Restaurant Slakteriet: A taste of the mountains
By Celina Tran | Photos: Restaurant Slakteriet
At Pellestova Hotell on Øyerfjellet, Slakteriet Restaurant offers a dining experience shaped by the mountains, the forest, and the traditions of the region. This intimate restaurant celebrates local produce, game, and handcrafted flavours, in a setting that feels both down-to-earth and exclusive.
High above the Gudbrandsdalen valley, where forest meets mountain plateau, a new culinary destination is quietly but confidently making its mark. Opened in late 2023, Slakteriet Restaurant is already turning heads for its distinctive blend of Nordic intimacy, elevated gastronomy, and a deeply rooted respect for nature. This is fine dining with a soul, where the glow of candlelight meets the wild Norwegian outdoors.
“Slakteriet is an intimate fine dining restaurant where cosiness and craft meet,” says restaurant manager and sommelier Hilde Sofie Aaløkken. “We offer tasting menus rooted in local, short-travelled ingredients, many coming directly from our own butchery downstairs. With huge windows facing Øyerfjellet, nature is part of the experience from the moment you sit down.”
With just 26 seats, this is a restaurant designed for presence and immersion. The limited seating allows the staff to keep everything top-notch, from food and wine to the service, giving the restaurant its luxurious dining feeling.
“Local produce is taken to its highest expression with techniques that I’ve learned at some of the world’s best restaurants. We want guests to feel close to nature while we do our part to preserve it,” says Ruben Martinez, head chef at Slakteriet Restaurant.
Slakteriet’s intimate nature also shapes its guest philosophy. To maintain the calm, exclusive atmosphere, the restaurant is not adapted for young children. There are no highchairs or children’s menu available, ensuring that the dining room remains a tranquil, refined space for those wishing to fully indulge in the experience.
From field to plate
The restaurant’s history is largely intertwined with Pellestova Hotel, a mountain lodge renowned for its celebration of local game, in which the restaurant happens to be located. The owner of Pellestova is a hunter, and thus the restaurant has sourced, processed and sold local game for over a decade.
For the restaurateurs, the goal was to always use what their surroundings offered. The on-site butchery sets the stage for a uniquely holistic dining concept, and on Boxing Day in 2023, Slakteriet Restaurant finally opened its doors to the public.
“One skilled butcher can receive a 300-kg moose, handle it from skinning to precise cut, and now we complete the circle upstairs in the restaurant kitchen,” says Martinez.
Nature is present in every element of the dining journey, not just in the wild game. Combining local products with warm and intimate interior, not to mention the expansive view, the atmosphere at the restaurant offers a sense of peace that can only be found in nature. “Location, craft, and care. Hilde and I are aligned on one goal: every detail is for the guest. We want them to step out of routine and into something special for the hours they’re with us,” says Martinez.
The tasting menu, too, is a culinary reflection of Øyerfjellet’s landscape and seasons, with one dish already reaching signature status. “The reindeer heart croustade is on the menu since day one,” sats Aaløkken. “It’s shaped like a reindeer antler and represents who we are: local, handcrafted, and a little playful.”
Martinez explains that the reindeer heart croustade has become part of Slakteriet’s identity, particularly because they use the heart, a rarely used cut that traditionally only hunters enjoy. “I’d also highlight our beetroot dessert. A special and unique way of using beetroot and other local produce as the main components of a dessert, which consistently surprises guests,” he adds.
More than just a meal
Norwegians are known for their good relationship and affinity for nature, and those working with their natural surroundings have an even greater appreciation when it comes to the Great Mother’s many offerings.
“Here, sustainability leads the way. We respect the product, nature, and the community around us. That means using the whole ingredient, minimising waste, and cooking in a way that ensures we can keep doing this tomorrow. We also source from local producers and use their ingredients,” says Martinez.
And as they move forward, they want guests to leave feeling as if they have just dined at one of Norway’s finest restaurant. “Guests are at the centre of everything: we design the experience around them and take care with every detail, so that they feel genuinely cared for,” says Martinez. “Yes, a Michelin star is a goal, but never at the expense of what matters most: bringing nature into people’s lives through food.”
“I would like for guests to view the evenings as memorable and unforgettable,” says Aaløkken. “Though like Ruben, I would also love to see a Michelin star shining over Øyerfjellet one day.”
Web: www.pellestova.no/slakteriet
Facebook: Slakteriet Pellestova
Instagram: @restaurant.slakteriet
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