Tromsø’s iconic takopizza sparks backlash after Aftenpodden criticism

The Aftenpodden podcast has drawn sharp criticism from Tromsø locals and politicians after mocking the city’s beloved takopizza, a dish considered a culinary institution in northern Norway, Dagbladet reports.

In a recent social media video, Aftenpodden ridiculed a Facebook post by Conservative Party leader Ine Eriksen Søreide, who had shared a photo of herself and her deputies enjoying what she called “Tromsø’s best culinary experience” — the takopizza from Yonas restaurant. The pizza, topped with bolognese, Chinese cabbage, and house dressing, is a local staple and unrelated to traditional taco.

“Poor thing, Tromsø’s best culinary experience,” said Trine Eilertsen, editor-in-chief of Aftenposten, in the video. The remark triggered a flood of reactions, with many defending the dish as a point of local pride.

Erlend Svardal Bøe, a Conservative MP from Troms, was among the critics. “You don’t joke about takopizza. You just don’t,” he told Dagbladet. “When you go after what many consider an institution, and you’re touching on identity and belonging, you have to expect some pushback.”

Bøe, who described Yonas as a Tromsø institution, suggested the Aftenpodden team try the pizza before commenting. “It’s what Oslo commentators are good at — talking without knowing,” he said, half-jokingly offering to deliver a takopizza to Oslo in a heated bag.

Eilertsen acknowledged the criticism, admitting the podcast had spoken “on thin ground” without having tasted the pizza. She said some staff would soon visit Tromsø and welcomed guidance from Bøe or local MP Cecilie Myrseth. “It’s good to see many in Tromsø are taking this with good humour, even if we’ve offended a pizza,” she said.

The video also criticised Søreide’s political communication, with host Sarah Sørheim comparing her post to “a slow replay of everything Jonas Gahr Støre did catastrophically wrong as party leader.” Bøe, however, defended Søreide, praising her for showcasing her connection to Tromsø, where she lived for a decade.