The Iris website describes its service as “Expedition Dining.” There couldn’t be a more apt description than that; dining at Iris is a journey, beginning in the village of Rosendal on the shore of Hardangerfjord. From there, diners take a short boat ride to the island of Snilstveitøy, where they stop at Madsen’s boathouse for a snack and a cup of cider, a specialty of the region.
After their island stopover, diners re-board the boat and head to the Salmon Eye. Inside the silver orb, there are four floors, the first of which is submerged beneath the surface of the fjord. After disembarking, guests descend to this subaquatic level and are guided through a “multisensory underwater experience,” according to the restaurant’s website. From there, according to Youtuber Alexander The Guest, the dining experience begins with a short film about food and its environmental impact, focusing on sustainability and the role of marine ecosystems. This is followed by a presentation on Iris’s suppliers, all of whom are located in the Hardangerfjord area.
When dinner time arrives, the guests are led up a ramp to the dining room, where vast windows offer stunning views of the steep mountains that surround the fjord. The meal consists of 18 courses, which all follow the themes of environmentalism and sustainability. There are two meal services per night, and the restaurant only accepts 24 diners per day. All told this expedition dinner can take as long as six hours. The price is 3,200 Krone (approximately $285) per person, and parties of one are not permitted.