Norway's best breakfasts

Ah, the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee, homemade bread, and crispy bacon!

Even mid-range and budget hotels in Norway typically offer lavish breakfast buffets, taking pride in providing a hearty start to the day. So, if you're a breakfast aficionado, you've chosen the right destination! Just make sure you set aside some time to savour your meal.

While extensive buffets abound, smaller hotels and guesthouses may offer a more narrow (but still good quality) selection.

What to expect

Norwegians are bread enthusiasts and take pride in baking a plethora of breads including delectable rye bread, whole grain options, and sourdough creations. At reputable hotels, you can expect to find freshly-baked bread, often accompanied by croissants, sweet treats, and an extensive array of toppings.

Buffets typically include a selection of hard white cheeses, delightful Norwegian blue cheeses, and the renowned brown cheese with its sweet, caramel-like flavour. You can also expect an assortment of cold cuts, jam, and other traditional Norwegian spreads such as liver pâté, cod roe caviar (yes, it's worth a try!), and mackerel in tomato sauce. Are you daring enough to try something new?

Most reputable hotels also offer slices of smoked salmon, pickled herring, cured meats, and local specialities. There are usually yogurts, fruits, and fresh vegetables for those seeking healthier options. Some hotels even provide treats like chia puddings and smoothie shots.

Many hotels cater to dietary needs, offering gluten-free and lactose-free alternatives.

Hot food

Fear not, hot dishes are also available in many places. Expect a variety of eggs, bacon, beans, hot sausages, and potatoes. Oatmeal porridge and fried mushrooms and vegetables are also commonly available, along with other hot local specialities.

Some places even let you prepare your own waffles!

Norway's best breakfast

When it comes to Norway’s best hotel breakfasts, Scandic Nidelven and Thon Hotel Lofoten are the undisputed champions!

Scandic Nidelven Hotel is the acclaimed winner of the Twinings Best Breakfast award, earning the title of "Norwegian Breakfast Champion" in the chain hotel category in 2025. The hotel in Trondheim has been considered the breakfast king for many years as it has ranked in the top 3 in the Twinings Best Breakfast competition for each of the last 19 years, winning no less than 15 times!

“Our coming out on top once again is the result of a strong culture and a true passion for our craft,” says General Manager Espen Teigseth.

Find your breakfast heaven

Scandic Nidelven is not the only breakfast paradise in Norway. Soft, live piano music greets us as we enter the dining room at Thon Hotel Lofoten in Svolvær, acclaimed winner of the "Best Breakfast 2025" in the new "Culinary Hotel Awards Norway". In addition, it came in second in Twinings Best Breakfast award for 2025.

Where to start amidst the array of options? Over a hundred delectable offerings await, including local specialities such as award-winning cheeses from Aalan Farm, delectable sweet brown goat cheese from Lofoten Gårdsysteri, fenalår (cured leg of lamb), and, for the adventurous palate: sugar-salted, smoked cod roe.

"We take pride in our dedicated team of bakers, pastry chefs, and culinary experts who craft the majority of our offerings," says the hotel's director, Erik Taraldsen.

Homemade delights abound, including hot-smoked salmon, savoury liver pâté, falafel, and savoury waffles topped with succulent salmon, to name just a few.

A newcomer, The Dock 69°39 by Scandic secured third place in the Twinning Best Breakfast award, just four months after it first opened in Tromsø.

You don't necessarily have to stay at these hotels to enjoy a fantastic start to your morning. A superb breakfast is often included when booking a night at one of the largest chains in Norway, which have hotels throughout the country. These include Thon Hotels, Strawberry, Clarion Hotels, and Radisson Hotels. At Scandic Hotels, breakfast is available for an additional fee, though it’s included for guests with corporate or group agreements.

The top of the pops

Another Trondheim hotel, venerable Britannia Hotel, won first prize in the Independent Hotel category for the Twinings Best Breakfast award. The historic hotel offers an amazing 5-star breakfast buffet in its stylish Palmehaven Restaurant, which first opened in 1918.

Its high quality food is beautifully presented. Breakfast features local specialities from the Trøndelag region. Britannia Hotel even has its very own farm in Trondheim by Jonsvatnet lake, where vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs are grown exclusively for the hotel and its renowned breakfast. The hotel’s apple juice is produced from fruit from the nearby orchards at Braattan Farm. Britannia’s chefs regularly visit the farm to take part in the process and ensure the finest quality.

You can taste the seasons when you order from the à la carte menu. In autumn, you can try a chanterelle omelette, roast beef of moose, or blueberry juice, while spring, summer, and winter also feature ingredients in season.

More unmissable spots

The second prize winner in 2025 is the renowned Hotel Bristol in Oslo, where the jury highlighted “a start to the day that radiates luxury and care.” Combining tradition and modern elegance, the hotel serves a breakfast that truly delights and inspires.

Hurtigruten's signature ship, the hybrid-powered MS Finnmarken, came in third place. The ship, which sails to Hamburg in Germany to the North Cape and back, sets a new standard for breakfast experiences at sea. In a beautiful dining room with panoramic views of the Norwegian coast, tasty options are served from both a buffet and an à la carte menu, based on sustainable, locally sourced ingredients that celebrate Norwegian food culture.

Unique local treats

When you visit some of Norway's unique accommodation such as farm hotels, boutique hotels, rustic or modern mountain lodges, or cosy bed and breakfasts, you will often be able to enjoy a breakfast characterised by regional and local flavours.

This is especially true if you stay at one of Norway's Historic Hotels or Classic Norway Hotels, where you can enjoy a meal in spectacular surroundings, including high-ceilinged breakfast rooms with a historic touch, or surrounded by sleek, modern Scandinavian design.

While buffets at some of the smaller places might not be as expansive and varied as those at larger hotels, the use of fresh ingredients, quality products, and attention to detail often elevates the breakfast experience, making it something special.

It's important to allocate sufficient time to savour this meal, which can be far more than just a way to fuel up for the day ahead. Don't forget that you're on holiday!

Many hotels in Norway, especially those located in the mountains, also offer the option to make your own packed lunch for an additional fee.