Best Places to Eat In Iceland

This guide is all about the best places to eat in Iceland while road tripping on the ring road. As well as what foods to avoid during your stay.

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About Iceland Food Culture

Iceland is a beautiful nation in Northern Europe located right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It is an active volcanic island with breathtaking landscapes, waterfalls, natural hot springs, the dancing Aurora lights and is one of the only places you can hike a Glacier. Outdoor enthusiast, landscape photographers and those looking for a unique vacation gravitate towards this place known as “The Land of Fire and Ice.” But what most people do not expect when traveling to Iceland is the food.

The available natural ingredients are slim and consist mostly of fish, sheep, wild mushrooms and blueberries. A lot of local restaurants carry mystery fish soup, rye bread, dried fish, smoked lamb and Pylsa or Pulsa (hot dogs.) Not that great of a variety, am I right? You are probably questioning, “What do I eat when I am visiting then?” My answer to you is to check a bag full of food and camp the entire time you are there for the best experience.

I explain more in my Free 10 day Iceland Ring Road Trip Guide. But Iceland is not the place to travel to if you are only going for the cuisine. However my husband and I stumbled across a few restaurants that gave us a break from eating Peanut Butter & Jelly that were well worth the money spent.

Restaurant #1 | Best Places To Eat In Iceland

Bakabaka: Bakabaka is a bakery and cafe located in Reykjavik by the harbor near the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Everything is surprisingly fresh! You can get pastries to go if you are just wanting a snack while shopping and enjoying the town or wait a little bit for a table. It would be smart to get a reservation because it is a popular spot. They have made to order espresso from and actual espresso machine made by a barista. This was hard to come by in Iceland. A delightful breakfast with fluffy eggs, bacon and toast. Oh and Artisan Pizza which looked so good! Bronson and I didn’t get to try it because it was our last day and the place was crowded so we got pastries to go. I highly recommend the deep dish cookie and chocolate croissant. Just, yum! I loved the idea of a deep dish cookie so much so that you can click this link to recreate them at home. Overall it was an establishment that if I were to go back to Iceland I would eat at again. It is pricey like most restaurants in Iceland but I did not feel like my money was waisted. It was a pleasurable experience while visiting the city.

Restaurant #2 | Best Places To Eat In Iceland

Fish and Chips Lake Myvatn: Fish and Chips Lake Myvatn is a family run restaurant right next to an N1 gas station in the center of Lake Myvatn. It is a must dine at place after hiking the Hverfjall Crater and exploring the lava fields. Their main focus is serving fish and chips (know as fries in the U.S.) with cod straight from the Atlantic Ocean. The fish is fried in a high quality Olitalia oil from Italy and comes out buttery and crisp. One bite just melts in your mouth! They also make homemade tartar sauce and a family curry dipping sauce daily. I really liked dipping my fish and chips in the family sauce. The spice from the curry paired really well with the fish and potatoes. We split a basket between the two of us and it only cost around $17 USD. Which was pretty affordable for Iceland take out. They filled up our 64 oz water bottles too. It was by far the best meal we had during our stay. My only wish is that I could eat there again. So tasty!

Restaurant #3 | Best Places To Eat in Iceland

Cafe Vatnajokull: Cafe Vatnajokull is a cozy gas station cafe & gallery right between Diamond Beach and the glacier at Skaftafell. It is a must stop on you vacation to Iceland! We went after glacier hiking and it was the perfect spot to hang and warm up after being out on the ice. I loved the boho, Scandinavian ambience! Decorated with live plants, vintage furniture and art from Icelandic Photographers it felt homey and very hygge. Bronson and I got the unlimited soup and bread, a deli sandwich and two Swiss mochas. Everything tasted delightful and fresh. Which was refreshing because most of the food in the country is either frozen or pre-made. They even have an assortment of homemade baked goods. The brownies looked amazing!

Restaurant #4 | Best Places to Eat In Iceland

Skool Beans Cafe: The Skool Beans Cafe in Vik is the most charming and retro spot! It is a coffee school bus right next to the main campsite in town. They brew specialty lattes, cappuccinos, tea, and hot chocolate while serving bagels with toppings and muffins. You can dine inside the eclectic bus while browsing the wide variety of local made souvenirs or grab something to go. Bronson and I opted for two white mochas for the road. Mine had lavender of course! And we headed to the local Kronan to park our vehicle to take a Romantic stroll on the notorious black sand beach. It made our day having a warm cup of coffee straight from an espresso machine. One sip warmed our souls and gave us energy to start our day on the right foot. I highly suggest visiting the cool Skool Beans Cafe.

Restaurant #5 | Best Places To Eat In Iceland

Mathus: The Mathus restaurant at the Keflavik airport was shockingly good for airport food. After going through security we had a few hours before our flight departure and were hungry for breakfast. I got the avocado toast with scrambled eggs and Bronson got the english breakfast with toast, eggs, bacon, beans and sausage. It was all very. The kitchen is open concept so you can watch as your food is being prepared. The avocado was so green and I loved the garnish of micro greens and pico they placed on top of my toast. Bronson was happy that his food was not overly greasy and reminded him of breakfast at home. It was the perfect last meal before our long adventure back to the states.

I Hope You Enjoy Your Stay and Eats in Iceland

Iceland is no Italy when it comes to food. That is a fact! But if you embrace the scenery around you and cherish the whole in the wall restaurants that you find along the way (like the ones I mention above) I promise you will be left with nothing but happy memories and full bellies.

If nothing else the people of Iceland are so kind and welcoming. I enjoyed every chat that I had with the locals. Icelandics live a care free, hang loose lifestyle. They don’t seem to stress about much and are always there for one another. Even if they live miles apart. It was a beautiful thing to witness and something I have taken home with me.