Experience Norway’s unique

CULINARY DESTINATIONS

Are you a real foodie?

Then you should explore these culinary destinations in Norway!

Join us on a journey from north to south to explore some of Norway's most unique food destinations! Get tips on what local delicacies you should sample along the way. Reindeer meat, skrei (Atlantic cod), award-winning cheese, king crab, and much more – what do you want to try first?

Read the whole guide, or go directly to:

Arctic cuisine in Northern Norway

Seafood straight from the fjords, lakes and rivers, wild game from animals roaming on the mountain plateaus, and traditional Sami cuisine are some of the highlights from Northern Norway.

The nature in this part of the county is raw and untamed, and creates the perfect conditions for excellent ingredients.

Here's what not to miss:

1. Kirkenes: King crab

This is the king of seafood in the North. Imagine catching it yourself in wild and beautiful Kirkenes or Varanger, in Northern Norway.

An hour later, you’re inside, warm and comfortable, adding a squeeze of lemon before digging in to the world’s most exclusive meal.

King crab meat is sweet and aromatic, and is often compared to lobster. You can get it served in restaurants in the North, but there's something special about catching it yourself on a guided king crab safari.

2. Lofoten: Skrei

Skrei (Atlantic cod) is one of the world’s best and most sustainable edible fish. Every year, the skrei migrate to Lofoten, Vesterålen, and other parts of Northern Norway to spawn.

Go on a skrei adventure during winter, and experience the season at its peak from February to April.

And don't forget to also sample the world-famous stockfish, tørrfisk, that has been dried in fresh air in the traditional way. It can be enjoyed steamed, grilled, or baked – or even as a dry snack like crisps!

3. Finnmark: Reindeer

Nutritious, lean and rich. The meat has a gamey and complex flavour due to the fact that reindeer roam freely and graze in the wild. It's simply pure flavour from nature.

Reindeer were originally hunted, but over time people started practising reindeer husbandry, especially in Northern Norway. In Sami areas, only Sami can carry out reindeer husbandry, which is how more than 3,000 Sami people currently make a living.

Taste it dried, roasted, or as the star in the traditional Sami dish bidus.

Take a deep dive into Arctic cuisine

And get even more inspiration on where to visit.

Restaurants in Northern Norway

Local food at its best in Trøndelag

Venison, reindeer, cheese, and all kinds of seafood and shellfish are all delicacies you can expect to sample when visiting the Trøndelag region in Central Norway.

All across the region you’ll find an abundance of small farms producing quality products, and farm shops.

With more than 200 local food producers, Trøndelag is one of the most important local food regions in the country, and offers everything from cosy farm cafés in the countryside to urban Michelin-starred restaurants in Trondheim.

Here are some highlights:

4. Trondheim: European region of gastronomy

Thanks to incredible local food producers and innovative chefs, Trondheim and Trøndelag was named European region of gastronomy 2022.

The cosy, historical city of Trondheim has become a culinary hot spot in Norway, with several Michelin-starred restaurants as well as ultra-local informal eateries and bars. If you want a little bit of everything, Trondheim is the perfect place to visit.

PS: Don't miss Norway's most tasty detour from the E6 motorway along The Golden Road at Inderøy, where you will find an abundance of farm shops, bakeries, aquavit, meat, cheese, and juice producers, and the unique Øyna Cultural Landscape hotel, serving fantastic local food!

Top destinations for foodies in Trøndelag

5. Røros: Cheese and dairy

Delicious cheeses, reindeer, moose, ice cream made of cloudberries, and local treats like pjalt and lemse cakes.

Intriguing Røros has long been an epicentre for locally sourced food in Norway, and its culinary scene is filled with pure, authentic flavours from local forests and mountain plateaus – both savoury and sweet.

The local freshwater fish sik, European whitefish, is delicious and its roe has become an exclusive delicacy, often compared to Russian caviar.

The area is especially known for its dairy products. Try the cultivated milk Tjukkmelk from Røros and the cheese Skjørost from the Røros area, which are both Protected Geographical Indications.

Indulge in the unique flavours of Røros on a local food safari!

6. Hitra: Crab

The Hitra crab is unlike any other crabs, and it's a true delicacy you must try while in Trøndelag. It's so tasty that it's exported around the globe and served in gourmet restaurant from Dubai to San Francisco.

The crab thrives in the waters off Hitra island, where the oxygen-rich seawater and ideal temperatures provides perfect conditions for it to grow. Scallops, salmon, deer, and Old Norwegian Sheep are other delicacies you should try here.

Tip: Visit in late summer and autumn, when the quality is in peak season!

Explore the flavours of Trøndelag

This area is a paradise for foodies.

Restaurants and cafés in Trøndelag

Hearty mountain food in Eastern Norway

Eastern Norway offers a great variation of flavours. From Michelin-starred restaurants in the capital Oslo to traditional local food at the many summer pasture farms in the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Expect all kinds of game, trout, lamb, and seafood in the southern areas. You'll often be able to sample some of the best local food at traditional mountain lodges and farm hotels in the area.

Oslo is a great place to start your food adventure. Explore cute cafés, exotic street food, or the very best of Nordic cuisine before heading out to explore more areas.

Here are some special places to explore:

7. Gvarv: Fruit

Life in the country never tasted better than this!

The small village of Gvarv in Telemark takes serious pride in calling itself Fruktbygda, the Fruit village. There are more than half a million fruit trees here, enjoying Norway's warmest microclimate. Every fourth Norwegian apple is grown here!

Sleep in a wine barrel at a vineyard (!), visit some of Norway's coolest farm pubs and microbreweries, and many other charming farm shops and galleries.

And of course, indulge in fruits and juices while here, including apple juices, raspberries, cherries, plums, and more.

A foodie guide to The Fruit Village

8. Summer pastures in Valdres

Summer mountain farms have always played an important role in Norwegian agriculture.

In old times, farmers had to move their livestock up in the mountains during summer to graze. This way of farming is still practised in some areas in Norway, and the Valdres region is the place with the most operative summer mountain summer farms in all of Northern Europe.

Pasture farms produce tasty sweet brown cheese, cured meats and more. Some even have their own cafés where you can enjoy a freshly made waffle or sour cream porridge. Or maybe you want to stay the night?

And while in Valdres: Try rakfisk, semi-fermented trout, and kurv, cured sausages, both of which are Protected Geographical Indications.

Foodie guide to Valdres

9. Mountain food in Jotunheimen

A fantastic way to explore Norwegian mountain cuisine is to visit a traditional Norwegian mountain lodge, fjellstue, situated in beautiful locations all over Eastern Norway.

Taste game from the mountains, berries, and mushrooms from the forests, and fish from mountain lakes and rivers. The food at the mountain lodges is usually hearty and functions as excellent fuel before exploring the mountains.

The Jotunheimen mountains have a lot of great options and mountain lodges. For a gourmet dining experience, head out to Vianvang in Vågå, run by famous Norwegian chef Arne Brimi.

The National Park Village Lom, surrounded by Norway's tallest mountains, is also a gem for foodies. Visit the many great hotel restaurants and local food shops, and the famous Lom Bakery in the town centre.

Foodie guide to Jotunheimen

10. The cheese village Hol

Over the course of just a few years, a small village between Oslo and Bergen has transformed itself into a veritable cheese heaven.

Stop by Hol Ysteri a cool, small cheesemaker with more than 20 cheeses from eight local producers and a lot of other tasty local food. The cheeses from Prestholt are some of Norway's most renowned goat cheeses – try sweet brown cheese or aged white! You should also try the soft cheeses from Rueslåtten cheese factory, one of which is a World Cheese Awards winner.

Many cheeses are made from delicious and nutritious milk from livestock that graze at summer mountain farms.

Taste Eastern Norway

From big cities to small villages. This area offers a fantastic variation of flavours.

Visit Eastern Norway

Coastal cuisine in Western Norway

Norway has one of the world's longest coastlines. This gives great access to the very best seafood. While visiting the coast, you can get the freshest of the freshest seafood, served directly from the source, and Western Norway is no exception.

This part of the country is also known for being home to some of Norway's most famous fjords. In the dramatic fjord landscape, deer and livestock roam freely and fruit trees thrive.

Stavanger and the nearby Jæren area has emerged as one of Norway’s most exciting culinary destinations, while Bergen offers unforgettable seafood experiences by the sea.

What do you want to try first?

11. Clipfish in Kristiansund

Before oil and salmon, dried and salted cod was one of Norway's biggest exports. Ideally located by the Norwegian sea, Kristiansund naturally became one of the biggest export hubs for clipfish - the main ingredient in the Portuguese (and Norwegian) dish bacalao.

Sample the world famous cod fresh or deliciously prepared, or try a quick fishan, the local version of fish and chips, while watching the fishing boats sail by. You can learn more about the fascinating history of this local staple at the Norwegian Clipfish Museum.

12. Fruit farms in Hardanger

The microclimate found along many of the fjords in Western Norway creates ideal conditions for growing fruit.

Apple juices and ciders from Hardanger apples are considered among the most exclusive in the world.

"Cider from Hardanger" and "Apple Juice from Hardanger" are even geographically protected labels, just like Champagne. The label has also been given to Hardanger cherries, Hardanger plums, Hardanger apples, and Hardanger pears.

Visit the many fruit and cider farms, go on a cider cruise, or even stay at a cider hotel in Utne.

Tip: The Michelin-starred restaurant Iris is located in the middle of the Hardangerfjord, on Salmon Eye. Here, you can indulge in an 18-course tasting meal in the world's largest floating art installation.

NOTE: Restaurant Iris is temporarily closed to further develop the concept. You can still visit the exhibition center at Salmon Eye.

13. Smalahove at Voss

This may be a little bit challenging for some, but we promise that smalahove, or traditionally made steamed sheep's head, is tasty! It's considered one of Norway's oddest culinary specialities, and it's served whole with potatoes and mashed swedes.

The tradition of eating smalahove has its origins in Voss and Hardanger. You can sample it yourself at Smalahovetunet at Voss, a family business that sells it all year round.

A large part of Norwegian traditional food consists of lamb. And while visiting Norway you should also try fenalår, dried leg of lamb, and pinnekjøtt, lamb ribs, a traditional Christmas dish.

And in autumn, you must try our national dish fårikål, literally "lamb in cabbage".

Western Norway

The very best of ingredients in fantastic landscapes.

Visit Western Norway

Treats in Southern Norway

Charming traditional white wooden houses in idyllic costal towns, an archipelago with thousands of islands and a mild climate, is typical of Southern Norway. When you're visiting the South it's all about enjoying time by the sea, and of course fresh seafood, especially steamed mussels and fresh prawns. Lots of prawns!

In Kristiansand, the largest city in the area, you'll find several restaurants that specialise in fresh seafood, often served with a sea view.

A few kilometres from the coast of Southern Norway lays the quaint historical farm estate Boen Gård. French cuisine meets local produce in its lovely restaurant, recommended by the Michelin Guide.

There are also plenty of farmer's markets and farm shops where you can by fresh local products.

Let's explore:

14. Go Under in Lindesnes

Get ready for a once in a lifetime experience! Dining in the world’s biggest underwater restaurant Under is a truly unique treat.

In the restaurant, located just outside of Lindesnes, you will be served Michelin-starred food. Its set menu is seasonal and consist of 10-12 courses, based on the best local ingredients from Southern Norway.

And the restaurant building itself is also a showstopper, designed by Norwegian architects Snøhetta.

Explore Southern Norway

Visit the 'happy south'!

Visit Southern Norway

Hungry for more?

Typically Norwegian food

Let the local flavours of Norway surprise and excite your taste buds!

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Find tasty restaurants and learn more about Norwegian cuisine.

Taste Norway

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Restaurants worth a detour

You can find some of the most unique Norwegian restaurants in some truly stunning and remote locations.

Or have a taste of the whole Norwegian coast.

Go on a foodie cruise with Hurtigruten

Trips for gourmets

Embark on a culinary journey through Norway.

Take advantage of top offers

See our selection of trusted companies that work hard to make you happy all through your trip.