Ryfylke focuses on quality, and the restaurants know how to make the most delicious dishes from local ingredients. Whatever time of year you visit Ryfylke, you will always get the best the region has to offer.
Thousands of fruit trees bloom in Ryfylke in the spring. The mild climate and fertile soil give apples, pears, plums and cherries a delicious, fresh flavour.
Some farms have grown fruit for generations, while others are new to it. The area is also known far and wide for its sweet, juicy strawberries.
The local producers are very quality-conscious, and both apple juice and apple cider from Ryfylke have won numerous prestigious awards. Visitors to the fruit farms can go on a guided tour and sample the unique products, as well as buy them in the farm shops.
The region's proximity to the fjords means that there is a long tradition of fishing in Ryfylke. You can visit a family-owned smokehouse that produces world-class smoked and cured salmon and buy some of its popular salmon products in the smokehouse’s own shop.
Halibut from the Ryfylke fjords is also considered a high-quality product, which is favoured by many skilled chefs.
Ryfylke has many farms. When driving along Norwegian Scenic Route Ryfylke, you will find many small farm outlets selling eggs, fruit, berries and vegetables. You can stop at Ryfylke gardsysteri in Hjelmeland, where you can buy cheese and yoghurt made at the farm, while observing the cattle in the open barn or grazing nearby.
At Strand Gård, a small farm at Tau in Ryfylke, they produce products from quails and unique woolly pigs. When you visit the farm shop, you can see the pigs up close.
Whatever time of year you visit Ryfylke, you will always get the best the region has to offer.
At Norway’s only brewery hotel, you can enjoy beer made at its very own microbrewery.
In Ryfylke, you’ll find everything from charming cafés to exciting gourmet restaurants. You can enjoy baked goods made using recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Thursday is komledag (dumpling day), when the grey potato dumplings are regularly served at many of the restaurants in the region.
The menus at many of the restaurants are based on local ingredients. The dishes change with the season to give guests unique culinary experiences.