Dining at the World’s Northernmost Town: Whale & Seal in Longyearbyen

We came to Longyearbyen for polar bears, but ended up on a wild Arctic culinary adventure! With limited dining options, we tried every exotic meat on the menu at this unique restaurant—whale, seal, and reindeer included. 💰 Prices in NOK/GBP ✨ Starters ✨ 🐳 Whale Nest | 165 NOK / £12 Cured whale meat (surprisingly not fishy!) on a "nest" of Parmesan crisps. Unexpectedly tasty! 🦭 Arctic Smoked Trio | 220 NOK / £17 A sampler of smoked seal, reindeer, and whale: Seal (darkest slice): Pure smoky goodness—zero gaminess (our favorite!). Reindeer: Like lamb, but milder (skip if you hate mutton). Whale: Delicate here… but just wait for the main course. 😅 ✨ Mains ✨ *Note: Veggies are all raw (hello, rabbit life). Mashed potatoes = elite, except whale’s celery root purée (yuck).* 🫎 Reindeer Steak | 455 NOK / £34 Thick-cut, distinctly gamey—like lamb on steroids. Chew small bites, or the flavor stomps your palate. 🐳 Whale Steak | 395 NOK / £30 Brace yourself. First bite: "Oh, that’s… oily." Then: "WHALE FLAVOR EXPLOSION." Texture: Chewy, like beef jerky’s stubborn cousin. Verdict: Try once for the story… but maybe not twice. 😂 🐟 Glazed Atlantic Salmon | 425 NOK / £32 Finally, a safe bet! Norway’s salmon never disappoints—though the maple glaze is sweeter than expected. 🐂 Dry-Aged Entrecôte | 445 NOK / £33 The rescue dish. Ordered medium-rare, arrived barely seared—but *oh-so-tender*. We fought for the last bite. 🍽️ Final Notes Cost: ~663 NOK (£50) per person. Book ahead in peak season! Location: Vinterhagen Restaurant & Peisen Bar, Longyearbyen. Moral of the story: When in the Arctic, eat adventurously… but keep steak on standby. 😉 #ArcticEats #NorwayTravel #SvalbardAdventures #ExoticFood #WhaleMeat #Seal #PolarBearCountry #TravelOddities