What to eat while in Iceland

That is a good question! Or better yet, what food items is Iceland known for? As many of you may have noticed, we have been giving sneak peeks inside of our Icelandic food experiences on social media. Some of the places we found were amazing inside and out and offered some of the most unforgettable dining experiences; ones sure to keep us talking about for years to come.

Iceland has many food locations to choose from, but you do have to search a little to find the “gems”. However, have no fear, the Pursuit of Delights is here! Rather than making you search and search for yourself, we have done some of that for you, and can save you a little time while making your tummy very happy! Let’s dive in…

• Fridheimar!
  • A restaurant inside an active tomato green house. One of the most amazing restaurants in Iceland! At Fridheimar, they grow tomatoes all year round, despite Iceland’s dark winters, in greenhouses under artificial lighting. The cool thing is, they welcome visitors to come and dine inside the greenhouse right where the tomatoes grow. While you are eating, tomato vines (or two or three) are growing right next to you.
  • Another amazing thing (which I’m sure won’t be hard to imagine) is, all of their dishes are made using the tomatoes they grow. They also grow fresh basil at the greenhouses, which you can cut fresh off the vine and add to your dish.
  • All of their dishes are so fresh and full of flavor. You can really taste the love that is put in every dish as well as taste the freshness of the tomatoes.
  • They even make drinks using the tomatoes.
  • Some of the dishes we had while dining here were the Tomato Soup and Bread, Fresh Pasta (Ravioli), and Grilled Tortillas with tomato, basil and Mozzarella. Everything was amazing and fresh!
  • We also had the Healthy Mary – their newest drink, made from green tomato, lime, honey and ginger, served chilled with sparkling water.
  • It is definitely for the tomato lover!!

• Café Loki!
  • One of Iceland’s most popular cafes and known for its Icelandic, traditional food.
  • If you want to experience eating like an Icelander, then Café Loki is the place for you. You will find different ranges of food from the more familiar “pancake” to the not so familiar shark bites. Shark Bites anyone? I know… you probably wondered, real shark? Yes, that is correct, real shark! They offer fermented shark bites. They are definitely different, but we don’t want to ruin the experience. You will have to taste them for yourself and share the experience with us!
  • They also have Mashed Fish, Smoked Trout and many other items to choose from.
  • One thing they are most known for is their Rye bread. I’m sure if you have done a little research, you have found that Iceland is known for their Rye Bread or Rye Bread Ice cream. Well, they have both! The bread is full of flavor and homemade. It is slightly cakey in consistency, but not overly sweet. We really enjoyed it. The Rye Bread ice cream is another treat that will be sure to make your taste buds smile 😊

• Braud & Co.!
  • Looking for something sweet? Here is the bakery to visit. The aroma hits you as you walk in the door. It is located inside an amazingly colorful building. You can’t miss it and it is sure to catch the eye.
  • They make their baked goods fresh daily, even as customers are walking in-and-out to purchase items.
  • They looked to be most known for their bread. They had items such as cinnamon rolls, pretzels, croissants, and more.
  • They also have cookies in which we couldn’t stand to miss out on.

• Sandholt!
  • If you are looking for a finer dining dessert experience, Sandholt will be sure to please.
  • This bakery definitely gives the cute, cozy, fine dining experience with some of the prettiest desserts.
  • We ordered Carrot Cake, Vanilla Wafer with crème, Lemon Tart, and a Chocolate Cinnamon Roll. All were very flavorful and brought a different, but unique flavor. They were definitely great for sharing.

• Café Paris!
  • If you want to get away to Paris while still in Iceland, go to Café Paris.
  • Seafood lovers, this one is for you! Especially the Trout and Snails.
  • The Trout was cooked to perfection while being stuffed with herbs to give each bite an extra kick of flavor. It was very tender and flavorful. Beware, the head does come attached. If you do not like the head on your fish, just ask for them to cut it off.
  • Snails!! We (Tiffany Squared) did not try them, but our friend and fellow traveler did, and she loved them! She had no complaints. However, we did taste the sauce that the snails came with some bread, and boy was it amazing!

• Prikid!
  • Home away from Home! After you have had different foods, it is always nice to have restaurant that serves a hearty good American breakfast!
  • This location was also suggested by a local while we were out.
  • We ate here on the morning we were leaving Iceland for their hearty breakfast. We had eggs, pancakes, bacon, potatoes and toast.
  • Definitely a breakfast of Champions!

We hope this food guide was sure to put a smile on your face and take less fear from your heart when deciding what to eat in Iceland. Remember, some of the photos do not do the establishments any justice, so be sure to mark these places on your list of Iceland eats. They will not disappoint you and until our next out of this world foodie experience, Take care!

Don’t forget to read our full write up on tips to consider while exploring Iceland Here !