I respect and appreciate Michelin stars, gourmet goodies, street food, and the contents of the local grocer. Traveling to Tromsø, Norway, in January, I was focused on“Friluftsliv”, The Norwegian spirit of embracing, exploring, and respecting nature. Nourishing one's soul in remote locations for spiritual and physical well-being paired well with the food we found along the way to fuel our bodies and satisfy our appetites. Abstaining from alcohol elevates the experience in harmony with the environs.
A long list of gourmet restaurants, world-famous cheeses, and renowned local dishes was in my “to-do notes,”. I will definitely be back to continue my epicurean exploration. This trip, we focused on bakeries for breakfast, experiential dinners, grocery store treats for backpacks, and late-night Kveldsmat after chasing the Northern Lights. The food in Norway is so fresh, clean, and well-prepared: culinary artistry in minimalism is perfected.
The Local Grocery: Tromsø
A trip to the local grocery store, multiple trips, is a favorite part of my travels, both domestic and international. I love perusing the aisles, checking out what’s on the shelves and in the freezer section. I have usually done some pre-travel research into the regional specialties, national favorites, and unique eats, salivating in anticipation. A benefit of a local rental with a kitchen is stocking up on breakfast, snacks, and mini-meal options, not only for sustenance but to round out my eating experience as a whole.
Cheese & chocolate are my favorite food groups. Thus, I usually start there. On day one in Tromso, at our neighborhood Co-op, I filled my satchel with: Norwegian brown cheese, Jarlsberg (known as “regular cheese”), Nøkkelost and tried to decide which creamy goat cheese I wanted. I liked the mountains on the Snøfrisk packaging. The Norwegians love their knekkebrød (crispbreads). I stared long and jet-lagged, dazed at the expansive shelf filled with choices. Knekkebrød is perfect for travelers as it has a long shelf life, easy & light to carry, and pairs well with all the cheeses in my satchel. I read about many gourmet and award-winning Norwegian cheeses and look forward to a return trip to try them!
Chocolate at the Co-op was easy, huge bars of Freia. Choices galore, but my favorite is always with Hazelnuts. As the chocolate selection is conveniently next to the cookie section, I plucked some chocolatey biscuits off the shelf too. Perfect for afternoon tea dunking. Our favorites were Ballerina by Sætre. We added cream, coffee, yogurts, and tea. I spotted the tubes of Cod Caviar my Scandanavia friends always used to bring to breakfast. Next grocery run, less jet lagged, we would get more adventurous and deeper in the aisles.
Dining: Tromsø
I had a long list of restaurants I wanted to visit in Tromsø, including Restaurant Smak & Emma’s Dream kitchen. I will gladly return to try them. We were so enraptured with the feast for our eyes; the beauty of Tromsø and its surroundings we didn’t want to sit. Fortunately, the cafe and bakery scene is delicious and fun. Our favorites were: Ververt Bakeri, Riso and Kaffebonna but there were so many more to try. Our Sentrum downtown bus stop dropped us in front of Smørtorget kaffe which beckoned to us with its cozy ambiance.
At Ververt, we had delicious lattes, cinnamon buns, and raspberry wienerbrod overlooking the harbor. The Wienerbrod had light, flaky pastry, sweet creme, and fresh tart raspberries…my mouth is watering just thinking about it. A hot pressed savory panini at Kaffebonna, perfectly sized, hit the spot after our windy adventure up the Fjellheisen Cable Car and a round trip walk over the 1,036-metre-long (3,399 ft) Tromsø bridge linking Tromsø with Tromsøya Island. We enjoyed savory breakfast specials at Riso cafe, conveniently located adjacent to the Radisson Blu where many tours depart from. Get there early, though; it’s to be savored, not rushed. My latte had a dancing fairy in the foam. I ate thick substantive bread topped with delicately scrambled eggs, toasted walnuts, drizzled with honey. A perfect start to a day of dogsledding.
Northern Lights & Kveldsmat
Northern Light chasing can be long and elusive, but so rewarding when lucky (and well-guided). We took advantage to go out with a local guide from Northern Horizons. The drive was long and dark along snowy roads. I was very grateful for our driver Martin. Tomasso our guide, not only found us a remote spot where we caught the elusive Northern Lights but is also an amazing photographer. With Tomasso taking the photographs, we were able to concentrate on the experience. Meanwhile, our fabulous driver was multi-tasking, building us a warm fire where we roasted sausages ( Vegan & Reindeer were available), warm up with tea & cookies, and connect with our fellow chasers from Brazil, Germany, Lithuania, England, and Argentina. No alcohol was served, needed, or asked for; so refreshing!
Martin & Tomasso hosted a wonderful evening and successfully found us the Northern Lights. The first full viewing of my life. They kindly dropped us at our doorstep at the doorstep of our Airbnb. Exhausted but giddy with excitement, we were in need of a snack and glad we had stocked up and could embrace Norwegian Kveldsmat, the traditional 4th meal of the day! A little knekkebrød & cheese, accompanied by a shared roundup of our incredible night under the Aurora Borealis while gazing at the twinkly lights of Tromsø at 2 am, pinch me. Is this real?
Dragøy & Vulcana
The next few days included Kayaking on the shores of Sommarøy island (highly recommend), dogsledding, and exploring all the treasures of Tromsø. We spent an evening on the Vulcana spa boat soaking in the outdoor hot tub, warming in the sauna & Hamman between dips in the Norwegian Sea ( confession: my friend Margaret dipped, and I “supervised”). We met Chef Georgia cooking in Vulcanas kitchen, the aromas luring me in and wishing we had reserved the dinner option. Georgia’s presence with her ingredients in the kitchen is like a maestro leading an orchestra, passion wafting. She shared her love and knowledge of local ingredients and delicacies.
Our tummies rumbling from Vulcana’s kitchen, we were fortunate to be able to stride quickly over to our favorite dinner spot in Tromsø, Dragøy. Both a fish market and eatery, I wanted to try everything on the menu. I usually like to try all the restaurants, but once we found Dragøy, I wanted to try all the menu items. We returned again and again, each dish a dream. The fish & chips are the perfect combo of crunchy exterior, silky moist cod inside. Not greasy at all, but light and crispy. Accompanied by my idea of the perfect French fry: golden brown crunchy, with a hot, warm, soft center and a ramekin of sauce, we licked clean. Another night I enjoyed a large bowl of South Indian Fish soup brimming with cod & salmon. Generous heaps of homemade bread made dipping a delight. I ogled the platters of sashimi, fish burgers, and mounds of shrimp on other diners' plates. I could be tempted to fly back just for another dinner here!
Road Trip Lyngen Alps
Raising hungry kids in the outdoors, ski trip tailgating, my inner wander spirit has taught & honed my skills on the importance of having a great snack pack. Renting a car in the arctic circle, middle of winter, beautiful (ie: distracting) vistas, snowy windy roads, is not for the faint of heart but well worth it if you want to stop & explore along the way. Alternately the comfortable Arctic Route Bus will efficiently transport you in a comfortable coach bus door to door Tromsø to Kilpisjärvi and many other locales around the region. I perused the map of our route for pit stops & vista points, having read stops are scattered and many locales closed in winter. Gas station goodies in Norway proved to be quite tasty. The hot coffee & sparkly clean bathrooms, very appreciated. Our snack pak of Freia Chocolate bars & Ballerina cookies tasted so good sitting in the snow overlooking the waters off Skibotn.
Vasara Reindeer Ranch
Vasasra Reindeer Ranch, Arctic Land Adventure, is a working farm. Reindeer will most likely be on the
menu; thus, make a note if you prefer fish. We were so hungry, our intake distracted by magnificent views, snowy road navigation, and reindeer. We realized we had “survived the day” on cookies & chocolate alone (no complaints). Mia cooked us a lovely fresh, hearty portion of Halibut over creamy potatoes with a buttery onion sauce. Pickled beets and steamed carrots rounded out a perfect plate. Home-made bread, yes, we asked for seconds. A delectable “mud cake” covered with raspberries and cream, the perfect blend of: a hint of sour-salty-sweet; pizazz of the fruit, sprinkle of salt, and deep rich chocolate sweetened with the silky cream.
Our igloo was well appointed, lovely touches everywhere, with an espresso maker and teapot. We stayed up till all hours wild with excitement as The Northern Lights danced through the sky.
Warmed with coffee, we visited with the reindeer well before dawn, then returned to the main dining lodge for a hearty & delicious breakfast. Mia had made us mini meat pies from scratch, her mother's recipe of housemade cheese to spread on more of the freshly baked (still warm) bread. A Smörgåsbord of yogurt, cloudberries from Mia’s yard, cheeses, cured meats, smoked fish, and fruits all laid out beautifully filled our bellies and delighted our taste buds. I felt at home, yet luxuriously cradled by Mia’s hospitality.
Snowmobile Snack: Three Country Cairns with Kilpissfarit
Location, Location, Location! How often do we book a restaurant for a fabulous view or setting? Not every day can one tour around Scandinavia through Sweden, Finland, and Norway, enjoying ONE cup of coffee. The three country cairn, our snack stop, is the point where Sweden, Finland and Norway all meet. Hot coffee and cakes after a frigid ride (my hair was frozen solid ! ) through Finnish Lapland served in traditional wooden Sami cups on a frozen lake tasted so good, nuff said! Our hosts at Kilpissafarit outfitters were the perfect balance of kind, professional, safety first, and lovely.
Kilpisjärvi & Cahkal Hotel
We encountered so much genuine kindness and hospitality in Norway and Finland. We had just returned around 3 pm, iced over from snowmobiling our frozen lake. The restaurant we tried to go to, recommended by a French traveler on our Snowmobile adventure, was closed. We asked the hostess for a recommendation as to where to go to get a bite. The hostess returned with, " The chef says he can make you some lemon risotto; does that sound good"? Mon Dieu, it was a delectable dream! After lunch, we warmed up by the fire, connecting with some fellow travelers from around the world over pots of tea. If returning to a hotel in Kilpisjärvi, I would definitely try The Cahkal Hotel . (PS: Their Sauna looks amazing!)
Alcohol Frei Aisle:
While in Kilpsijarvi, we needed to stop at the local grocer. We were feeling celebratory. Alcohol offers no enhancements, IMHO. The alcohol at supermarkets, dominating the top visual spots, can be distracting; moving along, we curiously search out what alcohol-free options are on offer and what we can stock the fridge with. An afternoon bubbly treat or fruity beverage proved fun paired with the view from our rental. We were pleasantly surprised at the multitude of options for “ Alcohol Frei.” Alcohol is super expensive in Scandinavia. I have many reasons to abstain, but avoiding it for economic reasons unto itself frees up funds for other food & fun! Best Bet: The Arctic circle water is the best I have ever tasted, crisp, clean, clear, and refreshing. Hydration, always important, is very enjoyable here!
Home
Looking through my photos and reminiscing on all our delicious eating, I got hungry. I brought back chocolate, which, though hard to part with, I shared with friends & family. I savored my personal bar I kept square by square. Craving savory but without many options, I picked up some Crispbread, smoked salmon, and creamy, spreadable goat cheese at Trader Joe's. Please share your favorite places I can find goodies stateside to quench my appetite until I can return to Norway. If you have a favorite Norwegian food, farm, region, or restaurant I need to put on my “need to visit list” for my next adventure, please let me know!
Until next time
Håper det smaker
McMenuGuide simplifies your dining decisions, the vibrant flavors of Norway nourish both body and soul. Elevate Your Meal Choices – Start with McMenuGuide.From artisanal cheeses and Freia chocolate to culinary artistry at Tromsø’s Dragøy and Vasara Reindeer Ranch, Norway offers a feast of fresh, local delights that captivate every traveler.