Local flavours
from Røros

Around two and a half hours south of Trondheim, you'll find the charming town of Røros, surrounded by mountains, vast open landscapes, woodlands and lakes.

It's known for its traditional craftsmanship, wild nature, roaming reindeer, mines and delicious local food of course!

Experience savoury treats like cured reindeer meat, and unique, organic, locally made dairy products that have a long tradition in the small town.

Fresh, rich dairy products, salty cured meats, juicy berries and crisp flatbread are all synonymous with Røros. The town is renowned across Norway for its high-quality local food production. Immerse yourself in the flavours of Røros on a food safari!

Crops before copper

In order to get to know Røros' food culture, we first need to delve into its past. Today, it's primarily known as a historic, UNESCO-listed mining town, but long before they began sending workers under ground it was an area for farming and wild nomadic lifestyles.

The indigenous people from the North, the Sámi, have strong roots in this area and their reindeer continue to graze freely. Reindeer meat was dried and cured to preserve it, making it an important source of sustenance when following reindeer herds for days on end across the vast mountain plateaus. It remains a staple in Røros today and is enjoyed as a salty treat all over the country.

Røros' streets were often empty back then, as people were busy tending to their farmland outside the town or looking after their livestock that grazed on mountain pastures. They would bring the harvest home and store it in their farmhouses in the centre of town. This meant that food had to travel well and keep for long periods of time.

The cows in the area led to the establishment of the Røros Dairy Company in 1953, and it's still going strong.

“Everything we make is organic with no additives, and a lot of the work is still done by hand to ensure top quality products.”

Hilde Myhren

Head of marketing and experiences, Røros Dairy

Learn more on a tour of the dairy plant, which includes plenty of tasty samples, or stop by its café for more treats.

In addition to dairy products, farming, and reindeer meat, Røros was also a known trading post. Goods like herring and whitefish would be brought to Røros, which would then be salted and preserved in various ways.

Several of the products from the Røros Dairy Company have won awards, and both its Tjukkmjølk and Skjørost have received PGI status, meaning they're geographically protected products.

Tjukkmjølk is a thick, fermented milk that can be used like yoghurt or in baking, while Skjørost is similar to cottage cheese and is high in protein.

The first product its made back in 1953 was Røros butter. Its decadent flavour is a favourite amongst Norwegians! The unique thing about it is that they make it by churning sour cream instead of heavy cream, making it more compact than other types of butter.

You may have seen Norwegian cheese slicers before, but the Røros Dairy Company actually has a butter slicer that it created in cooperation with the jeweller Bjørklund. The slices are delicious on a piece of local, crisp flatbread or on their own!

Preserving food in various ways was important from the beginning, and became even more so when mining came to Røros in the 17th century.

This led to a shift in which women had to take over the farm work, while the men were sent underground for extended periods. Everyone relied on food that could withstand the elements.

Food beneath the surface

When the people of Røros first began mining, they used a technique known as fire-setting, which involved heating the rock face with open fires. It would cause the rock to expand and crack, making it easier to chip away loose stone.

This meant that they were working in very hot conditions and their food had to survive these temperatures too.

“The miners would take things like tjukkmjølk, crispy flatbread, peas, and dried meat or fish into the mines with them.”

Ole Kristian Korssjøen

Røros Museum

The sweltering conditions changed due to a shortage of firewood. Soon, gunpowder became a game changer. Miners would then drill holes and fill them with the black powder, making it somewhat easier for them, even though this still required drilling. Eventually, electricity, dynamite and tools were introduced to the industry. Find out more on a tour of the mines just outside Røros.

The taste of Røros

The food traditions born out of necessity have not only been preserved, but also elevated over time. Røros quickly became known as the capital of local food production in Norway, pioneering the way for several other foodie destinations across the country. In fact, the whole region of Trøndelag has become famous for its gastronomic delights!

Join a local food safari in Røros to learn more and try the food yourself at the cosy café Kaffestuggu.

There, you'll be served fizzy drinks flavoured with juicy local berries and an array of tasty dairy products and cured meats. Savour things like reindeer meat, skjørost cheese, sour cream and butter from the Røros dairy company, Galåvolden cheese with dried reindeer meat, sour sausage and vibrant lingonberry sauce.

It may look like a typical charcuterie board, but these flavours are rooted in history and have stories to tell.

You'll also get to sample tjukkmjølk and the sweet treat lemse on the food safari. Lemse is a flat pastry from the Røros region, often filled with butter and sugar.

If you have a craving for more local delicacies, make sure to try breakfast at the historic Erzscheidergården Hotel. Here you'll easily spot products from the Røros dairy company as well as delicious Norwegian waffles. There's something for all tastes, with everything from local cheeses and cured meats to homemade jams and fish.

Just a stone's throw from the famous church, you'll find more wonderful culinary experiences at the historic Vertshuset Røros. Its seasonal menu is based on ingredients from Røros and the Trøndelag area. Local traditions and modern influences are merged together, resulting in a feast for the senses.

Or how about a tailored à la carte breakfast at Restaurant 1897 at Bergstadens Hotel & Spa? The dishes allow local ingredients to shine, and in the evenings you can order from its regular menu or indulge in the "Chefs Recommendation", a three-course meal where you'll discover new flavours from the region.

Award-winning products

The Røros Dairy Company aren't the only ones receiving recognition, as the dairy farms Galåvolden and Eggen can also boast award-winning cheeses!

Galåvolden farm is just a 16-minute drive from Røros, and its farm shop is full of tempting goodies like tjukkmjølk ice-cream, blueberry sorbet, cakes and chocolate.

If you head west towards Alvdal, there are more exciting culinary stops along the way. Eggen Gardsysteri, near Vingelen, has a farm shop open during the summer months where you can buy its tasty cheeses. Its blue cheese, Fjellblå, has won several awards throughout the years and remains a world-class product.

Or how about Søberg Gård, located right next to the main road just outside of Alvdal? Here, you'll find shelves full of local specialities, and you can even buy Christmas decorations and candles.

And don't worry if you can't make the drive, as the local shop Rørosmat in Røros stocks a wide range of these products! It's a must for foodies.