Iceland Food Tour Adventures: Top Dishes, Restaurants, and Hidden Gems to Try Icelandic Cuisine

Thinking about booking an Iceland Food Tour?

As every foodie knows, one of the best ways to explore a culture is through its foodie scene. Every country’s got one… you just have to know where to go. 😉 

Whether you’re planning a trip to the land of fire and ice or curious to try Icelandic cuisine, get ready! I’m about to share a foodie’s guide to Iceland with top spots you have to hit.

My Epic Foodie Adventures Trying Icelandic Cuisine in Reykjavik, Iceland

How do you know what to eat in Iceland, where they have food items like pylsur (hot dog) and hákarl (fermented shark)?

That’s why, on my first ever trip to Iceland, I decided to take a food tour. It’s no secret that locals know the best places to eat.

About the Tour

Our tour began at Reykjavik’s concert hall, Harpa. Our journey would take us to 5 of some of the city’s famous restaurants, family-run businesses, and lesser known gems where we’d sample local flavors of 6-8 different dishes. 

The tour lasts about 3 hours, where you walk around Reykjavik to each of the destinations. If you don’t like walking, don’t worry, the stops are not too far from each other. The city is very small. 

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As it turns out, I got really lucky with my tour guide, Nökkvi, a local who was the most down to earth, friendly, entertaining, and informative guide one could ever hope for.

Ok, to be honest… I had a teensy weensy crush on him. Don’t know if it was his bright blue eyes,  sharp wit, or amazing smile, but my first introduction to Iceland couldn’t have been better. 

There was never a dull moment on the tour. Even as we were walking down the street on our way to the next foodie stop, he was telling tales of Icelandic history and sharing fun facts about his culture. Then he’d crack a joke or two. We were laughing pretty much the whole time. 

Flirting was somewhat awkward due to the fact that I was on the tour with my ex, Dennis (he & I are just friends).

Iceland Food Tour Stops:

Our adventure kicked off at Messinn. 

I’m going to say right off the bat, this was my favorite place we ate at. So much so, that when I returned to Iceland just 9 months later, I took my parents here for lunch. 

As we stepped into this cozy restaurant, the aroma of butter welcomed us. 

What we ate:

We started with their famous Cod dish, a heavenly concoction of cream, butter, cheese, lime, white wine, onion, potatoes, and celery, all drizzled with Béarnaise sauce. The fish was tender and melted in my mouth. 

Next up was my favorite, the Arctic Char, presented beautifully with honey, almonds, cherry tomatoes, lemon, and butter. This dish was one of the most memorable of the tour. The char was succulent, and the sweetness of the honey paired perfectly with the crunch of the almonds. 

We also had a side of traditional rye bread and butter, an Icelandic staple.

They brought both of the dishes out in pans which was a homey touch. I ordered an Icelandic beer, Einstök White Ale, which was so tasty. You can even visit the Einstök Bar just a few blocks away on Laugavegur 10.

Now this is where things started to get really fun… 

No food tour in Reykjavik would be complete without a stop at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. This humble stand has been serving up lamb hot dogs since 1937, and let me tell you, it’s not just a hot dog… it’s a legend. They’ve even served Bill Clinton.

But, here’s where I knew we had the best guide in Iceland. After sharing that he used to work at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur as a younger lad, I dared Nökkvi to get back behind the counter and make us a few hot dogs and he actually accepted the challenge! 

Watching him in action, flipping hot dogs like a pro, was a highlight of the tour. He even made a couple for us, which was hysterical. 

What we ate:

Lamb Hot Dog with raw onions, French fried onions, ketchup, sweet mustard (SS Mustard), remoulade (Mayonnaise based relish sauce)

I usually don’t like lamb, but these hot dogs were pretty good. They’re not too gamey.

Our next destination, Íslenski Barinn, gave us a deeper dive into traditional Icelandic cuisine. 

What we ate:

We began with a steaming bowl of Kjötsúpa, a traditional Icelandic meat soup. It’s made with tender lamb meat, rutabaga, carrots, and potatoes, and seasoned simply with salt and pepper, this soup was the epitome of comfort food and perfect for the chilly Reykjavik weather. 

Again, not a huge lamb eater but this wasn’t as bad as I imagined. I made myself try everything, even if I didn’t think I’d like it.

My parents always exposed me to foreign foods and seafood growing up, which I love.

How do you know what you like if you don’t try it? 

The restaurant also has other delicious food, like their fish soup served with traditional Icelandic rye bread and butter, which I had during another visit. So good!

And then, for the brave among us, there was the fermented shark, hákarl, which you’ve probably seen people eat in a viral video. This was the first time I ever ate it.

Our guide insisted we wash it down with a shot of Brennivín, Iceland’s signature drink (schnapps). Let’s just say it was an experience in itself. I’m not going to lie and say it was delicious, but it was fun. 

I was crazy enough to try a few cubes of the shark. I might have wanted to impress Nökkvi with my tolerance. 😉

If Brennivín is too strong for you wash it down with some Icelandic beer.

Pro Tip: If you like the taste of Brennivín or want a souvenir to bring home, they sell it at KEF airport, so you can pick some up on your way back home.

No worries if you don’t like a dish, because there’s always another foodie stop. You’re going to get plenty of food so you’re satisfied by the end of the tour!

Next up, we hit Sjávargrillið. Known for its seafood, this restaurant didn’t disappoint. 

What we ate:

We had the Lobster (Langoustine) tacos, which are soft tacos filled with garlic mayonnaise, spinach, pickled red onion, deep-fried langoustine, date purée, coriander, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, all topped off with a squeeze of lime.

It was love at first bite. I was tempted to sneak another taco into my pocket for later.

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Our final savory stop was Café Loki, a charming spot near the iconic Hallgrímskirkja church. 

Here, we savored rye bread ice cream and kleina (an Icelandic donut). The rye bread ice cream was surprisingly delicious. 

I never would have thought the combo would work, but it did! It was a perfect blend of creamy sweetness and rich, malty flavor of rye bread. The kleina was very complimentary… crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. 

End of Tour

Just when I thought I couldn’t like Nökkvi any more, he went out of his way to take our emails down and sent us a list of every place we dined at including what we ate.

He also included recommendations for more restaurants and activities in Iceland, which was a nice touch. 

Book Your Iceland Food Tour

If you ever find yourself in Reykjavik, I highly recommend this foodie tour whether you’re a foodie, adventurer, social butterfly, or just want to experience Icelandic culture.

The price for the tour starts at $120/pp and in my opinion, is well worth it for what you get. It’s not just an Iceland foodie tour, it’s also a tour of the capital, Reykjavík. 

You’ll learn a lot about Iceland, the culture, and fun activities. The guides are also friendly and offer tips and answer any questions you have to make the most of your trip. 

You can book the tour here.

How to Prepare for Your Tour

• Since you’ll be walking around the city, I recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes, layers to keep warm, and a coat with a hood in case it rains. For a full guide on what to wear in the land of fire & ice, check out my 👉Iceland Packing List 👈 with essentials for men and women.
• You will eat A LOT of food during this tour. Give yourself a few hours to leave room in your tummy! Also bring TUMS.
• Tipping isn’t required, but it’s a nice gesture and appreciated. These Icelandic tour guides do a good job.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I loved our food tour and didn’t expect to have so much fun! I was sad when it came to an end. 

It was an amazing group but our tour guide, Nökkvi Helgason, made the tour. 

His enthusiasm for giving tours and sharing his homeland’s delicacies with us was so infectious. He was also always very engaging and looked like he genuinely enjoyed the expeditions as much as we did.

Bon appétit… or as the Icelanders say, “Verði þér að góðu!”

Nökkvi’s Personal Recommendations in Reykjavik:

• Valahnúkamöl

1 hour drive near the KEF airport – beautiful scenery. Little tourism there. 

• Flyover Iceland

Amazing and thrilling 6D cinema experience!

• Omnom Chocolate Ice Cream Shop

Simply delicious 

• Sky Lagoon

The 7 step ritual is an amazing and relaxing experience. Read my guide to Sky Lagoon.

• Kaffibrennslan

Nökkvi’s favorite place to sit down and have tea or coffee. Sit in the glass house outside or on the top floor for a nice atmosphere. (<< He genuinely loves it, I saw him here after the tour)

• Petersen

A rooftop bar. Take the ring stairs to the upper level of the roof for an even better view. 

Grocery Stores: 

• Bónus (The cheapest one) 
• Krónan (Better selection, little bit more expensive) 
• Hagkaup (Best selection, most expensive. Open 24/7 in Skeifan and Litlatún ) 

Thank you for reading! Have you done an Iceland food tour? Would you? Let me know in the comments below!