under

Lindesnes, Norway, Restaurant –
Europe’s first UNDERWATER RESTAURANT serves sustainable wildlife such as seafood, seabirds and wild sheep
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© Inger Marie Grini/Bo Bedre Norge. The building’s 34-m long monolithic structure is designed to fully integrate into its marine environment over time



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YOU ARE SUBMERGED 6 metres beneath the icy waters of the North Atlantic off Norway’s southern coastline. Outside the large see-though acrylic wall marine life flit and sea plants sway. In harsh weather, you’ll see a roaring, stormy underwater world as nature in Lindesnes unleashes its rough seas.
Under is Europe’s first underwater restaurant that creates a Nordic fine dining experience based on high quality, locally-sourced produce with a special emphasis on sustainable wildlife capture. The stunning restaurant is designed by Oslo-based architectural design firm Snøhetta, and it also functions as a research centre for marine life.
In Norwegian, “under” has the dual meaning of “below’ and “wonder”. Half-sunken into the sea, the building’s 34-m long monolithic structure is designed to fully integrate into its marine environment over time, as the roughness of the concrete shell will function as an artificial reef, welcoming limpets and kelp to inhabit it. With the thick concrete walls lying against the craggy shoreline, the structure is built to withstand pressure and shock from the rugged sea conditions.
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Thick concrete walls and a Danish Head Chef


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The restaurant seats 40 persons every night, in a dining room protected by half metre-thick concrete walls. Danish head chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard Pedersen hails from acclaimed restaurant Måltid in Kristiansand, and works with a kitchen team that has experience from top Michelin restaurants.
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Locally caught seafood, seabirds and wild sheep on the menu



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Chef Pedersen’s seasonal fixed tasting menu showcases high quality, locally-sourced produce and sustainable wildlife such as seafood like cod, lobster, mussels, crab and truffle kelp, seabirds and wild sheep that graze in the archipelago nearby. The menu with wine pairing costs around US$400. Expect a waiting time of at least 6 months for a table.
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Compiled by Carol Kraal. Photographs courtesy of Snøhetta and Under