What’s Included in Your Hurtigruten Fare?

On the Hurtigruten Coastal Express, full board dining includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the main restaurant, Torget. All main meals are included in your cruise fare, meaning you won’t need to budget separately for food through the journey.

This includes: 

Some nights, including the first evening on board, dinner is served buffet style instead of seated service. There is also a special four course farewell dinner towards the end of the voyage.

Drinks are generally not included, aside from water, tea, and basic coffee, so alcoholic beverages and specialty coffees come at an additional cost.

Torget Restaurant – The Main Dining Room

Torget, known as Norway’s Coastal Kitchen, is the main restaurant where all included meals are served. The dining area is comfortable and arranged around the windows at the rear of the ship, offering coastal views while you eat.

For breakfast and lunch buffets, as well as the occasional dinner buffet, you’re free to sit wherever you like. During the standard three course dinner service, you’re assigned both a table and a dining time, which helps keep things organised and relaxed.

The wait staff were consistently attentive, promptly taking drink orders and bringing water at the start of each meal. Overall, dining felt calm and well paced rather than rushed.

Breakfast on Hurtigruten – Buffet Options & Highlights 

Breakfast is served buffet style, with a wide range of continental and cooked options.

The hot dishes typically included bacon, eggs (fried, scrambled, or boiled), potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and oatmeal. There was also a generous spread of deli meats, fresh salads, fruit, yoghurt, granola, bread, and toasters.

One of my favourite options each morning was the overnight oats topped with crushed nuts and a berry compote. One morning, the chef also prepared pancakes, which was a lovely surprise and quickly became a popular choice.

Lunch on Hurtigruten – Daily Buffet & Desserts

Lunch is also served buffet style, with a rotating selection of hot and cold dishes that change daily.

Hot options often included pasta dishes such as creamy chicken and bacon or mushroom sauces, along with roasted meats like chicken, turkey, pork, beef, or fish. These were usually served with potatoes prepared in different ways, including fried, boiled, or mashed.

The soup of the day was always a popular choice and changed regularly. Cold options included fresh salads, pasta salads, bread, and cold meats, with salmon and other fish frequently making an appearance.

Desserts were a highlight at lunch, with a wide selection that often included cakes, pavlova, ice cream, and mousse, served alongside custard, cream, and fruit compotes. For those who preferred something savoury, there was also a good cheese and biscuit selection.

The variety meant lunch never felt repetitive, even over the 12 days.

Dinner on Hurtigruten – Three Course Meals & Local Cuisine

Dinner was where Hurtigruten dining really stood out.

Most evenings featured a seated three course meal, with a choice of three starters and three mains. These typically included a meat option, a fish option, and a vegan dish. Desserts also usually came with a vegan alternative, along with an ice cream of the day.

Some evenings were buffet style, including the first night on board, while the farewell evening featured a special four course meal.

What made the dinners particularly memorable was the strong focus on traditional Norwegian and regional dishes. Each evening’s menu explained the ingredients and local significance of certain meals, which added a cultural layer to the experience.

One standout dish was Bidos, a traditional reindeer stew considered the national dish of the Sámi indigenous community. It was something I wouldn’t usually choose, but I loved being able to try authentic local cuisine as part of the journey.

The dinners in particular often incorporated cooking techniques and flavours from the coastal region we were sailing through that day and it truly felt like a taste of Norway.

Sample Hurtigruten Dinner Menu

To give you an idea of what a typical dinner looked like, here’s one example from my journey:

Starter: Potato and spring onion soup with Norwegian chorizo crumbs

Main: Salt-cured leg of lamb from Hellesylt with creamed vegetables, oven baked potatoes and mustard sauce

Dessert: Sunnmøre apple dessert with sea buckthorn syrup, skjenning ice cream, and oat biscuits

Other Restaurants & Bars on Board (Optional Extras)

In addition to Torget, there are several other venues where you can dine for an extra charge.

Kysten is the à la carte fine dining restaurant, serving premium dishes such as lobster and seafood. Brygga is a casual bistro offering comfort food like pizza and lighter meals, while Multe is a bakery that also serves ice cream and sweet treats.

There’s also the Explorer Lounge & Bar on deck seven, a popular spot for drinks thanks to its panoramic coastal views.

While these options looked great, I was always more than satisfied with the included meals at Torget and didn’t feel the need to spend extra. If you’re considering upgrading, I’ve included a photo of the food and beverage package pricing and details below. Please note that these were applicable to my trip in January 2026 and may change over time.

Is Dining on Hurtigruten Worth It?

One of my favourite parts of this Hurtigruten trip was the food. At every meal there was a fantastic variety, and the focus on locally sourced Norwegian ingredients made dining feel thoughtful and high quality.

The quality consistently exceeded expectations, the rotating menus kept meals interesting, and the traditional dishes added to the overall cultural experience of travelling the Norwegian coast.

For travellers who enjoy regional cuisine, relaxed dining, and having all main meals included, Hurtigruten offers excellent value.

Helpful Hurtigruten Guides to Plan Your Trip

If you’re planning your own journey, these posts may help:

• Hurtigruten Coastal Express Review: Everything You Need to Know Before You Book
• Things to Do at Hurtigruten Ports Without an Excursion
• What to Pack for a Hurtigruten Cruise
• Hurtigruten Coastal Express Planning Guide: Arrival in Bergen, Boarding & Disembarkation
• What It’s Like Onboard Hurtigruten (Daily Life at Sea)
• Cabins on Hurtigruten: Which Category Is Best?