A Michelin-starred restaurant you can only reach by boat: Restaurant Iris floating in the middle of a Norwegian fjord
The dreamiest floating restaurant!
Summary
- Restaurant Iris is located inside Salmon Eye, a floating structure in the middle of Norway’s Hardangerfjord. The exterior of Salmon Eye is covered in more than 9,000 stainless-steel scales, giving it the appearance of a giant fish eye.
- Diners take an electric boat to get there, and the immersive experience begins the moment you board. Inside, extensive use of walnut wood, wool, custom-made furniture and curved lines creates a warm Nordic atmosphere.
- Led by Danish chef Anika Madsen, the restaurant focuses on sustainable seafood and local Nordic ingredients as the core of its cuisine.
Located in the middle of Norway’s Hardangerfjord, the one-Michelin-star Restaurant Iris is housed within Salmon Eye, a floating structure that brings together architecture, art, sustainability, and marine education for an immersive dining experience that begins the moment guests board the boat. Designed by Norm Architects and Kvorning Design, the entire building floats on the water and can only be reached by boat. From afar, it resembles a silver fish eye resting quietly in the middle of the fjord, making dining itself part of the journey.
A floating structure that combines art, sustainability, and marine education
Images from / Norm Architects
Salmon Eye is more than just the home of Restaurant Iris; it is also a floating experience center that combines art exhibitions, marine education, and research into sustainable aquaculture. Designed by Danish studio Kvorning Design, the building covers around 1,000 square meters. Its facade is clad in more than 9,000 stainless-steel scales that reflect the fjord’s light with a sheen like the silvery-white skin of a salmon. Its oval silhouette resembles an enormous fish eye, inspiring the name “Salmon Eye” and making it a highly recognizable landmark in Norway’s fjords.
Creating a warm Nordic living room within a cold steel structure
Images from / Norm Architects
Interestingly, Restaurant Iris’s interior does not follow the futuristic architectural language of its exterior. Instead, walnut, wool, natural materials, custom furniture, and soft lighting create a quiet, warm space within the steel structure. Curved furniture and organic lines echo the building’s form while preventing traditional rectangular pieces from disrupting the overall sense of flow. The exterior is a massive, cool metal structure, while inside feels like stepping into a tranquil Nordic living room. Through materials, light, and scale, the sci-fi-like architecture is brought back to a human sensory experience, making the space feel more intimate.
Images from / Norm Architects
One Michelin star: rediscovering the ocean through cuisine
Images from / Norm Architects
The restaurant is led by Danish chef Anika Madsen, whose cooking centers on sustainable oceans, Nordic food culture, and local ingredients, creating a set-menu experience shaped by the seasons and marine ecology. Shortly after opening, it was awarded one Michelin star, becoming one of the most closely watched dining destinations in the Nordic region in recent years. From its floating structure and immersive journey to its sustainable table, Restaurant Iris is more than a meal: it redefines the relationship between fine dining, nature, architecture, and the environment.
Images from / Norm Architects
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