8 Best Restaurants in Trondheim to the Lofoten Islands, Norway

This chic, modern café-restaurant is popular for its sunny terrace and straightforward food that always hits the mark—think juicy marinated jumbo shrimp, lobster soup, and a large selection of pizzas served hot from a wood-fired oven. It's an equally good stop for lunch, dinner, or an afternoon coffee with a delicious dessert.

You'll feel right at home in this lovely restaurant in an elegant 200-year-old log farmhouse three miles from Brønnøysund, and its equally beautiful garden. Along with the wood-paneled, tapestry covered dining room, the Angel Lounge's cozy chairs are perfect for enjoying coffee and dessert, and the Aquavit Bar invites you to sip a glass of wine at your leisure. Traditional gourmet fare is lovingly prepared with herbs and produce from a charming kitchen garden, which you are encouraged to enjoy while touring the beautifully landscaped grounds. In summer (mid-June to mid-August) you can enjoy lunch or teatime in the garden café. The restaurant encourages diners to call ahead with any special dietary requests and is especially welcoming to children.

A spacious outdoor terrace and seafront location with unparalleled views over the harbor and distant mountains assure Bryggerikaia a steady clientele. But it's the menu of fresh seafood—local mussels, shrimp, and salmon, for starters—and market-fresh produce, as well as hearty meat dishes, that keep diners coming back. There's live entertainment in the bar on weekends.

Lokalmatbutikken means "the local food shop" and is the place in Brønnøysund to sample the true local fare, with top-quality artisanal specialties from throughout the region. The café serves lunch and dessert with hot beverages, or you can choose from a wide variety of prepared foods to eat in or take out.

If you want to eat like a local, this bustling cafeteria is the place to be. Having had plenty of time to perfect its craft, Løvolds has been serving generous helpings of homemade Norwegian food for more than 75 years. Some of the more popular choices include reindeer cutlets with pureed veggies, smoked sausage with red cabbage, and salmon and cucumber salad.

Many locals will direct you to Melkebaren to sample the møsbrømslefse, a local specialty of cheese melted on flatbread. The extremely popular café has an outdoor terrace and baristas adept at making various types of coffee, including the cortados and lattes you know from back home. There's a wide range of pastries, including tasty cinnamon buns and macarons. The cozy and intimate interior makes the perfect escape from Bodø's winter weather.