Most restaurants in Greenland serve the same types of food as Denmark and other Nordic countries. Prices are on par with those in Denmark, and French fries often accompany generous main dishes. There are a surprising number of Thai restaurants in Greenland, but no matter what type of cuisine is offered, most restaurants will feature reindeer, whale and other traditional favorites on their menus. The strongest drink is Greenlandic coffee, whose preparation is often a performance in itself and whose ingredients include Grand Marnier, whisky and Kahlua. Coffee gatherings called Kaffemik are a wonderful opportunity to meet friendly locals.
Bars and Pubbing in Greenland
Although Greenland has never been known as party central, the territory’s nightlife is growing nearly as fast as its economy. Nowhere is this more evident than Nuuk, whose watering holes are all within walking distance of one another. This includes the capital’s oldest bar, Kristinemut (Kristinemut ApS box 265, Aqqusinersuaq 7, 3900 Nuuk), which has live music six days a week, as well as Sunday bingo sessions.
Most other Nuuk bars, like elsewhere in Greenland, are located within hotels. This includes the Skyline Bar (Aqqusinersuaq 1-5, P.O. Box 1040, 3900 Nuuk), a piano and live music venue on the Hans Egede Hotel’s fifth floor. Typical beer selections include bottles of Carlsberg and Tuborg with the occasional Godthaab Bryghus on offer.
Nightlife is much harder to find outside of Greenland’s main city, but every sizable community will have at least one pub, discotheque or spot for live music. Although pubs are part of many Greenlandic restaurants, patrons younger than the legal drinking age of 18 are not allowed to enter. During Greenland’s short summers, parties can last as long as the midnight sun is out.
Dining and Cuisine in Greenland
Charoen Porn (Aqqusinersuaq 5, P.O. Box 1459, 3900 Nuuk) provides diners with a taste of tropical Thailand in the heart of Greenland’s capital. The restaurant’s décor may be Thai, but traditional Greenlandic dishes like halibut and whale are served alongside Asian cuisine. One of Nuuk’s finest restaurants, Nipisa, (Hans Egedevej 29, 1. floor, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland) serves gourmet five course meals in the old shipyard adjacent to Santa Claus’ mailbox.
Outside of the airport cafeteria, one of Kangerlussuaq’s best restaurants is Restaurant Roklubben (P. O. Box 49, 3910 Kangerlussuaq), where advance reservations are required for Sunday night buffets. Restaurant Kangerlussuaq (P. O. Box 1006, 3910 Kangerlussuaq) at Hotel Kangerlussuaq also specializes in meals prepared with Greenlandic specialties.
The hillside Mamartut (Sermermiut Aqq 4, 3952 Ilulissat) is one of Ilulissat’s finest restaurants. Meals are prepared with local ingredients, and each summer, buffets are offered on Wednesdays and Tuesdays. The Hotel Arctic, overlooking Ilulissat’s famous icebergs, has both the casual Café Ferdinand and the more upscale Restaurant Ulo (Mitarfimmut Aqq. B1128, P. O. Box 1501, 3952 Ilulissat) with breathtaking views of the ice sheets.