Wining and Dining in Iceland

Wining & Dining in Iceland

It’s always easy to find something great to eat in Reykjavík. Fresh and seasonal Icelandic ingredients are popular and the chefs of Reykjavík are always trying to think of new ways to prepare them, some simple and others more complex. We recommend trying everything from plokkfiskur (a fish and potatoes casserole) to delicate Icelandic langoustine and the finest steaks of lamb, horse or beef.

Have you tried:

New Nordic food, Icelandic style?

The delicious products of Icelandic nature are finally getting the attention and care they deserve and taste better than ever, especially when prepared by the food wizards of Dill restaurant. Iceland’s first Michelin-starred restaurant.

Something adventurous? Reykjavík’s restaurants tend to have at least one dish that’s a bit surprising. If you’ve never tried horse, whale, or puffin, now’s your chance.

Plokkfiskur? 

Decidedly non-glamourous but consistently delicious, this fish and potato stew is usually served with dark and sweet rye bread.

Langoustine? 

If plokkfiskur is not glamorous enough for you, try Icelandic lobster. Delicious in soups, sandwhichs or just served on its own with heaps of garlic butter.

Shark? 

You’ve probably heard of this one; despite its reputation (and the smell), the shark meat is neither rotten nor putrid, but rather fermented.

Icelandic lamb?

Icelandic lamb is in a league of its own, tender and succulent.

The Icelandic hot dog?

It’s a cultural institution so get one with everything – ketchup, mustard, remoulade and two kinds of onion, fresh and fried.

Kjötsupa?

Icelandic meat soup at its most basic is a clear broth with whole pieces of lamb and vegetables, but every Icelander has his own (or his mother’s) recipe.

Icelandic craft beer? 

Stop by Kaldi bar for a taste of Kaldi beer. Microbar focuses on craft beers from microbreweries all over the world, and Bryggjan bar and restaurant has an on-site brewery.

Ice cream?

The classic is soft serve ice cream, served with all the sauces and toppings you can imagine, but gelato-style ice cream is also gaining in popularity.

Fishermen port. Photo by Olga

Eating Out In Reykjavík

The tastes and smells of another country are often what stays with you long after you’ve forgotten everything you’ve learned at the museums. But finding something great to eat in a new place can often be difficult. Here are some helpful tips to remember when dining in Reykjavík, if you want to make every meal count.

Traditional Food

Traditional Icelandic food is usually centred around fish or lamb. There’s a fair share of dishes that owe their existence to a time before refrigeration; smoked, salted, and fermented food. Many of these dishes are an acquired taste, such as the famous fermented shark and pickled ram’s testicles, and are usually only trotted out for special occasions. Others, such as hardfiskur (fish jerky) or hangikjöt (smoked lamb) are delicious all year round.

Then there are the slightly more modern classics, such as plokkfiskur (fish and potato casserole), fish balls (like meatballs, only with fish), and kjötsupa (clear-broth lamb and vegetable soup). These are simple dishes, regularly served in most Icelandic homes, but they taste delicious. For desserts, the most iconic dish is probably Icelandic pankakes (crêpe-like pancakes served plain with sugar or stuffed with jam and cream).

Fine Dining

Since traditional Icelandic cooking is relatively light on technique (it involves a lot of boiling), a popualr way to approach modern Icelandic cuisine is to focus on quality local ingredients but seek inspiration from other parts of the world on how to prepare them. The result is a melting pot of different influences. For instance, one of the most established restaurants in Reykjavík is a Tapas restaurant, but their most popular dish is cured Icelandic lamb in a liquorice sauce.

Icelandic lamb and seafood are some of the best you’ll ever taste so be sure to try them at least once while you’re here. Langoustine, or Icelandic lobster, is another thing most Icelandic restaurants have on their menu and it is some of the most delicate and delicious seafood you’ll ever taste.

Recently, restaurants like Dill and Matur og Drykkur, inspired by the new Nordic cuisine, have been making waves in the Icelandic restaurant scene, experimenting with unconventional Icelandic ingredients and rediscovering forgotten methods of cooking. Dill was even recently honoured with Iceland’s first Michelin star! Don’t be surprised to see unfamiliar ingredients on menus, such as whale, puffin, horse or even reindeer.

Light Meals

For less formal meals, there’s plenty of nice restaurants in Reykjavík that won’t break the bank but still serve delicious food. The city centre has a high concentration of bistors, cafés and gastropubs serving sandwiches, salads, soups and other delights, perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

Even though Iceland is famous for its lack of McDonald’s, we still have fast food chains, such as Subway, Domino’s and Dunkin’s Donuts, as well as a few of our own. Hamborgarabullan restaurants serve great burgers and Serrano sells delicious Ice-Mex food, to name a few. Lemon, a juice and sandwich place and Local, a chain of salad bars, is perfect if you’re looking for a healthier option.

Finally, Iceland has great sushi places in varying price ranges, perfect as this is one of the few places in the world that rivals Japan for access to fresh fish.

Restaurant Etiquette of Reykjavík

• Reservations are recommended, especially for fine dining and for weekends and the summer season.
• In bistros and cafés, reservations aren’t necessary or even possible in some places, but it never hurts to ask, especially for larger groups.
• Tipping is not the custom in Iceland and there is no service fee. If you want to reward exceptional service financially, that’s fine and no one will be offended, but it’s not required.
• Icelandic tap water is not only safe; it tastes the same or even better than bottled water.
• In Iceland, dinner time is usually around seven or eight pm. Upscale restaurant kitchens are usually open from six to ten or eleven pm and a little later on the weekends, although some are open even longer.