Dried fish reconstituted in lye, then cooked to a translucent gelatinous texture. Served with bacon lardons, peas, mustard, boiled potatoes and lefse from October to Christmas.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Lutefisk's lye preparation dates to medieval Scandinavia as a way to rehydrate stockfish, and remains a fixture of Norwegian Advent and Christmas tables.
Common allergens: Fish
Engebret Café at Bankplassen 1 is Oslo's oldest continuously operating restaurant, founded 1857 by Engebret Christoffersen, in a 1760s listed building where Ibsen, Bjørnson, Grieg and Munch all had regular tables.
Signature: Lutefisk in season, Reindeer fillet
Order: Lutefisk in the November-December season; reindeer fillet year-round.
Tip: Open from 17:00 weekdays; the lutefisk season runs through Advent and books out by mid-November.
Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri at Grensen 1 occupies a 1699 listed building one corner from Stortorvet square, with a la carte Norwegian classics, a courtyard for summer and the most-booked lutefisk room from October to Christmas.
Signature: Lutefisk in winter, Smorbrod platter
Order: Lutefisk plate October to Christmas; smorbrod at the cafe in summer.
Tip: The courtyard runs May to September; lutefisk season books out by November.
Asylet on Grønland in Oslo's old town is the wood-panelled 1730 merchant-yard timber building, one of the city's oldest, serving kjottkaker, lutefisk and reindeer in a year-round Christmas-cosy room.
Signature: Kjottkaker with mash, Reindeer stew
Order: Kjottkaker with brown sauce and lingonberry; reindeer stew in winter.
Tip: The courtyard runs late spring through summer; the back-bar fireplace is the winter seat.
More cities are in research. Want lutefisk covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.