Skarungen is the go-to address for fish in Bodø, occupying a quayside position near the ferry terminal with a menu built around whatever has come off the boats that morning. Cod and coalfish are the constants; in season the kitchen also handles Arctic char, halibut, and the occasional wolf fish. The cooking is straightforward — this is not a destination restaurant in the Nordic-tasting-menu sense — but the fish is very fresh and the portions are honest.
The room is plain and practical, the prices are reasonable by Norwegian standards, and you can usually find a table without booking on weekdays. At weekends in summer book ahead, as the ferry crowd and the hiking crowd arrive at similar times. The view of the Lofoten Wall across the water from the window seats is free.