Norway has a long history of fishing, although much of the high quality shellfish and other species caught off the coast are exported. However, fish remains a staple, along with meat, potatoes and other root vegetables, although tastes have altered in recent years to encompass a wider international choice, including pizzas and burgers. The favourite traditional hot snack is the pølse, a form of sausage, sold at numerous outlets.

The roadside kro (traveller's restaurant) is a good choice if one wants to sample traditional Norwegian fare.

Breakfasts are often enormous with a variety of fish, meat, cheese, sweet whey cheese and bread served from a cold buffet with coffee and boiled or fried eggs. Open sandwiches are topped with meat, fish, cheese and salads. Popular dinner dishes include meatballs (kjøttboller or karbonader) with boiled potatoes, boiled fish and bacalao, a spiced dried cod stew. Alcohol tends to be limited in availability and expensive, although beer and wine are generally available in restaurants. Licensing laws are strict and alcohol above 4.7% ABV for home consumption is sold only by the state through special monopoly stores. Beer and cider is sold in general stores. Illegal moonshine spirit is widely consumed.

National specialities:
• Brunost (a sweet brown cheese made with whey).
• Roast wild elk, or reindeer.
• Lutefisk (baked preserved cod).
• Grøt (a form of porridge).
• Multer (cloudberries - a summer delicacy).

National drinks:
• Aquavit (schnapps).
• Pils (light lager).
• Lagerøl (lager with less than 2.5% volume)

Legal drinking age: 18 (beer, wine and other drinks up to 22% ABV), 20 (drinks over 22% ABV).

Tipping: Waiters expect a tip of no more than 5% of the bill.

Traditionally, due to the scattered nature of the population, entertainment in rural areas is largely home-based, but this has been changing in recent years. Most villages of any size have at least one cafe/restaurant where it is possible to eat and drink out.

In the bigger towns and cities, the story is quite different, with a thriving arts scene including theatre, music and cinema. Restaurants and nightclubs tend to be concentrated in city centres, while in recent years the pub culture has been gradually arriving in Norway, often pioneered by the international ‘Irish' pub phenomenon. Cities like Bergen, Oslo, Stavanger and Trondheim are nowadays well supplied with a wide choice of watering holes, many of which offer food that is competitively priced compared to the restaurants.

Oslo's nightlife centres on the Aker Brygge waterside area, the city centre, and the Majorstua district.

Most Norwegians tend to go ‘out on the town' only on Fridays and Saturdays, the rest of the week being fairly quiet. This is in no small part due to the high prices of food and drink, and the fact that the working day starts early. And at weekends, it is normal for the Norwegians to enjoy a forspiel (drinks at home), before venturing out as late as 2300.

Most towns and resorts have a shop where typical Norwegian handicrafts are on sale. Silversmiths and potteries are numerous and worth visiting. Traditional items include printed textiles, woven articles, knitwear, woodcarving, silver, enamel, pewter, glass and porcelain. VAT, known as MOMS, is levied at 25% on most goods. Tax-free cheques can be obtained from any of the 3,000 shops carrying the sticker ‘Tax free for tourists'. These shops save visitors 11 to 18% of the price paid by residents. VAT refunds are paid in cash at airports, ferries, cruise ships and border crossings.

Shopping hours: Mon-Wed and Fri 0900-1700/1800, Thurs 0900-2000 and Sat 0900-1300/1500. Supermarkets are normally open 0900-2000 on weekdays, and 1000-1800 Saturdays. Kiosken (small shops offering limited essentials) and petrol station shops are open late in the evenings and on Sundays.