Reykjavik eats fish, lamb and dairy. Cafe Loki, across the street from Hallgrimskirkja, cooks traditional Icelandic food such as meat soup, plokkfiskur and fermented shark, and Messinn serves fish in the pan it was cooked in. Skyr, a fresh sour milk cheese, appears at breakfast and as dessert, and Baejarins Beztu Pylsur has sold lamb-based hot dogs on Tryggvagata since 1937. Kaffivagninn, founded in 1935, calls itself Iceland's oldest restaurant. Dill won Iceland's first Michelin star in 2017, and Reykjavik now has two of the country's three starred restaurants, Dill and OX; the third, Moss, is at the Blue Lagoon. Beer was banned until 1 March 1989, and Beer Day marks the end of the ban.

Where to eat in Reykjavik

All 20 restaurants

  1. Austur-Indiafjelagid

    Order The Tandoori salmon, a favourite among its sublime dishes.

  2. Skal

    Order The natural wines, Icelandic beers or house brewed sparkling teas.

  3. Snaps Bistro

    Order Onion soup and mussels, both called rich and delicious by a guest quoted on its own site.

  4. Messinn

    Order A fish pan: freshly cooked fish straight from the kitchen with butter-fried potatoes and vegetables.

  5. Hosilo

    Order Peas on toast with shallots, Iberico secreto with peaches, or the daily catch, as Michelin describes them.

  6. ROK

Fine dining

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Signature dishes in Reykjavik

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Map of Reykjavik

Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Reykjavik, pinned. Click a pin for the page.

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Plan your Reykjavik trip

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Browse Reykjavik

When to come hungry in Reykjavik

Peak food season
Late spring and summer: fresh langoustine is in season from May to August and river salmon fishing runs from late May to the end of September. Thorramatur, the midwinter buffet of cured foods, comes with Thorri from 22 January 2027, and Christmas buffets fill December.
Local dining hours
Hours vary by place. Kaffivagninn is open daily from 08:00 to 21:30 and Cafe Loki daily from 08:00 to 22:00. Fish Company serves lunch from 11:30 to 14:30 on weekdays and dinner from 17:00, Hradlestin opens at 17:00 and Grillmarkadurinn at 17:30, and Matur og Drykkur opens Wednesday to Sunday at 18:00.
Tipping
Tipping in a restaurant, even a fancy one, is never expected but always appreciated. The bill already takes taxes and a service charge into account, though not as a separate line.

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 8 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.