If you are preparing for a trip to Nunavik, one of your first questions is probably: What will I actually eat once I get here?
Our menu is shaped by what the territory provides: Arctic char from northern waters of Quebec, berries picked from the tundra, mussels and kelp gathered at low tide by Inuits, and traditional meats like seal or caribou when available.
These ingredients are harvested, prepared and served by Ungava’s Inuit hosts whose knowledge of the land and sea has been passed down through generations.We serve what Inuit land and waters provide, prepared by the people who know this territory best.
What “Traditional Inuit Food” Means in Nunavik
First, we need to be clear about what traditional Inuit food actually means in Nunavik.
It is not simply a list of foods served on a plate. It is a relationship with the land and sea, built on generations of knowledge about where and when to harvest, how to read the weather and tides, and how to prepare and share what the territory provides. Some ingredients such as fish and mussels can only be gathered by individuals with Inuit rights.
Traditional food remains closely connected to the culture, family and identity. In Northern Canada, you may also hear it described as country food: food harvested locally from the land and water rather than purchased through a conventional supermarket.
Inuit cuisine also varies from one region to another. What is considered traditional in Nunavik may not look exactly like what is served in Greenland or Nunavut, because the local wildlife, plants, seasons and family practices are different.
In Ungava’s Bay, traditional Inuit food is served alongside familiar, comforting dishes. What appears on the menu depends on the season, what is available and the knowledge of the people preparing it. You may be served Arctic salmon, Arctic char, cloudberries, bannock, kelp and mussels, among other foods.
1. Atlantic Salmon and Arctic Char
At our camp, Atlantic salmon refers to salmon found in the rivers and coastal waters of the region. Arctic char, on the other hand, is a distinct northern species closely related to both salmon and trout. It can live entirely in freshwater or migrate between rivers and the sea.
Arctic char is mild, clean, and buttery, with pink to deep-orange flesh that sits somewhere between salmon and trout. Atlantic salmon caught in Nunavik rivers is bolder and richer than traditional salmon. Both fish are served fresh, with only a few hours between being caught and eaten. Believe us when we say, this will be the best tasting fish you will ever have.
From the Sea to Your Plate
Arctic char is considered the northernmost freshwater fish in the world. One traditional way to eat it is raw or as quaq (raw fish that has been frozen and served frozen or partially thawed). It may also be cooked, boiled or served sashimi-style.
The exact dish may change depending on the catch and the meal planned that day, but the fish remains the centre of the plate. When it has come from the surrounding water only hours earlier, it does not need much added to it: some salt and some pepper and you’re good to go.
The Real Reason You Can’t Fish Your Dinner Yourself
Many guests ask whether they can take part in the fishing and catch the fish served at dinner.
No, you cannot, and there is an important reason why.
Guests are welcome to watch our Inuit guides fish and learn about the process, but the harvesting itself remains in Inuit hands. This is not simply a rule created by our camp. Fishing in this area is connected to Inuit harvesting rights, cultural knowledge and responsibilities toward the territory. Knowing where and when to fish, how to read the weather and tides, and how much to take are all part of that knowledge. These practices have been passed down through Inuit families for generations.
As a guest, you are invited to observe, ask questions and enjoy what is prepared for you. Respecting that boundary is part of experiencing traditional Inuit food in a way that honours the people and heritage behind it.
2. Berries Native to the Tundra
The tundra may look almost empty at first, but some of the most important ingredients in traditional Inuit food grow close to the ground. During berry season, guests can join us as we walk across the moss and low vegetation to gather berries. Unlike fishing and shellfish harvesting, berry picking is an activity you can take part in with our guides.
What Guests Call “Those Little Orange Berries”
The small orange berries guests often ask about are cloudberries, known as arpik in Inuktitut and as bakeapples in Labrador. They grow wild across the tundra rather than on cultivated farms. Around our camp, they generally ripen from late August into early September, turning soft and amber-coloured when they are ready to be picked. Cloudberries grow throughout the Arctic and have been part of northern food traditions for generations.
Sometimes called Arctic gold because of their golden colour and because the harvesting season is short, eating one directly from the tundra can surprise you. The raw berry is tart, slightly bitter and much less sweet than its colour might suggests.
But cooking changes it completely.
Once heated with sugar, the sharpness softens and the berry develops a richer, fruitier flavour. This is why one of the most common ways we use cloudberries at camp is as jam. It is a simple way to introduce guests to an ingredient that has been part of Arctic food and Inuit cuisine for generations.
What Does Cloudberry Jam Taste Like?
Cloudberry jam is sweet and tart, with a slightly floral flavour. Some guests notice notes of raspberry, apricot or citrus.
We may serve it to you at breakfast or alongside other baked dishes, but our favourite way to eat it is spread generously over warm bannock bread. The soft, filling bread balances the brightness of the berries, and leads us to another food guests often remember long after returning home.
3. Bannock Bread
Bannock bread is one of the simplest foods we serve at Ungava Polar Eco Tours, but it is also one of the most appreciated. Made with basic ingredients such as flour, water, fat and salt, bannock can be pan-fried or baked in the oven. The result is a dense, filling bread with a lightly browned exterior and a soft centre.
An Ancestral Recipe
The bannock commonly prepared today entered Indigenous kitchens through contact with European fur traders. Over generations, Inuit and First Nations families adapted bannock to their own recipes and cooking methods, making it a deeply rooted part of northern food culture. Today, recipes vary from one family to another: some are fried, others baked, and each cook has a slightly different way of preparing it.
The Most Memorable Meal for Our Guests
At breakfast, we serve bannock warm with cloudberry jam. The bread is soft and slightly rich, while the jam adds sweetness, acidity and the distinctive flavour of berries picked from the tundra.
It is not the most elaborate meal guests eat during their stay. Still, it is often the one they mention after returning home. There is something especially comforting about eating warm bannock bread inside the dome while the wind moves across the tundra outside.
Spread with cloudberry jam, it is simple, local and exactly what you want before heading out for a full day in Nunavik.
4. Kelp, Mussels, and Seaweed
Ungava Bay has some of the highest tides on Earth, comparable to those of the Bay of Fundy. As the water pulls back, it exposes a shoreline that was completely submerged only hours earlier, giving us access to kelp, mussels and other seaweed growing along the rocks.
Knowing when the tide is low enough, where it is safe to walk and what can be harvested responsibly is part of traditional Inuit food culture and comes from generations of living with the rhythms of the bay.
Guests are welcomed to come with us and observe the process, but not harvest the shellfish, as it is an Inuit right. Harvesting rights in the Nunavik Inuit Marine Region are protected under the Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement, which includes specific provisions for mussels and scallops.
One detail often surprises guests: the mussels can leave a naturally peppery sensation in the throat. At camp, we usually eat the mussels first and kelp afterward, as the kelp helps soften that sensation.
5. Traditional Meats: Seal, Caribou, and What’s Shared at Camp
On some stays, guests may have the chance to try traditional Inuit meats such as seal or caribou. These are not part of a standard menu, and no animal is ever hunted for tourism. When these meats are available, it is because they were harvested by our Inuit guides or their families through their own traditional practices, and they have chosen to share what they have with guests around the table.
This can be arranged upon request and depending on availability, which shifts with the season, the harvest and what families have on hand. If you are curious about tasting country food in its most traditional form, let us know before your arrival. When the opportunity comes up, it is one of the most meaningful moments of a stay: not because it is on a menu, but because it is being shared with you.
A Typical Day of Meals at the Camp
Between Inuit traditions and the weather, every meal served at Ungava Polar Eco Tours is made to be generous, comforting and well suited to a day spent outdoors.
Bannock bread with cloudberry jam, eggs and coffee: a simple but filling start before heading onto the tundra or out on the water. When we leave camp by boat, we prepare something hearty, portable and easy to eat along the way.
Dinner is always served in the main dome and often features the day’s catch, where you and your group can appreciate and share a grateful moment for the food the territory on which you’re standing on has prepared for you.
If you would like to experience (and taste) Nunavik for yourself, we invite you to join us at Ungava Polar Eco-Tours. Come discover the traditional Inuit food, locally harvested ingredients and comforting meals that make dining at our camp an experience of its own. Plan your trip at ungavapolarecotours.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the food at Ungava Polar Eco-Tours all traditional Inuit food?
No. While traditional Inuit food is an important part of the menu, not every meal is. We also serve familiar dishes and other proteins, including guinea fowl, and chicken depending on availability. Our meals combine local ingredients, Inuit food traditions and carefully prepared camp food.
Do you accommodate dietary restrictions in the Arctic?
Yes. We ask about allergies, dietary restrictions and important food preferences during the reservation process. This gives our team time to plan ahead and bring the appropriate ingredients to camp. Because we are in a remote location, sharing this information before your trip is essential.
Where does the food come from if the camp is so remote?
Much of our food is transported to camp by plane, frozen when necessary and fresh whenever logistics allow. Other ingredients come directly from the surrounding territory. This combination allows us to serve generous Arctic camp food while also featuring locally harvested ingredients when they are available.
Can guests forage or fish with the guides?
Guests may join our guides to pick berries from the tundra when they are in season. Fishing is different: visitors cannot catch their own fish. The harvesting is carried out by our Inuit guides in accordance with the rights, knowledge and responsibilities connected to this territory.