Authentic Scandinavian Cuisine

October 31, 2015

One of the joys of visiting Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden is having the opportunity to sample the various foods native to the region. Scandinavian cuisine draws on the abundant fresh fish and seafood harvested from the seas that surround the region and its many lakes as well as local meats like deer and elk and produce like apples, cucumbers, beets and cabbage. Most Scandinavian dishes are simply-prepared, without elaborate sauces, allowing for the taste of the natural ingredients to shine through.

Signature Scandinavian dishes every visitor needs to sample

Although it's difficult to find a bad meal in Scandinavia, there are a few foods you need to make sure to sample during your stay.

The Scandinavian breakfast

Unlike the American breakfast of meat and eggs or the French breakfast of croissant and coffee, the typical Scandinavian breakfast is a buffet of cured or pickled fish like salmon or herring, eggs, cured meats and pickled vegetables. It's a pleasure for the eyes as well as the taste buds.

Karelian Piirakka

A favorite of Finnish cooks for centuries, karelian piirakka uses a rye flour pastry and fills it with a rice pudding mixture. The dish is traditionally garnished with chopped eggs and a sprinkle of ground ginger. You'll often see this dish paired with sauerkraut.

Gravlax

Another signature Scandinavian dish is gravlax, smoked salmon cured with salt, sugar and dill. You'll see this delicious dish at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Fiskesouppe

Fiskesouppe (or fish soup) is a favorite of Norway cooks. It's easy to see why, since the country is surrounded by water and fishing is one of the country's prime industries. Although each Norwegian family has its own recipe, most include potatoes, cream, dill, root vegetables, worchestershire sauce and the fresh catch of the day.

Rose hip Soup

Made from the berries that adorn rose bushes at the end of the season, rose hip soup is a popular Swedish dish and is commonly served at breakfast or as a dessert with tiny almond cookies.

Recommended restaurants around Scandinavia

Although there are thousands of great restaurants across Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden, a few stand out from the crowd. If you're visiting these areas, be sure to stop for a meal at the following eateries:

Wendholm's Fisk in Stockholm - From lobster to halibut to salmon, if it swims in Scandinavian seas, then it's served at Wendholm's. This fish house, located in the heart of Stockholm, has been thrilling locals and visitors alike for more than 20 years.

Kokkeriet in Copenhagen - located in a quiet corner of Copenhagen's Nyboder nieghborhood, Kokkeriet is a Michelin starred restaurant that specializes in authentic Danish food using fresh, seasonal local ingredients.

1877 in Bergen - ranked by readers of Trip Advisor as the top restaurant in Bergen, 1877, located in the center of the city, features a wide array of Norwegian specialties in a lovely, light-filled setting just a block away from the harbor.

Few parts of the world offer as diverse and as fresh a cuisine as that of Scandinavia. If you're a food lover and have never visited the Baltic region, it's time to pack your bags...and your appetite.

By Sajda Latif