If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Iceland, you’ll be happy to hear that the food scene here is absolutely amazing.
While Iceland is definitely known more for their incredible landscapes than their food scene, there are tons of fantastic Iceland restaurants worth visiting.
Iceland is a pretty expensive country to visit as a tourist, and a lot of people opt to pack their own instant noodles for budget-friendly meals.
We didn’t have a chance to try much food in Iceland the first time we visited back in 2017, and we really misjudged how great the cuisine is here.
Luckily, we came back in 2019 and made an effort to try a lot more of the local cuisine!
From the fresh seafood to the grass-fed beef, you have to get a taste of authentic Icelandic cuisine during your trip.
You’ll also find a lot of unique delicacies in Icelandic restaurants, like rotten shark and puffin (though I’m not too fond of either lol).
We also tried sheep-poop smoked whale sperm beer last time we visited, and it was… interesting.
Why sheep poop, you ask? Because of the lack of trees, Icelandic people have historically used sheep dung to smoke things. As for the whale sperm – I have no answer for that.
Anyway, here’s where to eat and drink in Iceland, featuring all of the best restaurants and food spots we’ve eaten at during our two visits!
Plan your trip to Iceland
If you’re planning a trip to Iceland, here are some other posts to help you plan your perfect trip:
- How to spend 7 days in Iceland
- How to spend 2 weeks in Iceland
- What to budget for Iceland
- What to pack for Iceland
- The most Instagrammable places in Iceland
Rent a camper van in Iceland
If you’re thinking about renting a camper van while in Iceland, check out Cozy Campers. Traveling by camper van is a unique way to explore Iceland’s stunning landscapes at your own pace, and you can stay warm and cozy with their state-of-the-art heating systems designed for Iceland’s unique weather conditions. For those chasing the northern lights, their premium campers come with panorama skyroofs, so you can enjoy it from the comfort of your own van. Book your Cozy Campers adventure today and experience Iceland in style!
Best restaurants in Iceland
Here’s a little map (courtesy of Google Maps) which I’ve labelled with each of the towns or areas that I’ll be talking about in this post.
It’ll also help you to determine the best Iceland restaurants depending on your itinerary!
I’ve listed the towns and cities in a counterclockwise direction starting from Reykjavik.
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
When we first visited Iceland, we were students on a budget, and we barely ate at any actual restaurants to save on costs.
We did try the hot dogs at Bæjarins, known as one of the best food spots in Reykjavik, and it was everything we’d dreamed of.
Of course, we returned the second time we visited Iceland because it was just so good!
What makes these hot dogs so delicious is the toppings – the mustard and other sauces are on another world, and the mix of raw and fried onions is perfection.
You can find this style of hot dogs all over Iceland, and we actually ate them pretty often during our second visit at gas stations around the country.
LOCATION: Various locations
Café Loki
While I wouldn’t say eating rotten shark is a pleasant experience, it’s definitely something fun to cross off of your bucket list if you’re an adventurous foodie.
We visited Café Loki in Reykjavik for their tasting platter featuring different kinds of fish, including rotten shark.
We really enjoyed spreading butter on the dried fish – it’s not something we’d expected would be so good!
Everything on the platter was amazing, except for the rotten shark.
Adam described it as tasting like the ocean, and I just thought it burned my tastebuds.
The homemade brown bread here is also very delicious, and I’m still upset I didn’t get to try their brown bread ice cream.
LOCATION: Lokastígur 28, 101 Reykjavík
Friðheimar
If there’s any one restaurant you must visit in Iceland, it’s Friðheimar – it’s located along the Golden Circle, the most popular drive in the country.
Tomatoes are the main ingredient you’ll find on almost every single item on Friðheimar’s menu.
It’s both a greenhouse and a restaurant, and what makes their tomatoes so special is that they’re fed using geothermal water from the glaciers.
We tried their bottomless tomato soup and bread, tomato mussels, tomato beer, and tomato ice cream.
We didn’t really taste the tomato in the beer, but everything was delicious!
Be sure to get the olive bread as well – it’s absolutely incredible.
As it’s located right along the Golden Circle, it’s the perfect meal stop if you’re visiting Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gulfoss Waterfall, or the Kerid Crater.
LOCATION: Friðheimar, Reykholt
Gamla fjósið
Otherwise known as “Old Cowhouse” in English, Gamla fjósið actually farms their own grass-fed cattle, which they use in their restaurant.
The beef burgers here are super juicy and delicious, which you wouldn’t expect in a farm restaurant seemingly located in the middle of nowhere!
We also really loved the beautiful vintage decor of the restaurant.
You’ll find this restaurant on the southern part of Iceland, near where the ferry takes you to Vestmannaeyjabær (Westman Islands) and Vik (where the famous black sand beaches are).
LOCATION: Hvassafell, Eyjafjöllum, 861, Iceland
Nailed It Fish and Chips
I was not expecting to have some of the best fish and chips of my life at a random food truck at one of Iceland’s most popular destinations.
You’ll find this food truck right by Jökulsárlón, so it’s a super convenient place to eat before or after exploring the lagoon.
The cod is freshly caught, and you can really taste the freshness as it melts in your mouth.
We drenched our fries in Iceland’s popular red salt, which you can find at pretty much every restaurant in Iceland!
LOCATION: Jökulsárlón, 781 Hornafjörður, Iceland
GOTT
If you have the chance to visit Vestmannaeyjar (also known as the Westman Islands), I would highly recommend doing so during your visit to Iceland.
You have to take a ferry to get there, but there’s tons to do in the area and it’s so worth it.
GOTT is a vibrant and colourful family restaurant located right in the heart of Vestmannaeyjar, and they serve up creative cuisine using fresh ingredients.
We got the GOTT Grilled Burger and Eldfell Burger, and both were both fantastic and so fresh.
The head chef, Sigurður Gíslason, is a former member of the Icelandic national team of chefs, and he runs GOTT with his wife!
LOCATION: Bárustígur 11, Vestmannaeyjabær
Hafnarbuðin
Höfn is a cool fishing town located in southeast Iceland, and it’s the next biggest town after Vik, so it’s a popular stop along the Ring Road.
If you find yourself here, you’ve gotta visit Hafnarbuðin, a fun old-school diner spot you wouldn’t expect to find in Iceland.
We both got American-style burgers and fries, and they were surprisingly really tasty.
My burger had blue cheese and Adam’s had guac.
If you’re craving a sweet treat, you can even enjoy one of their Icelandic-inspired milkshakes!
LOCATION: Ránarslóð 12, Höfn í Hornafirði, Iceland
Askur Pizzeria
Egilstaddir is one of the largest towns in East Iceland, and you’ll find a lot of fantastic restaurants here, including Askur Pizzeria.
They serve up fire-baked pizzas with sourdough bottoms, and you can take your pick from their extensive selection of signature pizzas.
For my fellow Canadians, they even have a Hawaiian pizza with ham and pineapple!
They’ve also got a few vegan options for my plant-based friends out there.
There’s also a craft brewery attached to the restaurant if you’re in the mood for a pint.
LOCATION: Fagradalsdraut 25, 700 Egilsstaðir, Iceland
Eyja
Akureyri is one of Iceland’s biggest cities, and it’s actually my favourite city in all of Iceland – it’s surprisingly quite multicultural!
Eyja is a modern wine bar and bistro run by a local couple, and they’ve got a variety of fusion dishes and a fantastic wine list.
From their cod with miso glaze, to their nut steak with pomegranate and dill foam, you’ve gotta try the unique offerings on their menu.
They’ve even got a 3-course menu if you’re looking for something special!
LOCATION: Hafnarstræti 90, 600 Akureyri, Iceland
Café Riis Restaurant & Pizzeria
The Westfjords are our favourite part of Iceland because it’s just so incredibly beautiful.
And though it’s such a remote place, you’ll find plenty of fantastic restaurants in this region!
Café Riis in Holmavik serves up classic Icelandic dishes and unique pizzas using fresh and local produce.
You can opt for one of their signature pizzas, like their incredible Langoustine (lobster) Pizza, or build your own pizza.
The restaurant is almost three decades old, and it’s situated in Holmavik’s oldest building, which was built in 1897.
LOCATION: Hafnarbraut 39, 510 Hólmavík, Iceland
Best restaurants in Iceland
- Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
- Café Loki
- Friðheimar
- Gamla fjósið
- Nailed It Fish and Chips
- GOTT
- Hafnarbuðin
- Askur Pizzeria
- Eyja
- Café Riis Restaurant & Pizzeria
These were some of the best restaurants you’ve gotta add to your Iceland itinerary, whether you’re looking for casual or upscale spots to visit.
If you’re on a budget or don’t mind where you eat, then gas station restaurants in Iceland are actually pretty good.
We ate gas station hot dogs and burgers quite a few times, and enjoyed them every single time.
Gas station food is also a lot more budget-friendly, as restaurants in Iceland are quite pricy!
To see more of our trips to Iceland, you can check out my YouTube vlogs on our 1 week in Iceland and 2 weeks in Iceland.
If you’re looking for even more fun activities and things to do in Iceland, be sure to check out some local tours!
Have you been to any of these Iceland restaurants? Where are your favourite spots to eat in Iceland? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram!
Plan your trip to Iceland
If you’re planning a trip to Iceland, here are some other posts to help you plan your perfect trip:
- How to spend 7 days in Iceland
- How to spend 2 weeks in Iceland
- What to budget for Iceland
- What to pack for Iceland
- The most Instagrammable places in Iceland
Be sure to keep up with me on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest if you aren’t already!
Feel free to subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get my blog posts delivered straight to your inbox.
Like this post? Pin it for later!
