From the broth in the stoneware bowl that’s just been placed in front of me a heavenly scent drifts upward. It’s a serving of bidos, a rich reindeer stew, delivered by a smiling waiter in the tranquil setting of Brasserie Árran, the traditional Sámi restaurant onboard Hurtigruten’s MS Trollfjord.

Thanks to a shore excursion to the home of a Sámi family in the northern reaches of Norway, I know reindeer herding is a vital component of this nature-based culture, which teaches embracing the planet’s grand network of life is essential to navigating the world in harmony. It helps me appreciate my meal even more to know how deeply the reindeer is honored and valued.

© Hurtigruten

While the stew may have been my favorite meal, all of the culinary offerings onboard MS Trollfjord are spectacular. In addition to Brasserie Árran’s rustic, wood-and-stone space, there’s Flora, the ship’s main dining room. I made a list of traditional Norwegian foods to try between sessions of aurora-watching and the menu at Flora delivers them all: truffle seaweed; hand-harvested sea salt from Gossen Island; waffle cookies with cloudberry cream; and lompe, a rustic flatbread made with a batter of flour and mashed potatoes.

New favorites include Short Traveled cheese, originating with a local producer and served with an irresistible carrot marmalade; and a delicate syrup made from crowberries grown in the Lofoten Islands, also used to produce a sparkling wine. The wine hails all the way back to the 12^th century, when King Sverre Sigurdsson ordered its creation to replace a less desirable imported wine.

For other meal options, there’s fine dining at Røst, where the atmosphere is one of warmth and an elegance that belies the deep, cold fjord below the ship’s hull. The restaurant’s creative menu is a tribute to the food legacies inherent to this corner of the world.

© Espen Mills

“Røst is not just a gourmet restaurant; it’s a celebration of Norwegian culture and history, local traditions and locally-sourced food. We aim to offer the essence of all the best from Norway’s coastline,” Øistein Nilsen, culinary director, told me. “At Røst, it’s about simplicity and honesty. Using the finest ingredients, we let the natural flavors shine through. We believe in preserving the essence of food without overcomplicating the dishes. I am incredibly proud of all the culinary concepts we have at Hurtigruten, but Røst holds a special place in my heart.”

Whether you choose breakfast, lunch, dinner or all three, you’ll find exquisitely prepared and presented menu items such as Norwegian scallops and sea urchin; cut of reindeer prepared with blackberries, Jerusalem artichoke and pickled yellow beetroot; and white chocolate cream with cloudberries gathered in the Arctic tundra. The wine selection is another highlight and, if you happen to time your cruise accordingly, you may get to sample one of the sparkling wines deliberately aged for Hurtigruten in the deep, cold waters of the Arctic.

“Over the past 12 years, we have worked to develop Norway’s Coastal Kitchen, and during this process, we have transitioned from using, for instance, imported lamb from New Zealand to offering locally sourced lamb that grazes on herbs and berries in the Lofoten mountains, and brought onboard in the nearby port,” added Nilsen. “When I started developing the concept for  Røst, my goal was to elevate the overall experience to new heights, give chefs greater creative freedom, and provide our guests with the ultimate taste of Hurtigruten’s culinary philosophy.”

Øistein Nilsen © Hurtigruten

The food program isn’t just about what’s served to guests: All of the food waste accrued by Hurtigruten’s fleet winds up being transformed to fertilizer that’s used on a farm near the port of Stamsund. After first being deposited in a compost reactor at the port, it’s distributed to farmers to nourish their crops.

The commitment to offer each passenger an outstanding dining experience extends beyond ingredients, and includes sharing stories about where they were grown and the farmers and artisans who created them. This concept of local is even present in 1893 Bar. Before heading to the upper deck to search for signs of the Aurora Borealis dancing between the stars in the night sky, there’s time to make a short detour to sample some aquavit, Norway’s national drink. Crafted from potato spirits and flavored with fragrant caraway or dill seeds, it’s both delicious and warming — a true sense-of-place experience that’s the perfect way to end a sailing day in the far north.