In a land of natural grandeur, it offers both thrill and peace in equal measure, making it a unique place. There are so many things to do in Reykjavik that you’ll find yourself falling in love with the city in a matter of minutes. If you’re in Reykjavik, you’ll need somewhere to dine, and the city’s eateries are worth the effort.
1.Kopar
It’s impossible to visit Iceland and not experience the Northern Lights at least once. Dine on a nine-course meal at Kopar in the Old Harbour of Reykjavik. The seafood dishes, such as the cod tongue, ceviche, and pesto-and-bacon monkfish, are most delicious. Next, you’ll embark on a boat trip to search for the mysterious Aurora Borealis, returning after two and a half hours with the hope that you’ve been successful.
2.La Primavera
La Primavera, an Italian restaurant in Reykjavik, has been in business for over a decade. Freshly prepared spaghetti was introduced to Icelanders by their head chef Leifur Kolbeinsson in 1993. A new location has just opened on Harpa Conference Hall’s fourth floor. An Italian-Icelandic fusion restaurant specializes in simple, high-quality Italian cuisine.
3.Snaps Bistro-Bar
Low lighting, hanging plants, and huge windows distinguish Snaps, a French-Icelandic restaurant, as one of the city’s most memorable settings. Check out the vast gin and tonic menu here if you’re looking for a quiet night out with pals in a sleek and relaxed environment. You’ll also uncover a hidden bar and lounge downstairs, all of which are worth a visit.
4The Coocoo’s Nest
This is a family-owned and operated vegan restaurant with various vegan alternatives. This derelict fishing hut has been transformed into a restaurant far from fishy. It’s a beautiful place to spend time. Everything from sourdough pizzas to large salads to Taco Tuesdays may be on the menu. Even if you’re in Iceland, you can’t miss out on these delectable fish dishes, which are reasonably priced.
5.Tides Restaurant
Tides Restaurant at The EDITION Reykjavk is where Iceland’s first Michelin-star chef Gunnar Karl Gslason demonstrates his mastery of Nordic cuisine. The menu for lunch and dinner, as well as a (bottomless) brunch on the weekends, is based on time-honored customs and the freshest ingredients.
6.Fish Company Restaurant /Fiskfélagið
Icelandic restaurant Fiskfélagi, or the Fish Company, is known for its varied menu. Five-course meals that take you worldwide can be ordered from a diverse menu that includes dishes from Iceland, France, Malaysia, and Ireland, as well as other nations. It’s possible to order vegetarian food. You’ll never know what to expect from a restaurant with an ever-changing menu of imaginative, exciting, and varied dishes. This restaurant has a laid-back, enjoyable atmosphere, and you’ll feel at home.
7.Grillmarkaðurinn
A grill market is precisely what you’ll find at Grillmarkaurinn. It is embellished with moss and trees, sourced from local farms, and then grilled and smoked to perfection in this restaurant’s outdoor kitchen. You can get whale, horse, reindeer, and puffin here, but you can also order a standard beef steak if you’d rather stay on the safe side. An excellent gin cocktail should also be on hand. The Kardashians dined here on a trip to Reykjavik, so it must be unique.
8.Mat Bar
This cozy ‘Nordic-Italian’ eatery has quickly become our favorite for any occasion. Because they focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, their menu constantly evolves to reflect the kitchen’s whims. You can enjoy their tapas-style cuisine with a date or the entire family. It’s an excellent place for a drink, too!
9Geiri Smart Restaurant
The Canopy hotel in downtown Reykjavk’s Geiri Smart restaurant has a refined yet laid-back atmosphere. While Icelandic classics like langoustine, lamb, arctic char, and beef tenderloin are popular, you can also get more casual fare like rib eye burgers and chicken thigh salad at this upscale restaurant. Langoustine bisque or truffle-remouladed brioche with asparagus and truffle remoulade are on the pre-theater menu at the café next door to the National Theatre. Salmon or lamb sirloin is also available as entrees.
10.Le Kock
Three fine dining-trained cooks opened a high-quality street food restaurant (known as “kocks” in Thailand). Deig and Le Kock are owned by the same persons and situated close to one other. This cheeseburger is our favorite in Iceland. The everything bagel seasoning is sprinkled on top of freshly baked buttered buns from their bakery. Kock sauce (chili mayo) is spread on top of the medium rare beef patty, along with cheddar cheese, red onions, and lettuce. It’s a great alternative to fries and is topped with various sauces on the side.
11.Dill
Look no further than this restaurant for a spectacular supper with a backdrop of Iceland’s most stunning natural treasures. Dill, a Michelin-starred restaurant featuring seasonal ingredients and staples like meatballs, fish stew, and goat’s cheese, as well as genuinely Icelandic delicacies like reindeer tartar, is the best place to sample Nordic cuisine. It’s widely regarded as the city’s top restaurant.
12.Brút Restaurant
In the fall of 2021, Brt Restaurant will open its doors in one of Reykjavik’s oldest and most picturesque buildings, sharing space with the Radisson Blue 1919 Hotel and Café O-Le. Every season brings a new selection of fresh fish and shellfish from the vast ocean surrounding us. Dill Restaurant’s former executive chef Ragnar Eriksson oversees the kitchen. lafur rn lafsson, a long-time sommelier and restauranteur, is a partner in the venture. It’s as if the wine list were an entire book in and of itself.
13.Hósíló Restaurant
For someone to accept the risk of setting up shop in the middle of a pandemic needs a certain amount of guts and foresight. But they did it, and not only did they survive the pandemic, but they thrived. An excellent place for a nice meal, with a short menu that changes every week, featuring only appetizers, three main dishes (vegetarian, fish, and meat), and desserts made with the freshest ingredients. When it comes to food, the setting is small and personal, yet the appetites are wide-ranging.
14.Sümac
Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson, the chef behind Sümac, is a casual Middle Eastern restaurant in Iceland. Most of the food at the restaurant is cooked directly on the open grill. The flatbread with za’atar and hummus, grilled oyster mushrooms, carrots with whipped feta, honey, and cumin, grilled shrimp skewers with chile, and preserved lemon, and the beef short rib with onion, fennel, and hazelnut dukkah are some of the most popular dishes on the menu. The inventive cocktail menu features Middle Eastern tastes such as rose, arak, turmeric, and sumac.
15.Gló
For nutritious, organic meals with a great selection of vegan options in an airy upper-level restaurant. For those who don’t like whales and reindeer, Gló is the place to be. It’s not strictly vegan or vegetarian but a cafeteria-style arrangement of organic, fresh ingredients. It’s possible you ate this at school, but we highly doubt it. Try the mixed-and-matched Asian salads, falafel, and flatbreads, as well as the Mexican wrap, falafel, and flatbread. There are four locations spread throughout the city.
16.Kol Restaurant
A fashionable, trendy restaurant in the heart of Reykjavik, only steps from the historic Hallgrmskirkja cathedral. Everything about the restaurant and bar is top-notch. Seafood, poultry, and meat are all on the menu, as are vegetarian and vegan options. Lactose- and gluten-free options are available for many dishes.
17Gaia
As the name suggests, Gaia is a goddess who represents the Earth as a whole. One of the many newly opened eateries in Reykjavik, you’ll be greeted by her as soon as you go through the front doors. The restaurant is located near the Grandi port region and specializes in Asian food, including fish, sushi, and steaks. The extensive high-class cocktail bar is a nice bonus, too.
18.Tapasbarinn (The Tapas Bar)
Tapasbarinn has been a fixture in the Icelandic dining scene since 2000. This busy and enjoyable cellar in downtown Reykjavik is not far from the ancient harbor area. This restaurant’s menu focuses on Icelandic specialties presented as small plates in the Spanish tapas. The Icelandic Gourmet Feast, which features puffin, arctic char, and skyr, is a perennial favorite, as is the Journey into the Unknown, a fish, meat, and vegetable medley. Seven to eight courses in each meal are more than enough to satisfy even the most voracious diner.
19.ÓX
Chef Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson has opened a speakeasy-style restaurant in the back of his more casual restaurant, Sümac. Because the kitchen originates from Vigfusson’s grandfather’s ancient farmhouse, the space immediately makes you feel at home. It’s a delightful contrast to the exquisite presentation of the tasting menu in this fine dining restaurant, where the rustic cabinetry and equipment have been relocated. A total of three chefs prepare and serve a total of 20 Icelandic-inspired dishes at X, which only seats one person per night. It’s dinner and a show, with the chefs eager to discuss any ingredient or technique they can think of.
20.Messinn
Messinn is a pan-fried seafood restaurant modeled after Tjöruhsi in Westfjords, Iceland. The food is brought immediately from the kitchen to the table, where it is shared with everyone in the family. These fish are often served with sauces alongside potatoes and other vegetables and fish, such as plaice and redfish.
