The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard covers the region between 74° to 81° north and 10° to 35° east. The largest settlement on Svalbard is Longyearbyen. It's the world's northernmost settlement with just a few thousand people and a few thousand polar bears.
Longyearbyen is the closest you can get to the North Pole. You will be exactly 1338km from the North Pole and 2313km from Oslo.
With 60% of Svalbard covered by glaciers, you may not expect to find amazing culinary adventures and yet Longyearbyen has plenty of options for the foodies of us.
Food Culture in Svalbard
Svalbard is unique in so many ways: its location, climate, wildlife and history. All of which has an impact on the gastronomical scene.
There are no farms in Svalbard because of the harsh growing conditions. Permafrost, a layer of frozen soil does not allow the growth of trees and grass. This lack of vegetation is known as Arctic Tundra.
The complete absence of light known as the dark season or Polar Twilight, combined with the lack of vegetables in the past led to meat being the main source of high protein and vitamin D for the people of Longyearbyen to survive the harsh winter season. That is why local specialities are mainly meat or fish dishes.
Hunting and trapping goes all the way back to 1700s with Russian Pomor trappers while the first Norwegian overwintering expedition was in 1795/96. Trappers moved north looking for income coming from fox fur and polar bears, at the same time, reindeer and ptarmigan provided food.
Longyearbyen's origins as a mining town had also influenced the local cuisine. Back in the days, workers needed high calorie meals and comfort food.
Today, reindeer steak, seal steak, arctic cod are among the popular specialities one can found in restaurants in Longyearbyen.
It might be surprising to know that this small settlement so close to the North Pole is bursting with food options. It is a true mecca for foodies.
What to eat in Longyearbyen
There is a wide selection of cafes and restaurants to choose from in Longyearbyen. https://en.visitsvalbard.com/ is a great resource to know everything there's to know about Svalbard and Longyearbyen.
The following picks are what I managed to taste while in Svalbard. I didn't get to taste everything and visit every restaurant, which is just another reason why I will definitely be going back.
Reindeer, seal and everything in between
With it's history of hunting and trapping, it is very common in Svalbard to find meats such as Reindeer, seal and whales.
While some may find it weird to be eating these meats. On Svalbard, that's what eating sustainably means.
Reindeer hunting is tightly regulated. Each person has a quota for personal and/or commercial use. And what's hunted in Svalbard, is eaten in Svalbard.
One evening, as I was ordering the seal steak (fantastic meal!), I told the waitress that I felt a little guilty about ordering seal. To which she replied: "You're in Svalbard. You would feel guilty if you were ordering avocado in this part of the world".
I tried Reindeer steak, seal steak and smoked trio of reindeer, seal and whale. All very excellent dishes!
Chocolate from the world's northernmost chocolaterie
There's a bear shaped piece of chocolate sitting in my kitchen. I don't have the heart to eat it, it is too cute!
I got my chocolate from Fruene , a café in the heart of Longyearbyen. In there, they serve teas, coffees, yummy cakes and desserts. They also have a deli type counter for sandwiches and salads.
Fruene produces their own chocolate, making them the northernmost chocolaterie in the world.
It's a cute cosy café to take a break and enjoy a piece or two, maybe three of their chocolates.
Freeze-dried Food
You might be wondering why this is worth mentioning? Svalbard is known for its nature and outdoor activities. If you are hiking in freezing temperatures while the wind is blowing, you will need a warm meal to keep you going. Svalbard Potato Chips
Sørlandchips are a famous chips brand in Norway. their packaging looks cute and funny. One of their products is exclusive to Svalbard! It is still potato chips but you can only find it on Svalbard.
You get a generous quantity of yummy chips per bag...well they are exclusive to Svalbard and that makes them special so make sure to try them!
Hearty teas and coffees while patting huskies
Can you guess what makes Cafe Huskies so special? Correct! They have adorable huskies in residency and they are kind enough to let the guests pat them.
The café has a cosy warm feel to it, on top of a great selection of beverages and cakes.
Cafe Huskies attracts both tourists and locals. While there warming myself with a pot of tea, a group of students sat on the table next to me. They were drinking hot chocolate and chatting in Norwegian. They played a game of cards for some time, then they each took out a knitting kit and they started knitting and chatting. That scene was the encapsulation of life in Longyearbyen. It made me smile :)
An Ode to the best cheesecake ever
Brunost (Brown cheese) is a common Norwegian name for mysost, a family of cheese-related foods made with whey, milk, and/or cream. It is very popular on Norwegian waffles, which is exactly how I tasted it for the very first time, years ago in Oslo.
Naturally, when I saw Brunost cheesecake of the menu at the Vinterhagen restaurant , I almost ordered it before getting my main.
Oh my! That cheesecake did not disappoint. It was so delicious without the cheese overpowering it. It was so good, I went again and had it for a second time. A lady who clearly enjoyed the cheesecake as much as I did, asked if it was possible to have the recipe.
Dear chefs at Vinterhagen, thank you for the best cheesecake I ever had!
If you'd rather have a drink
Now that we established the fact that Svalbard is a Mecca for foodies, it should be less of a surprise to know that Svalbard got you covered for drinks too!
A arctic beer from the world's northernmost brewery
During my trip to Svalbard, I didn't visit the brewery because time didn't allow it and because I don't drink beer. The brewery wasn't high on my list of things to see and do.
If I had more time, I'd definitely visit it just so I can claim that I visited the northernmost brewery in the world!
Wine from one of Scandinavia's largest wine cellars
Huset is a restaurant in Longyearbyen. It is regarded as one of Norway's best restaurants with its focus on Nordic techniques, and critically acclaimed wine cellar.
The wine cellar is one of Scandinavia's largest wine cellars with over 15.000 bottles.
Unfortunately, the restaurant was fully booked by the time I was trying to make a reservation. I didn't get to try their food but a friend who visited previously highly recommends them.
If you are heading to Svalbard, you don't need to worry about food. Longyearbyen will treat you to an arctic feast made from local produce and with sustainability in mind.