Nature rules all in Greenland, and this truth extends to agriculture and gastronomy. The harsh Arctic climate dictates which land animals can survive—only those that can forage through deep snow or hunt with skill. With much of the country covered by the Greenland Ice Sheet, only a small pocket of fertile soil in South Greenland supports limited sheep farming and selective crop cultivation.
Out of necessity, the sea became Greenland’s primary food source, teeming with diverse fish species and Arctic mammals. It shaped not only the Greenlandic diet but also the very names of places—Kapisillit means ‘the place with salmon,’ and Ammassalik means ‘the place with capelin.’ Together, the sea and land form the foundation of Greenlandic cuisine, offering a rich and flavorful stock of ingredients.
For generations, meat from marine mammals, game, birds, and fish has been central to Greenlandic food, providing the energy needed to endure the Arctic’s unforgiving winters. Culinary traditions are also deeply tied to the old hunting community’s strong sense of solidarity, where survival depended on sharing the catch. Today, food and mealtimes remain at the heart of Greenlanders’ warm hospitality.
The Arctic Ingredients
Reindeer, Muskox, and South Greenlandic Lamb are Greenland’s succulent equivalents to common livestock. With the exception of a few sheep farms, the animals run wild amongst the Greenland backcountry, and this natural and unstressed life absolutely contributes to the tenderness and high quality of the meat. Small game, such as ptarmigan and snow hare, complete the land repertoire.
The cool Arctic waters offer an impressive selection of cod, trout, Arctic char, redfish, rockfish, and the famed Greenlandic halibut. Not to mention snow crabs as wide as a man’s arms and Greenlandic shrimp and prawns that pack distinct flavor into their miniature size. Even the mountain rivers are so full with fish that, with a quick reflex, you can catch them by hand!
Arctic sea mammals like seals and smaller whales are a delicacy in Greenland cuisine, and the more adventurous gastronomes are always tempted to try them. Taste mattak, a small bite of whale skin and whale blubber, or suaasat, the flavorful national soup made of boiled seal meat.
Newcomers to Greenland Recipes
Homegrown fruits and vegetables remain more of a side dish than a main course, but a few farmers in South Greenland and some inspired chefs around the country are getting creative. Warming temperatures have allowed for experimentation with potato and strawberry crops and even beekeeping, and already the results have been distributed in small batches along the coast.
Also, a growing focus to incorporate local flora like angelica, crowberry, and blueberry into the gastronomic experience is an innovative step toward synergy of the Greenland food from land and sea.
Greenlandic food you must try
Whale: Whaling is an important part of the Greenlandic lifestyle, and whale meat, skin or fat features on most menus. The most surprising is perhaps the varieties of ways to serve mattak, or blubber, the thick, nutrient-rich layer of fat and skin that insulates the mammal from the chilly North Atlantic waters.
Lumpfish Roe: If you are fortunate enough to be in Greenland during lumpfish roe season, as I was, you’ll be served these tiny, delicate coral spheres at almost every meal. More attractive to the eye and less salty than their Caspian caviar cousins, the roe can be mixed with salads, or even paired with frozen yogurt.
Reindeer: This incredibly tender and flavourful steak meat is a staple in most restaurants. At Hereford Beefstouw in Hotel Hans Egede in Nuuk, a 225 g reindeer mignon graces the menu and will not leave you hungry.
It’s also a standby in Greenlandic homes as men and women both – even youth – go on private reindeer hunting trips throughout autumn to fill the freezer with steaks, ground meat, ribs and all the good cuts typically found from beef.
Lamb: All Greenlandic lamb comes from the farms that dot South Greenland, and when you bite into its juicy meat – preferably seasoned with rosemary and Arctic thyme and then slow-roasted – you are tasting a unique delicacy.
Salmon: Not to be confused with trout or even Arctic char, the Greenlandic salmon (called kapisilik) can only be enjoyed in Greenland. No exports for this fish. It is wonderfully fatty and delicious as both filet or steak, albeit elusive. It is not every day one finds Greenlandic salmon on the menu or at the market, so if you do see it as the Catch of the Day, jump at the chance to taste it!
Crowberry: This tart and tasty little vegan-friendly berry is the taste of late summer in the Arctic. Try it as marmalade or cheesecake garnish at kaffemik, or throw it back one shot at a time as an after-dinner snaps.
If you really want to live a day as a local, in late August take a walk just outside town to pick your own crowberries. The ground is covered in the plant and you can eat the dark berries right from the vine. Just be sure you have a small plastic bag in your rucksack to take some home.
Angelica: One of life’s simplest pleasures is prying off a wild stalk of this celery-like plant and dunking it into a carafe of water like a straw. So refreshing! Restaurant chefs do it up a little fancier by dicing and pickling it and adding it to dishes for an inventive and puckering pop.
Greenlandic coffee: The perfect night cap to any festive affair – be that in a lodge in the fjord or at the country’s finest table – is this dangerously yummy mixture of whisky, Kahlua, Grand Marnier and whipped cream. And oh, a spot of coffee.
From disreputable dive bars to fancy places all along the coast, you can find this warm cocktail. Everyone has their own take on the story about what the different ingredients represent, but it is always a fantastic show no matter what. Order one, and you’ll see what we mean.
Tasting menu: When dining out, a buffet or tasting menu is a great introduction to our Greenland recipes, and it ensures you get to taste the whole gamut of local flavors. Trust the chefs as they deliver simple yet beautifully crafted composed plates that make the Greenland food shine.
Of course, you are always welcome to put your own twist on Greenland gastronomy, and it is as simple as purchasing ingredients at the grocery store or fresh market. For a feast for the taste buds and eyes, take your fare to a cozy lookout point and simply enjoy eating the food that came from the very nature you see before you.There is only one Inuit farm country in Greenland, and it – together with the ruins of the Norse culture – were awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
The Greenlandic food culture is closely linked to the Greenlandic feeling of identity. If you want to feel like a genuine Greenlander eat like the locals!
This will give you a unique insight into a food culture that has traditionally been dependent on what can be caught in the wild. There are as many ways to eat Kalaalimernit as there are people, but here is a guide that will help you through some of the Greenlandic delicacies that you are likely to come across during your trip.
