30 Best Restaurants in Iceland

This bistro has a truly unique location inside the botanic gardens of Reykjavík. Of course, much of what you'll find on the menu is grown in the gardens, and you can learn all about the sustainable practices of the kitchen.

Located inside the Fosshotel Húsavík, this beautifully designed restaurant is a convenient place for guests to dine, although you don't need to be a guest to eat here. While their main menu offers traditional first rate Icelandic fare, they also have pizzas and great burgers. 

This food hall features eight vendors loved by locals: Brauð & Co., Fuego, SKÁL!, Micro Roast Te & Kaffi, Flatey Pizza, Kröst, Fjárhúsið, and Báhn Mí. It's a great place for groups and kids.

The large windows of this luxury country-lodge restaurant frame an engaging pastoral scene starring the bountiful Rangá (one of Iceland’s best fishing rivers) with Hekla (a famous sleeping volcano known as “the Gateway to Hell”) in the background. Here guests dine on a variety of locally sourced seasonal produce, and are often given the full VIP treatment from enthusiastic owner Friðrík, who takes great pride in everything from the presentation of the food to the minutiae of its preparation.

Sipping on a refreshing "Donkey" cocktail will add a spicy warmth to your cheeks while you take in this friendly spot's sights, sounds, and aromas, which intensify as the evening progresses. Each dish is carefully paired with wine and delivered with a detailed narrative by well-informed staff. Send your senses into overdrive with dishes like fruits de mer, charred salmon, or an assemblage of popular desserts aptly titled "Simply the Best."

This rotating restaurant, atop Reykjavík's geothermal water distribution tanks on Öskjuhlíð Hill, has spectacular panoramic views (one revolution takes about two hours). The international menu emphasizes quick, fresh dishes like salted cod, fish and chips, pizza, and lamb soup.

At this boathouse on the water’s edge (built in 1890), you can enjoy gourmet dishes like spotted catfish and crispy reindeer meatballs. The interior is furnished with an impressive collection of maritime artifacts, and the soundtrack is of old Icelandic fishing songs. Upstairs the fishermen’s living quarters have been preserved exactly as they were found, undisturbed for almost a century.

The plokkfiskur (fish stew) at this local favorite is the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold night. The restaurant also hosts a Champagne happy hour that includes a bottle of bubbly, licorice, and cantaloupe every day between 4 and 7 pm.

Located in the Hlemmur Mathöll food hall, Skál! offers elegant Icelandic platings in a casual setting. The best part is that prices are much more reasonable than you'd see in most restaurants around the city, but you really aren't giving up any quality when it comes to the food.

Fine dining enhanced by glorious views over the marina and fjord create a memorable experience at Sunna. Standouts on the menu include the lamb fillet and pan-fried cod, but save some room for the white chocolate mousse, a sweet, tangy dessert with lime pear that fizzes delightfully on your tongue. The prices are surprisingly affordable, given the exceptional quality: a three-course meal is ISK 7,990.

Located in the oldest house in Selfoss, Tryggvaskáli takes you back a century to the sitting room of an upper-class family. Allow yourself to feel like the honorary guest at a dinner party; your hosts will offer excellent Icelandic and international farm-to-table dishes. 

Those who appreciate dairy will love this place, which serves super-fresh whole milk and cream to go with your coffee and delicious (although ridiculously overpriced) home-baked cakes. The café has big windows with such satisfying views of the lush surroundings that you might be tempted to stay for the free refills (filter coffee only). There’s also a menu of farm–to–table dishes, a souvenir shop, and a viewing window into the cowshed.

The menu at Apotek is much the same as those at other upscale spots in Reykjavík—tons of fish, some sort of take on a tasting menu of traditional dishes (often with whale and puffin), and a few turf additions here and there—but the care and attention to detail is obvious here. It's a great splurge for those looking to get in one last memorable meal before heading home.

The chef here is a supporter of the sustainable food movement and sources almost all supplies from local Icelandic farmers. All the veggies, salads, and berries are picked from the greenhouses next door. They serve breakfast and dinner and are open all day for light refreshments.

There’s a ramshackle appeal to this converted old fishing hut located by the waterfront (its name translates to “the Bait Shack"). Meals served under the low-beamed ceilings decorated with nautical salvage are tasty and the service is quick, but the real draw of this place is the epic views of the fjord.

The menu may be small and handwritten, but dining here is an experience. Stepping inside the family-run restaurant feels like walking into, well, a family home. Comfortable chairs dressed in luxurious fabrics flank the tables and the views are great no matter the season.

From lamb shanks to spaghetti, you never quite know what's going to show up on the menu at Englendingavík. The historic building is surrounded by equally aged architecture; it's almost like stepping back in time—a much cozier time.

You don’t have to be a hotel guest to dine here, and as the only place for miles where you can get a decent sit-down meal, you should book well in advance. The menu features lots of Icelandic dishes boasting the use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients from the so-called “Skagafjörður food chest.” The decor is modern and inviting.

Although Jörgensen Kitchen & Bar has a similar menu to other eateries around the city (burgers, fish-and-chips, cod, catch of the day, etc), what's really intriguing about this restaurant is the private garden area. Dining in this dreamy oasis in the middle of the city's main shopping street is a real pleasure.

Attached to a guesthouse offering dorm-style and private rooms, Kaffi Lækur is open to nonguests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Don't miss the daily happy hour from 4 to 7 pm and 10 to 11 pm.

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. As the name suggests, the surroundings skew toward stone and offer the cozy kind of vibes only a cellar can provide.

It's hard to tell what stands out more at Matur og Drykkur: the accommodating staff or the A+ dishes. Located in an old salt fish factory, the views of the harbor overlook the perfect scene for a post-dinner walk. Vegetarians, take note: they have separate tasting menus just for you.

Burgers, fish soup, lobster, mussels, deep-fried Camembert, garlic bread—these are just some of the ample nourishment you can find here after a day of swimming at the nearby geothermal beach. This is a also great spot to take a break from walking Ægisíða and its water views.

Located next to the Museum of Icelandic Witchcraft and Sorcery, Galdur is a counter-style restaurant that serves local dishes. It's a tad on the expensive side (even by Icelandic standards), but the dishes remain worth the price tag. You're not exactly spoiled for choice here, but this place would stand out even in Reykjavík.

If your ideal dinner consists of eating on a patio with a good beer in hand, you won't be disappointed by this lively pub. You can even mingle with the locals for a rousing game of bingo on Sunday night. Keep an eye out for the burger of the month—they can get pretty inventive.

If you're interested in trying some of the more traditional dishes of Iceland (think puffin or whale), pay Tapas Barinn a visit. Here you can pass small plates among your group or opt for the more substantial Icelandic Gourmet Feast, which includes smoked puffin, minke whale, and a shot of Brennivín.