Long gone are the days when Icelanders subsisted on fermented shark meat and sheep heads (although adventurous eaters can still find these interesting foods in Reykjavik!). Instead, the Icelandic capital’s best restaurants serve up a medley of intriguing courses inspired by traditional cooking but very much taking advantage of international influences.
Reykjavik has two Michelin-starred restaurants you can try, as well as a plethora of Icelandic-run eateries serving up fresh fish, reindeer, and even minke whales. At the same time, you can gorge yourself silly on ramen, dig into Lebanese-inspired flatbreads, or just relish the taste of a big juicy burger.
Many of Iceland’s best restaurants are located on Laugavegur Street, so why not take a stroll, browse through the menus, and see what takes your fancy? Given the immense popularity of Reykjavik as a city break destination, though, we’d recommend booking in advance if there’s a specific restaurant you want to try.
With so many great places to eat, you might not know where to begin. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of the best restaurants in Reykjavik for you. Book a table at a few of these delectable eateries, and there’s no doubt you’ll have an incredible time gorging your way around Reykjavik!
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11 Best Restaurants in Reykjavik
1. ÓX Restaurant
If you’re looking for Michelin-star dining in Reykjavik, then make sure to book your place at ÓX Restaurant well in advance. Located on Laugavegur Street, you’ll instantly escape the bustle of one of the capital’s busiest thoroughfares when you step inside this quaint 17-seater restaurant.
The pride and joy of Chef Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson, ÓX Restaurant’s intimacy is only matched by the quality of the tasting menu. The menu delivers homegrown Icelandic produce in a setting where diners are encouraged to engage with one another on a personal level.
You won’t know the exact courses until you sit down for dinner, but rest assured, Michelin-star quality is guaranteed every time.
2. Ramen Momo
Spend any time at all in Reykjavik and you’ll soon realize that the capital’s dining options are far from limited to Icelandic cuisine. Given that many of the country’s traditional dishes are born from hardship and scarcity, it’s perhaps no surprise that modern Icelanders have wholeheartedly embraced spicier dishes like ramen, brought here in recent years by Asian immigrants.
Established by Kunsang Tsering and Erna Petursdottir in 2014, Ramen Momo was the first dedicated ramen bar to open in the capital. The duo serves up hand-spun noodles in a hot, spicy broth that’s perfect for a winter’s day. The gyoza is absolutely killer, and the steamy, close quarters of the ramen bar (where there’s space for no more than 10 people) simply add to the experience.
3. Kopar
You’ll find Kopar down by the harbor, where the restaurant’s panoramic windows serve up a view like no other in the capital. This excellent Reykjavik restaurant prepares what it likes to call “creative Icelandic cuisine,” with local ingredients transformed into exciting international dishes.
Mushroom Wellington is served with fried oyster mushrooms and sweet potatoes, charcoal grilled salmon is paired with potato puree and creamed barley, and the lobster and crab risotto will leave you drooling for hours.
If you can’t decide what to have, why not sign up for the six-course “Adventure Trip” tasting menu, or book yourself in for a bottomless brunch?
4. Lebowski Bar
Inspired by the “Dude” himself, the Lebowski Bar on Laugavegur Street is a fantastic place for burgers, beers, and endless White Russian cocktails. I kid you not – the White Russian menu here has no less than 24 different versions of this famous cocktail, including El Duderino, the Banana Russian, and From Russia With Love.
The hamburgers are big and juicy, with The Lebowski being the classic choice and The Other Lebowski coming in a solid second. This is one of the most entertaining places to eat and drink in Reykjavik, and it’s surprisingly good value considering there’s almost always a queue stretching out onto Laugavegur (happy hour beers are just 1000 Icelandic Krona).
5. 101 Reykjavik Street Food
Located right on “Rainbow Street,” 101 Reykjavik Street Food is the best place to eat out when your wallet is feeling the pinch. Offering casual street food at very reasonable prices, this excellent eatery combines both international and local flavors in its dishes.
On the international side, you have the sort of street food you’d expect to find in an Asian market, including chicken, beef, and vegetable noodle soups. The Icelandic street food is what you’ll want to try first, though, with Icelandic fish stew, lobster soup, and the famed lamb meat soup on the menu.
6. Old Iceland Restaurant
Founded and run by three Icelandic brothers with a love for their nation’s cuisine, Old Iceland is one of the best restaurants in Reykjavik for traditional eats. Proudly serving locally sourced ingredients from across the country, Old Iceland manages to be homey, yet modern in its offerings.
The fish-heavy menu includes such delights as pan-fried Arctic char with an apple-cucumber vinaigrette, creamy shellfish soup cooked in a dill and white wine sauce, and a filet of cod with herb and garlic mashed potatoes.
Meat eaters can sample Iceland’s prized lamb, with lamb ribeye and slow-cooked shoulder of lamb served with parsnips and beetroot. For dessert, nothing beats “Mom’s Rhubarb Cake!”
7. Dill Restaurant
Dill is a staple of Icelandic cooking, but as traditional as this favored herb is, local chefs are always coming up with new and innovative ways to use it. Nowhere is more creative, or inspired by this Icelandic herb, than Dill Restaurant, which has been honored with one Michelin star for its cuisine and a Green Michelin rating for its sustainability practices.
Again, this is one restaurant you’ll need to book in advance because Head Chef Gunnar Karl Gislason is putting Icelandic cuisine on the world’s culinary map. All ingredients are not only locally sourced but often foraged, and the ever-changing dishes on the tasting menu reflect the landscapes and history of the very nation the produce is plucked from.
8. Baejarins Beztu Pylsur
If you can’t afford Michelin star prices, then don’t worry, because budget bites are available at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur. Meaning “The Town’s Best Hotdog,” this humble Reykjavik food stand has been serving up hotdogs since 1937.
Hotdogs are an Icelandic institution, and they’re typically prepared using equal mixes of lamb, beef, and pork. Baejarins Beztu Pylsur is the oldest, and arguably best place in the city for a hotdog. It’s so famous that even Bill Clinton dined here.
Don’t make the same mistake as the former US President, though. To the shock of the Icelandic chef behind the counter, old Bill ordered a hotdog with mustard. Icelanders typically order their hotdogs “with everything” (which means all the sauce, and all the toppings). Two decades after his visit, a hotdog with mustard is still known as a “Bill Clinton.”
9. Sumac Grill+Drinks
Chef Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson (who earned a Michelin star at ÓX Restaurant) has teamed up with Chef Jakob Zarioh Baldvinsson to bring the fiery flavors of Lebanese cooking to Iceland. Named for Sumac, the ubiquitous Middle Eastern spice, step through the doors and you’ll be transported right to the heart of a Beirut-inspired restaurant.
This is the perfect place to bring a party of hungry travel companions because Sumac Grill+Drinks serves up a 7-course “sharing menu” for the whole table. Dig into halloumi, hummus, and baba ganoush to start, followed by lamb kebabs and grilled za’atar flatbreads.
The tasting menu can be paired with wines from Lebanon and around the world, making this a truly international dining experience in the heart of Reykjavik.
10. Reykjavik Fish Restaurant
Icelanders are rightly proud of their maritime heritage, and for centuries, the fish stocks of the Atlantic Ocean have provided fishermen with bountiful harvests. Book a table at Reykjavik Fish Restaurant, and you’ll be dining just a short walk away from the very harbor where fresh fish is unloaded daily.
The staple here is fish and chips. Fresh fish is battered and deep fried and served with chunky chips and lashings of sauce (there’s a whole menu of sauces to choose from). It’s no-nonsense, but I love it. Catering to increasingly diverse tastes, Reykjavik Fish Restaurant also serves vegetarian burgers, Icelandic fish stew, and healthier baked filets of Arctic char and vegetables.
11. The Grill Market
One of Reykjavik’s most popular restaurants is The Grill Market. The atmospheric interior – decorated with basalt columns and Icelandic lava flows – is as much a reason to visit as the food, which you’ll see being freshly grilled in the open kitchen.
The chefs love preparing group tasting menus, providing a smorgasbord of Icelandic meats, fish, and vegetables for the table to taste and share together. The chefs themselves will decide on the night exactly what your group is going to be eating, ensuring that only the freshest ingredients go into your evening of fine dining at The Grill Market. You can expect the likes of smoked Arctic char, grilled reindeer, minke whale steaks, and more.
