My husband and 4 children (ages 12-20) are headed to Sweden, Norway and Denmark next week. I know that prices are notoriously high for food in all those areas, and Norway in particular. We are staying at hotels in Sweden and Denmark (with free breakfasts and club lounges) and at an airbnb in Bergen. Any suggestions for economical meals I can make while in Bergen? I would love to buy some of the local fish but hear the fish market caters to the tourists and prices are astronomical. Is fish cheaper at the grocery stores? I have read that some items (rice, produce) are less expensive at ethnic stores. What are some Norwegian specialties we should try? Thank you.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
Yes, big breakfast at hotel breakfast buffet. Our Bergan hotel has a do it yourself waffle bar for afternoon tea.
Cheap dinners are Peppes Pizza if you skip the beer. Beer will cost more than the pizza. We frequent the Peppes in Oslo but it's a Norwegian chain with a store in Bergen that gets good reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g190502-d780732-Reviews-Peppes_Pizza-Bergen_Hordaland_Western_Norway.html
We were in Bergen late winter so the fish market wasn't very active. I suppose canned sardines on crackers could be a economy picnic meal.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
What are some Norwegian specialties we should try?
Brunost ("brown cheese")
Sursild (pickled herring)
Lox (brined salmon)
Soft-boiled eggs
Open-faced (single slice of bread) sandwiches
Norske vaffler (waffles) with cream and berry jam
Reindeer roast
Salmon
Akvavit
[I will add that Norwegians stock up on alcohol at the duty free shops before exiting the green door. If you didn't, the next cheapest is the Vinmonopolet (state run alcohol monopoly). Norwegians will have pre-dinner drinks at home then nurse the drink(s) they buy at the restaurant.]
And to combine cheap eats with a popular Norwegian food, try a ‘pølse', very similar to hot dogs. The pølse is a popular Norwegian fast food and can be found in service stations, corner stores and the like. https://theculturetrip.com/europe/norway/articles/norway-10-norwegian-delicacies-and-where-to-try-them/
Norway also has fast-food specialties for on-the-go eating, the most
common being pølse. This popular sausage has a similar style and
flavor to a hot dog or a frankfurter. An import from Norway’s neighbor
Denmark, pølse became a favourite delicacy during the 1950s.
Originally enjoyed either grilled or boiled, Western culture left its
mark on this traditional food, and soon pølse were served with bread,
or in their more Norwegian method, with lompe. This flat,
tortilla-like bread is made simply from flour and water. Wrapped
around the sausage meat, Norwegians nowadays enjoy this delicacy with
a variety of condiments.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
We were in Norway for a month and found that grocery stores are quite reasonably priced...just pop in to one, stock up on eggs, bread, cheese, pasta, etc., and you'll be fine! You are correct that the fish market in Bergen is incredibly expensive...not worth it.
Posted by
Düsseldorf, Germany
13 posts
For a quick and cheap meal/snack in Bergen, try the 3 Kroneren hot dog stand. Tons of tasty options for adults and kids, and it's located nearby the Bryggen area and very close to the funicular station.