We have gone to Sting many times over the years as it is a great informal place for a snack before going to e.g. the movies. One of the highlights at this place is the annual garlic festival in March/April where they have a special focus on…you guess it, garlic. The place is located at the top of the hill right next to Valbergstårnet so the location is pretty unique as most other restaurants and bars are located closer to the waterfront. And this location is also what makes their new feature so spectacular: they have opened a new rooftop terrace! I saw the sign for this new rooftop terrace a few months back but I could not really see how this could happen – but the other day when I stopped by they had just installed a sliding door in the middle of the main seating area leading out this new terrace and with a staircase leading up to the rooftop terrace.
We came there at about 5 pm on a Saturday to have a snack before going to the movies. The weather was beautiful as the sun was shining from a cloud free sky but it was also a bit of a chill in the air. But we went to the rooftop terrace and we were happy to see that there were a few tables available. I think this will soon change when the word gets spread that this terrace is now open. The rooftop terrace is placed in such a way that most of the tables did get sunlight and that is always a plus in a cold place like Norway. The rooftop terrace still needs the last finishing touches but nothing that prevents it from being a nice hangout spot already.
As always I had to go to the cashier to place the order and we decided to go for the burger (as we have tried that at various places lately). Sting is also the only(?) place in Stavanger were you get wine by the glass by the weight. They just place the glass on a scale and they ask you to “say when” as they pour the wine in. They have a few bottles to choose from when it comes to wine but with the new rooftop terrace I think it can turn into an even more popular spot for a cold beer as long as the weather cooperates.
It was great to sit in the sun and enjoy the view of Stavanger while waiting for the burger – and the burger was served sooner than expected. We talked a bit to the girl who served us the burger and she said that it had been a bit chaotic earlier on and people had been waiting for quite some time to get their food served. I guess that is something that the management has to deal with – they have just more or less double the seating capacity but it seems like they have the same kitchen and staff. That could spell disaster if they don’t plan for it. The burger was served with small, fried potatoes on the side and a garlic dip. But where was the tomato sauce or ketchup? The burger itself was good but I would have enjoyed pickles on mine instead of just cucumber. We were never asked how we wanted our burger done but it seemed like medium was the default setting so Nikki found her burger to be a bit too rare. The garlic dip really had lots of garlic in it by the way – I could feel my garlic breath myself the rest of the evening. Not that it is a negative thing but just be aware of it ;-) So I think the burger at Matbaren is still the best burger in town so far (you can read the Matbaren review here). The burger at Sting is 169 Kroner – with the current currency value that spells about 32 US dollars or 22 €.
But all in all – Café Sting is still a great place to go for a bit of snack. Even if their menu is limited you should be able to find something that you like. And it looks like there are lots of new things happening at this place and I’m sure they will stay in business for many years to come. With their new rooftop terrace I’m sure they will attract new crowds when the sun hits Stavanger in the summer months. You can read more about Sting on their homepage http://www.cafe-sting.no/ . It does not seem like their homepage is in English but click on Mat (meaning food) to see the menu, it is both in Norwegian and English.
Regards
Gard
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