lorelle

We are going to Norway in late August for a two-week vacation. Now that I have recovered from seeing the high cost of hotel rooms I have booked, I am wondering what we are in for with regards to food costs. What would an average meal (no beverages included) cost in an average cafe in Norway? What got me to thinking about this was a web post I saw about a dinner buffet at Hotel Stalheim that cost 360 NOK! I just can't believe that a meal for one person could be that much, unless it was at an exclusive metropolitan restaurant, which Stalheim is not!

enzian

Food in Norway is expensive, no question. It is also very high quality. It's been a few years since I was there, but I recall a nice open-face sandwich with lachs or prawn costing around 49 NOK in a cafeteria-type place. In a restaurant, a dinner entree (fish) would be around 200 NOK. Here's a dinner menu from a place we liked in Bergen:

http://www.wesselstuen.no/meny/hovedretter_fisk

You can page through and check the prices yourself. On the lunch menu, a burger is 140 NOK.

The good news is that the hotel breakfasts in Norway are wonderful, and often include eggs and fish as well as cheeses and sliced meats. You need very little lunch after a breakfast like that---we usually just bought yogurt or fruit in a grocery.

Padraig

Herself and I, even though used to high Irish prices, have sworn that if we go to Norway again we will bring sandwiches.

vedette

$25 for a quesadilla? Ooooooweeee!

WillTravel

Yes, Norway is expensive. Try the most ethnic places you can find, and for the most part avoid sit-down restaurants.

Here are some budget options:
http://use-it.unginfo.oslo.no/sider/

Of course you can also visit the grocery store.

Some places allow you to make a lunch from the breakfast buffet.

Where are you staying?

sg_cin

I never paid so much for a MacDonalds' meal until I ate at Norway.

And that, was back in 1999.

It still holds true today. For me, at least.

PalenQ

Don't even fathom to ask what a drink in a cafe would cost.

carylspall

We were in Bergen last September for 2 days and found it to be expensive.
We looked around a supermarket and thought the prices there were very reasonable though.Stocked up with bottles of water and diet drinks there. Loved the Norwegian chocolate!

Dukey

Didn't someone recently say that Oslo is THE most expensive location in Europe?

Enzian, at those prices that food should be doing your laundry as well as nourishing you IMO!

PalenQ

Alcohol is especially taxed skyhigh so bring any booze you need and can in. And booze must be bought at only a few licensed alcohol stores with bankers hours - may not even be open on weekends - i think supermarkets sell a low-alcohol beer however.

Alcoholics have to plan ahead in Norway - no 7-11 to pick up a fix at night or on weekends.

Unless all this has changed since my last visit.

Spivonious

Wow, I never imagined that a hamburger would cost so much! That's almost USD 25! Is the rest of Scandinavia that expensive?

PalenQ

not quite - Sweden and Finland a bit cheaper and Denmark a whole lot cheaper. Well Finland is not actually a Scandinavian country it doesn't count.

Iceland is even more expensive than Norway.

enzian

Good one, Dukey--- =D> I never thought of asking my dinner to do my laundry!

Fortunately, when I was there it was on business and dinner was usually on someone else's nickel. I will say (and have already said) that the quality of the food is wonderful.

And that burger does come with bacon, fried potatoes, and salad, after all. . .

As PalenQ says, alcohol is also VERY expensive, and you can't buy even wine in just any store. With dinner, a glass of moderately-price white wine was around $7 several years ago; maybe $10 now? Does anyone know?

jsmith

Hotel Stalheim may not be in a metropolis but it is a fantastic buffet and $60 (360 NOK) is not outrageous. There's also a buffet breakfast with cheeses, meats (hot and cold), breads, cereals, eggs, etc- not uncommon in Norway. I still remember my first breakfast in Bergen. Oh my.