Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eating in Norway
Habits & Customs
The Norwegian day starts with coffee (always!), a boiled egg and some sort of bread or
dry crispbread (normally Ryvita) topped with cheese, cucumber, tomato and a type of
pickled herring.
For lunch, most people opt for an open sandwich, a slice of bread topped with sardines,
shrimp, ham, olives, cucumber or egg. In the midafternoon Norwegians often break for
coffee and one of the highlights of the day, waffles with cream and jam. Unlike the firm
Belgian waffles, which are better known abroad, Norwegian waffles are flower-shaped,
soft and often strongly flavoured with cardamom.
The main meal is eaten between 4pm and 6pm, considerably later in summer. Usually
the only hot meal of the day, it normally includes a meat, seafood or pasta dish, with
boiled potatoes, a scoop of vegetables and perhaps even a small salad or green garnish.
Where to Eat & Drink
Hotel breakfasts in Norway often consist of a gargantuan buffet that is dominated by
continental-style choices, with a few hot dishes (usually bacon, eggs and/or sausages) and
some Scandinavian options (such as pickled herrings) thrown in. If you're staying some-
where where breakfast is not included, your best bet is a bakery where bread, pastries,
sandwiches and bagels are well priced.
If you love fresh fish, any of Norway's fish markets are fabulous places to eat; buy what
you want as a takeaway and find a quiet vantage point alongside the water.
Norwegians love to eat out and just about every town in Norway has at least one sit-
down restaurant. Although it's more usual to eat a light lunch and save the main meal for
dinner, many Norwegian restaurants, especially in larger towns, serve cheaper lunch spe-
cials (often around Nkr79). These are often filling and well sized for those wanting more
than a sandwich. Sometimes these are signed as a
dagens rett
(daily special).
