51 Best Restaurants in Iceland

Located on one of the main corners of town and in one of its oldest buildings, this family favorite offers generous portions at affordable prices. Popular international favorites (burgers, pasta dishes, and tacos) are served alongside fresh local fish and some Akureyri favorites. It’s an excellent place for a quick and filling lunch or evening meal.

Tucked into a cozy downtown cellar, Fish Company is a love letter to Icelandic ingredients with a globetrotting soul. Chef-driven and unafraid to experiment, expect dishes like Arctic char with unexpected international flair. The vibe is intimate, sleek, and a bit mysterious—ideal for date nights or marking a special occasion. It’s where Reykjavík fine dining meets delicious, creative storytelling. Their lunch menu sushi platters are a favorite, but you really can't go wrong with anything at this local institution.

Located in the second oldest building in Hafnarfjörður and shaped like a Norwegian Stave church, you will travel in time and land in a dark, wooden scene filled with Viking-inspired art. Fjörukráin serves traditional Icelandic meals on Viking-style trays carried by waiters dressed in Viking clothes. They often have live music, too, and if you're lucky singing Vikings will show up and join you. If you are sick of the Scandinavian chic that you will find in most restaurants in Iceland, Fjörukráin is the place for you. 

The quality fare at this family-friendly establishment is well worth the five-minute walk from the town center. Known mostly for exceptional takeout pizzas, Greifinn is also the go-to place for family dinners. Choose from a menu of popular international classics—including burgers, Mexican, and Italian fare—as well as Icelandic seafood and grilled lamb dishes. They also have a notable amount of delicious vegan options. Book in advance as it gets busy on evenings and weekends.

Three kilometers (2 miles) west of Eyrarbakki, this seafood restaurant sits almost right on the ocean—surprisingly uncommon in Iceland. Hafið Bláa serves fresh seafood and very sweet Icelandic desserts.

For a more traditional sit-down Icelandic dinner in Flúðir, the Hill Hotel's restaurant is your best bet. While somewhat expensive, their classic fare will fill you up in an area with very few other restaurants.

Hressingarskálinn, more commonly known as Hressó, has been in operation since 1932. Though it has changed hands a few times in the past decades, it has been reinvented as a bistro with a talented culinary team serving home-cooked Icelandic foods with modern flair. If you're popping in between meals, be sure to order a slice of the cake of the day or a fresh kleina with your coffee.

Housed in one of the oldest buildings in South Iceland, this restaurant offers a panoramic view of the golf course below and the four volcanoes that guard the beautiful area. They serve fusion dishes that combine local, seasonal ingredients with South American techniques.

Named after the arctic tern, Krían is the only restaurant on the island. The menu includes simple traditional Icelandic dishes and standard international favorites like hamburgers; it's also one of the few places in Iceland where you can try puffin. The restaurant operates in tandem with the ferry and the airport and is always open for visitors.

This lively and elegant hotel bistro is perfect for a refreshing cocktail and a rich meal after a long day of endless lava fields and hot springs. On the weekends they serve brunch.

The atmosphere is the real crowd-pleaser here—especially if you're looking for a romantic restaurant with low lighting for date night or a hip dinner with perfectly fine food. Matarkjallarinn serves a more casual menu of burgers or a fish of the day at lunch before dimming the lights and letting the live pianist loose on the ivories to bring a touch of class to dinner, when a selection of steaks, seafood, and duck confit are on the menu. As the name suggests, the surroundings skew toward stone and offer the cozy kind of vibes only a cellar can provide. 

This restaurant is located in the oldest section of Stykkishólmur inside a bright, airy building from the early 1900s. The crowd-pleasing menu features regional items like lamb shanks, scallops, and cod. It's a popular spot with the locals and its downstairs bar is a good choice for a late-night drink and to catch some classic 1970s pop ballads.

Nestled between the greenery of Öskjuhlíð and Reykjavík's geothermal beach, Nauthóll serves fresh fish, burgers, soups, salads, and a selection of small plates all creatively prepared using fresh ingredients. Meals feel elevated in Nauthóll's sparse gallery-like interiors, which put the sweeping views over Nauthólsvík front-and-center.

The large restaurant inside the Þórbergssetur museum and cultural center is often busy, as there are limited food options along this stretch of road in Iceland. Even with that pressure, the dishes are always tasty, with a special emphasis on lamb and arctic char raised on the local farm. It's an all-day affair, too: you can stop by for a light meal, soup, a piece of cake, or a hearty, three-course evening meal.

Eyrarbakki's only restaurant can be found in a stately red house facing the town church. Thankfully, it happens to serve one of the best lobster soups in the south of Iceland. Be sure to treat yourself to the aptly named chocolate lava cake. Opening hours change seasonally so be sure to check that's open before you head out. 

A kind Polish family runs this restaurant on the Golden Circle route. Don't let the humble exterior fool you: inside you will find some of Iceland's best pizzas and handmade chocolates.

Built in 1883, this appealing old wooden building once housed the town’s first co-op and was the heart and soul of the community. It’s now home to a lovely restaurant, where its historic presence is augmented by a lively crowd of locals and tourists getting their fill. The big menu is packed with popular classics, including tacos, street food, pizzas, burgers, and seafood. The catch of the day is always delicious.

Situated right on the quiet edge of town is a true culinary enigma. Its eclectic, upscale menu ranges from crisp internationally inspired artisanal pizzas to bold, traditional Icelandic fare like horse steak and mutton. In a small restaurant full of small-town charm, the flavors could still easily hold their own in any major city. Remember to save room for dessert.

At the artsy Solon, you can view some modern art, have a meal (try the fish of the day), and enjoy some people-watching through the large windows. You'll find local ingredients alongside Italian staples and fresher-than-fresh seafood dishes on the menu.

In an old beautiful house overlooking the mountains, Suður-Vík offers a wide variety of dishes, ranging from wild game to curry bowls. In the basement they have a bar that stays open late.

If your ideal dinner consists of eating on a patio with a good beer in hand, you won't be disappointed by this lively gastropub. You can even mingle with the locals for a rousing game of bingo once a month. Be sure to greet the pig out front—she's usually dressed for the occasion.