Matigruppen opened its first restaurant, Tollbua, in February 2024. Previously the bulding was the customs house for Trondheim (Tollbua = Toll House), an historic building on the docks in Trondhiem. It has now been redeveloped as a purpose-built office complex and a 1,400m2 restaurant and entertainment space.
Tollbua covers the majority of the ground floor, with the main customer entrance on the West side, directly opposite Rockheim.
Tollboden is a listed property and so the developers took great care to respect and care for the existing building . Throughout the renovation process the developers and interior architects were focussed on quality, long-lasting materials, which are durable. They prioritised re-used or recycled items wherever possible.
The interior architects, SJ Design, utilised old elements salvaged from the previous occupants where possible. For instance, Chef’s Table, the Champagne Table and the Chambre Séperée table are created from huge dark wood beams from the old building. Much of the kitchen and all three of the wine rooms are repurposed from another concept.
Tollbua’s kitchen is focussed on short-travelled, sustainable and local ingredients. The philosophy of Christopher Davidsen’s cuisine is to create excellent food experiences, while utilising all the ingredient. There is careful management of stock to ensure minimal waste.
Waste management is handled by Elskedeby, which uses exclusively electric vehicles. Elskedeby collects and sorts waste on a regular basis, to reduce the noise pollution of large vehicles and unwanted smells. Tollbua’s own vehicle is also 100% electric.