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.

Rye grew where wheat could not, so dark rye bread became the everyday loaf of Iceland. The most famous version, hverabraud, is baked by burying a covered pot in hot geothermal soil near hot springs and leaving it for up to 24 hours, producing a moist, almost cake-like loaf. It is served sliced thin with butter, smoked lamb or pickled herring. In Reykjavik you find it at Cafe Loki and the old bakeries, and even as a rye-bread ice cream.

3 editor picks for Rugbraud (geothermal rye bread) in Reykjavik, ranked by editorial score. All Reykjavik signature dishes · Rugbraud (geothermal rye bread) across every city.

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Rugbraud (geothermal rye bread) makes more sense with someone from Reykjavik explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

Book food experiences in Reykjavik

Reykjavik: Beer and Booze Tour

Guided tour2.5 hours4.9 from 71 reviewsfrom $127

Join a beer walking tour to explore three of the finest bars in Reykjavik. Sample 10 of Iceland’s delicious craft beers, most of which you can only find in Iceland.

See all 630 bookable experiences in Reykjavik