Pylsa (Icelandic hot dog)
The Icelandic hot dog is a lamb-heavy pylsa in a steamed bun, layered with raw and crispy fried onion, ketchup, sweet brown mustard and remoulade. Ordered eina med ollu, one with everything.
Where: Baejarins Beztu Pylsur
Reykjavik eats off the North Atlantic and the volcanic ground beneath it. The staples are cod, haddock and Arctic char landed fresh, free-range Icelandic lamb, cultured skyr, and dark rye baked in geothermal soil. Downtown holds the country's only Michelin stars at Dill and Ox, plus fish-pan halls like Messinn and the 1937 hot dog kiosk Baejarins Beztu. Imported produce makes the city expensive, so locals build meals around fish, lamb and dairy. The hot dog with everything remains the great equaliser, eaten by ministers and students alike.
Eat your way through Reykjavik
Map of Reykjavik
Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Reykjavik, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
Must-try dishes in Reykjavik
The plates that define eating in Reykjavik.
Plokkfiskur (fish stew)
Plokkfiskur is Iceland's great comfort dish, a warm mash of flaked cod or haddock with potato, onion and a white bechamel sauce. It is traditionally served with dark rye bread and butter.
Where: Hofnin, Cafe Loki, Kaffivagninn
Kjotsupa (Icelandic lamb soup)
Kjotsupa is a clear, hearty lamb soup simmered with chunks of free-range Icelandic lamb, root vegetables, onion and herbs. It is the warming backbone of the winter table and a budget meal year-round.
Where: Cafe Loki, Kaffivagninn
Humarsupa (langoustine soup)
Humarsupa is a rich, creamy soup built on Icelandic langoustine, the small sweet shellfish often called lobster locally. The shells are simmered for a deep stock before the tail meat is added.
Where: Saegreifinn, Kopar, Hofnin
Skyr
Skyr is Iceland's ancient cultured dairy, thick and tangy like strained yogurt but technically a fresh cheese. It is eaten with milk and berries, blended into smoothies or folded into desserts.
Where: Salka Valka Kitchen, Sandholt, Grai Kotturinn
Rugbraud (geothermal rye bread)
Rugbraud is a dense, dark and slightly sweet Icelandic rye bread, traditionally steam-baked for many hours. In some places it is still buried in geothermal ground to cook, earning the nickname thunder bread.
Where: Cafe Loki, Sandholt, Bernhoftsbakari
Restaurants to know in Reykjavik
A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Reykjavik.
Austur-Indiafjelagid
Austur-Indiafjelagid has cooked regional Indian food with Icelandic produce on Hverfisgata since 1994, the Grapevine's repeat pick for Reykjavik's best.
Signature: Tandoori salmon, Regional curries
Skal
Skal, a former Hlemmur food-hall favourite now on Njalsgata, plates inventive Icelandic small plates and natural wine, a past Bib Gourmand in Reykjavik.
Signature: Seasonal small plates, Natural wine
Snaps Bistro
Snaps Bistro on Thorsgata is Reykjavik's enduring French-Danish bistro, a glassed-in room serving moules frites, onion soup and the day's fish to a crowd.
Signature: Moules frites, Fish of the day
Messinn
Messinn on Laekjargata built its name on the fish pan, fresh catch fried in butter and served sizzling in a cast-iron skillet to half of Reykjavik.
Signature: Fish pan, Pan-fried Arctic char
Hosilo
Hosilo on Hverfisgata runs a weekly-changing globe-trotting menu of small plates, a Michelin Guide listed Reykjavik room for vegans and carnivores alike.
Signature: Lamb tartare, Butternut squash ravioli
ROK
ROK faces Hallgrimskirkja from a turf-roofed house on Frakkastigur, a Reykjavik small-plates kitchen built for sharing Icelandic ingredients at lunch.
Signature: Small plates, Mussels
Where to eat by neighborhood
101 Reykjavik (101)
The downtown core, built around Laugavegur and Skolavordustigur, where most of the city's restaurants, bars, cafes and bakeries are packed into a few walkable streets.
Best for: Hot dogs, New Nordic, Wine bars, Bakeries
Grandi (101-grandi)
The old harbour district of converted fish warehouses, now home to food halls, Valdis ice cream, the fish-and-chips truck and heritage kitchens by the water.
Best for: Seafood, Ice cream, Food halls, Pizza
Hlemmur (105)
The area around the old bus station, anchored by Hlemmur Matholl food hall, with bakeries and casual spots clustered at the eastern end of Laugavegur.
Best for: Food hall, Burgers, Bakeries
Vesturbaer (107)
The quiet western residential district around the Vesturbaejarlaug pool, where neighbourhood cafes and the fine-dining room atop the Saga hotel sit away from the crowds.
Best for: Neighbourhood cafes, Fine dining, Bakeries
Laugardalur and east (108)
The greener east side beyond the centre around Sudurlandsbraut, where larger, cheaper Asian kitchens and family restaurants serve residents away from the tourist core.
Best for: Vietnamese, Thai, Family dining
When to come hungry in Reykjavik
Peak food season: May to September, when the langoustine season peaks and long daylight fills the terraces. Winter brings the Thorrablot heritage feasts of fermented shark and smoked lamb.
Local dining hours: Lunch 11:30 to 14:00, dinner 18:00 to 22:00. Kitchens close early by European standards; book dinner for 19:00 to 20:00.
Tipping: Tipping is not expected. Service is included in menu prices and staff are paid a living wage. Rounding up for exceptional service is welcome but never required.
Reykjavik food, FAQ
What food is Reykjavik known for?
Reykjavik's signature dishes include Pylsa (Icelandic hot dog), Plokkfiskur (fish stew), Kjotsupa (Icelandic lamb soup), Humarsupa (langoustine soup), Skyr. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.
What are the best food neighborhoods in Reykjavik?
TableJourney editors map Reykjavik by district. 101 Reykjavik, Grandi, Hlemmur, Vesturbaer are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.
Where should I eat fine dining in Reykjavik?
Editor picks in Reykjavik include Dill, Ox, OTO, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.
Are there food tours in Reykjavik?
TableJourney covers 5 editor-picked food tours in Reykjavik, with what each shows you and how much to budget.
Does Reykjavik have good vegetarian or vegan food?
TableJourney's Reykjavik dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal, kosher venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.