Murmansk eats what the Barents Sea provides. Cod, halibut, and Atlantic salmon are everywhere, along with red king crab — landed in vast numbers since the species was deliberately introduced from Kamchatka in the 1960s and proliferated explosively. The cheapest way to try it is in a market stew; the most expensive is steamed whole at one of the harbour restaurants. Reindeer dishes (smoked, in stroganoff, or as cured carpaccio) are the other regional speciality, often served with cloudberry sauce.
Tsarskaya Okhota (Lenin Prospekt area) is one of the better-regarded local restaurants for traditional Russian food with a Northern bent — venison, fish soups, and a long pelmeni menu. Restaurant Tundra specialises in Sami and reindeer dishes in a slightly tourist-friendly setting. For something cheaper, Stolovaya No. 1 is a Soviet-style canteen with good borscht and blini at low prices. Cafés around Five Corners do solid breakfasts and reasonable coffee.