Places to eat in Reykjavik
After a huge day trekking around the wonders of Iceland, there is nothing like an amazing, hearty meal. Check out the best places to eat in Reykjavik.
Best restaurants in Reykjavik
1. Apotek • Vesturbær/Old Reykjavik • £££
Argentine Head Chef Carlos Gimenez brings his experience from El Bulli to Apotek, creating modern dishes using fresh Icelandic ingredients. The menu is a mix of Icelandic and European cuisine and also has an Argentine grill. Apotek also offers afternoon tea daily, as well as a special oyster menu on Thursday evenings. The restaurant boasts an excellent cocktail bar, which plays on the fact that the building used to house the Reykjavik Pharmacy: the 'pharmacists', as the mixologists are known, offer up a menu divided into 'painkillers', 'stimulants', 'tranquillisers' and 'placebo
Austurstræti 16, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 551 0011
2. Dill • Downtown/101/Miðborg • ££££
The first Icelandic restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star (in 2017), Dill 'embraces New Nordic Cuisine', while honouring Icelandic traditions. Using ancestral Nordic methods of preserving local ingredients - by salting, drying, pickling, smoking or fermenting - Dill brings ingredients to their full potential, creating dishes that focused on taste. The restaurant offers a tasting menu and a wine-pairing menu with a selection of organic and 'provocative' wines to match its dishes. Definitely an experience for the foodie traveller!
Hverfisgata 12, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 552 1522
3. Fiskfélagið • Downtown • ££££
Despite its name, The Fish Company has more than just fish to offer. Choose between the two most popular set menus to sample the best this restaurant has to offer: 'Around Iceland' uses fresh seasonal ingredients to 'send guests on daily trips around Iceland, without them having to leave their tables'. 'Around the World' transforms local fish and meat into exotic cuisines using herbs and spices from all continents. Based in an old cellar building, the restaurant boasts eclectic decor with impressive stone walls and wooden beams throughout the interior. Alternatively you can choose to sit in the outdoor terrace, making this a great option for any time of the year.
Vesturgata 2a, Grófartorg, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 552 5300
4. Fiskmarkaðurinn • Vesturbær/Old Reykjavik • ££££
The Fish Market is an intimate restaurant that will delight seafood lovers. The tasting menu is served family style, creating Asian-inspired dishes with the best of locally caught seafood. It is also famous for its sushi - pick from the sushi tasting menu or try some of the inventive a la carte items such as the sushi 'surf 'n' turf', comprising tempura langoustines, beef carpaccio with fois gras, scallop and sweet chili.
Aðalstræti 12, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 758 8877
5. Grillmarkaðurinn • Vesturbær/Old Reykjavik • £££
Grillmarket prides itself on working closely and directly with local farmers, getting the best of local seasonal produce. There is a real focus on supporting Icelandic suppliers, and local materials are even used to furnish the beautiful interior. Food is cooked using fire, smoke, fire logs and coal on the custom-made grill, and you can choose from the sizeable a la carte menu or leave it in the hands of the chefs with one of the tasting menus.
Lækjargata 2a, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 571 7777
6. Kol Restaurant • Downtown/101/Miðborg • £££
'Feel good comfort food with a twist on classic cuisine' is the order of the day at Kol. Head Chef Sævar Lárusson brings experience from some of the city's best restaurants to create a menu full of favourites, cooked beautifully. Choose àla carte or from one of the set menus - including a vegan menu. Great cocktails top off this experience, with high-quality ingredients and syrups and infusions that are made in-house.
Skólavörðustígur 40, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 517 7474
7. Matur og Drykkur • Old Harbour • ££
Located in an old salt cod factory by the harbour, Matur og Drykkur's mission is to take traditional Icelandic recipes and give them a modern twist. The restaurant prides itself on scouring traditional cookbooks for recipes to have fun with, leading to such dishes as Icelandic lamb with parsnip puree, spinach, friend potatoes and blueberry sauce, and delectable desserts like chocolate Skyr with fermented orange sorbet and burnt white chocolate. Tasting menus allow you to choose 'From the Land' or 'From the Sea', while vegetarians are also catered for, with 3 or 8-course set menus.
Grandagarður 2, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 571 8877
8. Messinn • Vesturbær/Old Reykjavik or Old Harbour • ££
Either of the Messinn locations is a great option for lunch. Messinn Lækjargötu specialises in freshly pan-fried fish served with butter potatoes and vegetables, served in a cosy setting in the heart of Reykjavik. Messinn Granda is based in the Old Harbour and has a lunch and dinner buffet of freshly caught fish and some vegetarian dishes. This is also a good option if you're in need of sustenance in the afternoon, as it serves small courses and bar snacks between lunch and dinner.
Messinn Lækjargötu:Lækjargata 6B, 101 Reykjavik
Map • +354 546 0095
9. ROK • Downtown/101/Miðborg • £££
'Casual fine dining' is how ROK sells itself: high quality food in a relaxed environment. Small sharing plates include such dishes as Icelandic mussel in a creamy white wine sauce, flavoured lamb rib eye with smoked peppers and mint, and salmon ceviche with passion fruit, cucumber, avocado, garlic, chili and lime. Champagne happy hour from 16.00-19.00 daily makes this a great spot for a fun and relaxed dinner.
Frakkastígur 26a, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 544 4443
10. Snaps Bistro • Downtown/101/Miðborg • £££
Great for lunch, Snaps serves a large variety of dishes - think Parisian Bistro with Icelandic ingredients. They also have a weekend brunch menu, together with a good selection of traditional brunch cocktails. Gin lovers will enjoy the G&T menu! Breakfast is served from 07.00 so this is a good option if you're in self-catered accommodation.
Þórsgata 1, 101 Reykjavík
Map • +354 511 6677
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