What to Eat in Iceland (12+ Delicious Foods & Drinks)
The food scene in Iceland is way better than anything you’re imagining. The wonderful variety, flavors, and presentation will delight your senses. Discover what to eat in Iceland with this list of delicious foods and drinks. I also share a couple of local favorites you might want to try if you’re feeling adventurous!
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1. Icelandic Breakfast
Let’s start with the most important meal of the day. One of my favorite things about staying in a hotel in Nordic countries is the elaborate breakfast buffet, and Iceland is no exception!
At hotels like Berjaya Hotel Reykjavik Marina, you can load up your plate with a hearty selection of breakfast items. Think sausages and bacon, local cheeses, cold cuts, vegetables, fresh-baked pastries, and fruits.
Traditional Icelandic breakfast fare is also available. Look for thick oatmeal (hafragrautur), yogurt (Icelandic skyr) with berries, and bread with butter and jam.
Want to start your day like a true Icelander? Slam a healthy shot of cod liver oil with your morning meal!
2. Hearty Soups
It makes sense that a chilly nation like Iceland would want to warm up with a comforting bowl of hot soup, especially during harsh winters.
You will be delighted to discover the interesting varieties available for your slurping pleasure. Popular options include lobster soup, butternut soup, and lamb stew. Sop it up with traditional Icelandic bread like sourdough or rye.
Icelandic fish stew (Plokkfiskur) is a very, VERY thick soup option. This hearty traditional food is made with white fish, potatoes, onions, flour, milk, and cheese.
3. Famous Hot Dogs
Time for something simple but scrumptious — Iceland’s best hot dogs. Baejarins Beztu Pylsur‘s original hot dog stand in the center of Reykjavik has been operating since 1937. Today, there are several locations in the country.
These are not your standard weiners. This elevated fast food is made with a blend of lamb, pork, and beef. Then the Icelandic hot dogs are traditionally topped with ketchup, sweet mustard, remoulade, crispy fried onions, and raw onions.
The popular spot became famous after a visit from U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2004. If you want to dine like a president, order a “Clinton” to get your dog topped with mustard only.
4. Reykjavik’s Food Hall Meals
What to eat in Iceland when everyone wants something different? Pull up a seat at one of Reykjavik’s many food halls!
With the convenience of a food court but serving high-quality menu items similar to food trucks, these gathering places please all palates. Plus, it’s a fun way to share a table with locals. You’ll find everything from pizza, burgers, and tacos to Vietnamese cuisine, Hawaiian poke, and Icelandic pretzels topped with caraway seeds.
5. Fish and Seafood
In an island nation surrounded by ocean, expect to see a lot of fresh fish and seafood on menus. In fact, there is a holiday celebrating the nation’s fishing industry, Fisherman’s Day in mid-June.
Since I arrived on this proud day, ordering a plate of fish ‘n’ chips made with a local favorite, Atlantic cod, felt fitting at Grandi Food Hall. Crispy and light, the dish was served with Iceland’s version of cocktail sauce, kokteilsósa, made with ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.
Fish and seafood are ever-present in this remote island nation, from cured salmon at breakfast to Icelandic lobster for dinner. The hand-dived scallops served with fresh green apple and ponzu from Oto Restaurant were not only delicious, but also possibly the prettiest dish I’ve ever been served.
6. International and Fusion Cuisine
What surprised me most was not the traditional Icelandic cuisine but the abundance of innovative international and fusion cuisine in Iceland!
The shockingly good fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine at Monkeys Food & Wine is just one example. Think tuna tartare with crispy plantains served alongside cod in sweet miso.
Meanwhile, I felt like I was in a fine-dining restaurant in France at Héðinn Kitchen & Bar, which is billed as Icelandic fusion cuisine. We were served an elegant meal of grilled beef tenderloin with fresh peppercorns, black garlic, and port sauce. (Photo at the top of the page.)
7. Icelandic Charcuterie
Sky Lagoon luxury geothermal spa’s Smakk Bar offers travelers the opportunity to try lots of traditional Icelandic dishes at once with charcuterie-style platters meant for sharing. The Sky Platter presents a bit of everything: local blue cheese, Icelandic gruyere, wild goose pâté with red onion jam, and cured reindeer meat. Also on the platter, Gravlax is a sweet and salty cured salmon beloved by Icelanders.
8. Happy Marriage Cake
Iceland’s Happy Marriage Cake is traditionally made with rhubarb but is sometimes served with other seasonal fruits like blueberries. Some say this dessert was named because it represents the harmonious combination of tart fruit with sweet cake. Meanwhile, others claim that baking this cake will lead to happy matrimony. Either way, I fell in love with this not-to-sweet treat.
9. Craft Cocktails
Craft cocktails are a big deal in Iceland. That’s partially because beer was outlawed in this country until 1989! All alcoholic beverages were banned in 1915 during a period of prohibition. However, wine was made legal in 1922, and liquor followed suit in 1935. Breweries and specialty beers have grown in popularity since then, but you’ll find extensive lists of creative cocktails on many restaurant and bar menus.
Look for innovative 1990s-themed cocktails at Slippbarinn. This hip bar is located inside the Hotel Reykjavik Marina and attracts both locals and travelers.
Even if you don’t dine at Monkeys Food & Wine during your Iceland vacation, make sure to stop by to appreciate their innovative décor and drink one of their signature drinks. I had a delightful concoction made with berry sorbet and sparkling wine that you could sip as an apéritif or order for dessert.
10. Ice Cream
What to eat in Iceland for dessert? In a country called Iceland, you know there has to be some tasty ice cream. I mean, it’s half the name!
It may seem unnecessary to eat a frosty dessert when the temperatures rarely climb above 70° F. But believe me, you’ll want to indulge in a scoop or two (or more).
Favorite Icelandic flavors are caramel or licorice. Try blueberry made with local fruits, too.
In Reykjavik, head to OmNom for memorable ice cream. They offer some cute sundaes shaped like animals, such as an octopus, panda, or unicorn. All toppings, ice creams, and sauces are made in-house. Purchase their chocolate bars as a sweet memento of Iceland.
Efstidalur is a great place to stop for a frozen treat during a tour of Iceland’s Golden Circle. This farm hotel is home to darling cows who produce some incredibly good ice cream.
11. Icelandic Water
Don’t bother buying bottled water in Iceland. Bring a refillable water bottle and fill ‘er up before heading out to explore.
Iceland offers some of the purest water in the world, straight from the tap. Most of the drinking water comes directly from the country’s many natural springs. It really does taste better, too. It has a clean, almost sweet flavor.
12. Sea Salt
In the Land of Fire and Ice, there are a lot of geothermal hot springs, making it a prolific producer of salts. Iceland’s lava salt purportedly improves bone health, aids digestion, and decreases inflammation.
Pick up some salts to take home. I like the salt I purchased in Iceland so much that I’ve added this Icelandic Salt Sampler by Saltverk to my gift ideas for travel lovers!
Traditional Icelandic Foods to Try
Here are a few more traditional foods that are part of Icelandic culture. I didn’t feel I could list these among the delicious foods in Iceland, but you may want to give them a try. Who knows? Maybe you’ll love them!
Fermented Shark
If you’re feeling adventurous, try Hákarl, or fermented shark meat. It is made from rotten Greenland shark, which is cured with a fermentation process and then hung to air dry. Iceland’s national dish can be found in markets throughout the year, but it is traditionally served during the Icelandic Midwinter Festival.
For those who have a hankering to give Hakarl a taste, head to The Icelandic Bar (Islenski Barinn) in Reykjavik. An order comes with six pieces to share with your travel mates (or hog for yourself?!). Hakarl is typically eaten with alcohol, so get a shot to wash it down.
Salted and Chocolate-Coated Licorice
Licorice lovers will be in heaven in Iceland. Depending on your taste buds, you might quite enjoy the country’s candy of choice: salted licorice. I, however, figured I dislike black licorice enough on its own, much less with a coating of NaCL. (I did give it a go, and I was right.)
Chocolate-coated licorice is also beloved in Iceland. Although I didn’t try it, this sweet sounds much more palatable than the salty option.
Book an Iceland Food Tour
Feeling hungry? Book an Iceland food tour with our trusted partner, GetYourGuide.
Explore More
From FlyOver Iceland and Reykjavik’s famous Rainbow Street to an indoor Lava Show, discover the best things to do in Reykjavik.
Iceland is famous for its geothermal pools heated by volcanic activity. But which is best? Read this analysis of Sky Lagoon vs. Blue Lagoon to find out.
Reykjavik is one of the world’s best white Christmas destinations. Discover why!
Hungry for more good food? Enjoy the best pancake houses in the Netherlands.
Save These Icelandic Foods
For future trips, be sure to keep this list of what to eat in Iceland. Just pin the image above to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow Travel Mamas on Pinterest while you’re at it!
Which of these things to eat in Iceland sounds most delicious to you? Let us know in the comments below!
A Note from The Travel Mama: Pursuit Collection hosted many (but not all) of my experiences and meals in Iceland. I did not receive any monetary compensation related to this article about what to eat in Iceland. Regardless of who’s paying, I always share the truth with readers.
I find it so interesting to read the different foods that people have in different parts of the world. It is so much fun exploring food!
Jupiter – Agreed! Food is one of the best ways to get to another place in the world!
Wow! It seems like there’s so many great, different things to try there! Pretty amazing! I’d love to go one day!
Adriana – Honestly I was a little afraid of Icelandic food before I went. My worries were for naught since everything I tried was delicious!
Judging from this list, I’d say you should eat EVERYTHING in Iceland. It all looks so good!
Beth – Well, I’ll leave the fermented shark and salted licorice to you, but the rest really was amazing! :-)-
Fermented Shark mmmmmm
Karen – You will notice I did NOT include fermented shark among the 12 delicious things to eat in Iceland! 😂