Rugbraud is a dark, very dense, usually rather sweet Icelandic rye bread without a crust that keeps for a long time. It is often served with butter, mutton pate, smoked lamb or pickled herring.

Rye bread was traditionally baked in pots or boxes buried in holes near hot springs, and the geothermal version is called hverabraud, hot-spring bread. Eating a lot of it is said to cause flatulence, which earned the loaf its nickname thrumari, roughly thunderbread. When Bernhoftsbakari began baking in 1834 it made little but rye bread, sifted bread, French bread, sour bread and country bread. Cafe Loki serves rye bread slices with plokkfiskur or smoked lamb and its own rye bread ice cream.

Where to eat Rugbraud (Icelandic rye bread) in Reykjavik

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

  • Messinn

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

    Messinn is a seafood restaurant at Laekjargata 6b that specialises in fresh seafood, served at lunchtime and in the evening every day of the week.

    DetailsBookDirections

  • Cafe Loki

    Order Rye bread slices with mashed fish, or the unique rye bread ice cream.

    Cafe Loki at Lokastigur 28 in Reykjavik is a family run restaurant across the street from Hallgrímskirkja, serving classic Icelandic home style food.

    DetailsDirections

  • Kaffivagninn

    Order The catch of the day, at the place where the fishermen themselves eat.

    Kaffivagninn is the oldest restaurant in Iceland, founded in 1935 by the harbor at Grandagardur 10 and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

    DetailsReserveDirections

  • Hofnin

    Order The fish soup, which a guest says won the restaurant a medal in 2012.

    Höfnin is a homely family restaurant at Geirsgata 7c by the small boat harbour in Reykjavik, serving classic Icelandic food with a view over the old harbour.

    DetailsReserveDirections

Book food experiences in Reykjavik

See all 2318 food experiences in Reykjavik

Make it at home

8 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 400g dark rye flour
  • 200g plain flour
  • 100g rolled oats
  • 200g dark molasses or treacle
  • 100g golden syrup
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
  • 500ml buttermilk
  • Butter for greasing a tall lidded tin (a coffee can or proper rugbraud tin)

Method

  1. Heat oven to 100C. Grease a tall lidded tin or a 1L coffee can generously with butter.
  2. Mix rye flour, plain flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and caraway in a large bowl.
  3. Warm the molasses, golden syrup, and buttermilk in a pan over low heat until just runny; do not boil.
  4. Pour wet into dry and stir to a thick batter. Tip into the tin; do not fill more than two thirds.
  5. Seal tin tightly with the lid or with two layers of foil and string.
  6. Bake at 100C for 7 hours; this slow steam-bake is what gives rugbraud its dense, dark crumb.
  7. Cool completely in the tin (overnight is best). Unmould, slice paper-thin with a serrated knife.
  8. Serve with cold salted butter, smoked lamb (hangikjot), or a slice of cheese and pickled herring.

Editor tip. To mimic hverabraud without a hot spring, bake in a tightly sealed Dutch oven at 100C; the trapped steam gives the wet crumb.

Common allergens: Gluten.