast with sourdough bread.