Eat

Bodø does not have a great abundance of eateries, but there is a decent selection of cheap restaurants, as well as a couple of good gourmet restaurants.

• Løvolds Kaféteria, Tollbugata 9, is one of the most traditional diners in Bodø. Serving traditional Norwegian food, as well as a very limited selection of norwegianized international food, this is considered an institution among many of the inhabitants, but mostly elders and people in the harbor scenery. Situated close to the harbor, in a fisherman's warehouse, the view from the inner part of the café is great. Good for lunch as well as dinner. One of the cheaper restaurants in town.
• Rajas Rullekebab is the favorite of many of Bodø's young people. This small corner shop, just over the street from the aforementioned Løvolds, serves döner kebabs in fresh homemade limps of bread and is widely considered to be the best kebab shop in town. Even though they have a somewhat wide menu, they rarely sell anything but kebabs. They also have another eatery called Centrum Bistro, witch also focuses on döner kebab, but also have other types of fast food, like hamburgers, pizzas, and steaks.
• Orion, situated close to the railway station, is a low-price diner that specializes in pizza and pasta but does have a pretty large selection of steaks, salads, and hamburgers.
• Jernbanekaféen, on the second floor of the railway station, this is a nice place to wait for your train and serves a good variety of Norwegian food at a decent price.
• Svendgårds, near the Glasshuset shopping-centre, is known as the best, but also the most expensive, restaurant in Bodø, and one of the best restaurants in Northern Norway. The food is typical for high-end restaurants, but specialties include typical Norwegian fish dishes.
• Mama Rosa's, a small but nice eatery in the center of the part of town called Rønvik. They specialize in Italian styled pizzas and kebab and have a rumor of being the best money-for-value place in town, whose food quality rivals the nation-wide pizza restaurants.
• The Great Ghandi, Dronningens gate 25. Two streets up from the main street Sjøgata. Serves very tasty Indian food for a decent price. 
• Kjerringøy bryggehotell restaurant, Kaiveien 3. Located in kjerringøy harbor 4 miles north of bodø, with fantastic seawiev. Enjoy your meal of local products on the big outside terrace or inside the restaurant with panorama windows. It's also perfect for enjoying the midnight sun. It is open from June to mid-August. 

Drink

As with everywhere in Norway, alcohol is expensive and limited to those over 18, a law that is vigorously enforced. Liquors stronger than 22% vol. is limited to those older than 20. Beer can be bought at groceries, wine and spirits must be purchased at special outlets, Vinmonopolet. There are two of these in Bodø, one a short walk from the Glasshuset shopping mall, the other one inside City Nord, another shopping center a bit away from the city center.
Norwegians are known to engage more in binge drinking than many other nationalities, mainly because the culture of starting evenings with pre-parties at home drinking shop bought alcohols. They also tend to drink little during weekdays, with the exception of Wednesdays, something that gives them a tendency to consume a tad too much during weekends.

• Kafé Kafka is a Franz Kafka-themed café, located very close to the central bus station. The quality of the food here has increased recently, but they still serve beer, wine, and booze. A very popular quiz session takes place every Monday evening, and the place is usually completely packed from about 8 PM.
• Cinema Pub. Located in the Glasshuset shopping mall next door to the cinema, this is currently the only place to drink for those between 18 and 20. Tired travelers should steer clear, on weekends this dark basement pub is packed with drunk teenagers, and extremely noisy.
• 2.etg, in Glasshuset. One of the most popular late-bars/nightclubs in town. Quite crowded during weekends, but a good place if you want to go dancing and don't mind waiting a while for service.
• Avenue, near the central bus station, this rather large late-bar is one of the most established places in Bodø. Its capacity is the largest in town, with room for over 500 people, something that has been a problem for the bar.
• Top 13, is a sky-bar located on the top floor of the Radisson Blu hotel. This is a calm, not too crowded bar with a fabulous view of the city. They have the best selection of drinks and cocktails in town and can rival most places in Norway in selection. The bartenders are well trained and provide good service. The bar used to be the place to be for the social and cultural elite in Bodø, and during the 90's it was common to see local celebs and other wealthy people there, even though now it is usually facilitated by tourists and people taking a break from the more crowded nightclubs.
• Public, near the lower side of the Koch shopping center. It is a small rock'n'roll oriented bar, specializing in music from alternative to pop/rock, but plays mainstream music at times. It is extremely crowded, but if you get there early and get a large secluded booth it's a good place. They serve simple cocktails, an array of shots and have a good selection of lager beer. Maybe the best place to be if you're planning to go out during mid-week in downtown. 
• Piccadilly is just as the name suggests, a British-style pub, the only of its kind in Bodø. Quietly crowded with everything from heavy alcoholics to construction workers, communists, musicians, and painters, as well as combinations of the five, it is a strange experience. Sports a good selection in beer, wines, and spirits, but no food. Opens at 4 PM, and serves cheap beer until 8 PM, when the price skyrockets. Located on the other side of the road from Kafé Kafka. 
• Bryggerikaia, at the harbor. One of the most classy establishments in Bodø. Its clients are mostly well-established adults and it has a lively but not over-the-top atmosphere. They have a wide array of drinks, cocktails, and beers and is a good place for people on business visiting Bodø and other mature people wanting to go somewhere informal but classy. 
• Samfunnet, is the student pub/nightclub located in the Mørkved area on the campus of University College Bodø, some 10 km from the city center. It has a simple selection of beers, alcopops, and other drinks, but the best prices in town. Samfunnet is divided into three parts, the bar, the extra bar (open if it gets too crowded in the primary bar), and the scene/dancefloor. At a certain interval, they arrange Super Wednesdays, where prices drop to employee prices, and all parts of Samfunnet is open, and they stay open until 3:30 AM. These Wednesdays usually attract many people, and the place is as crowded as other nightclubs/bars during weekends. 
• Chonticha Thai Restaurant, Bankplassen, Storgata 11 B (200 m north of city square), ☎ +47 75563200. 12-22. Small authentic Thai restaurant with a broad range of typical Thai dishes, prepared as the Thais do to themselves - not to the tourists! Most dishes are with prawns, fish, chicken or pork. Beer (also Thai beer), wines (mostly Italian) and a nice selection of alcohol (including absinthe), located in the northern part of the pedestrian street at ground level with huge windows in 3 directions. 36 seats + a small bar section.