When I announced I was going to Iceland, everyone cautioned me about the food. I was warned that Iceland food is seriously bad. They told me that, as a foodie, I simply wouldn’t enjoy the trip.
They were wrong.
While it’s true that I had more than my fair share of unfortunate gas station sandwiches for budget reasons (food, along with everything else in Iceland is crazy expensive), there is good food to be found in Iceland. Really good food, actually.
In this post, I’ll share with you, in no certain order, the best Iceland food I found in my two weeks spent touring Iceland.
The best Iceland Food
1. Cod in a Mexican Cream Sauce
This dish was the day’s special at a hole in the wall we found just off the highway. Both delicious and filling, I love any meal with double carbs!
2. Icelandic Seafood Pasta
You wouldn’t normally think of great pasta when you think of Iceland, but this dish incorporated fresh seafood and served it up with a simple salad.
3. BACON!!
After so many simple breakfasts, we were excited to find this cafe serving an American style breakfast with a generous serving of bacon. This homemade berry jam served for the toast was also full of flavor.
4. Roasted Cod
No surprise this list is going to be seafood heavy. We found another special of the day when hunger forced us to find a stop on the highway. This simple dish of perfectly cooked fish paired with a simple salad was just what we needed to get back on the road.
5. Traditional Icelandic Fish Stew
Served with dark bread this was the perfect lunch on a cold afternoon.
6. Buttery Lobster Roll
One of the most memorable dishes from the trip, this huge lobster roll was stuffed with freshly grilled lobster on a buttery roll and served with fries. I would go back to Iceland just for this dish.
7. Icelandic Fish & Chips
This version is my new favorite, as I prefer the roasted potatoes over fries. The small salad was also a welcome fresh component on a dish that’s largely heavy and filling.
8. Tapas in Iceland?
Yes, tapas in Iceland. Smakkbarinn in Reykjavík features a tapas menu that highlights local ingredients. This means you’re able to try smaller portions of dishes you’re not so sure about, including local specialties such as reindeer, whale, and fermented shark.
9. Skyr
I have always mentioned that I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I was able to found a dessert in Iceland that I’m pretty fond of. Skyr is a traditional Icelandic dessert made with a mild yogurt like base and topped with fresh fruit. It can sometimes also contain granola. Versions found throughout the country range from simple to very high end.
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I had similar suggestions before my trip a few years ago – people seem to think that all there is in Iceland is puffin, rotten shark and sheeps head. We ate extremely well too!
The food is expensive but it’s really good!
Lovely photos! I’m surprised you didn’t try the sheep’s head though- I heard it’s quite the local treat! 😉
Check out my post from my walking food tour in Morocco to read about when I tried sheeps head!
Hey! Finally an Iceland post lol.
I’m kinda surprised you didn’t post anything from our seven course meal…or what about our Fourth of July hot dogs and chips meal LOL.
Hahaha I must admit, I’m blanking on which restaurants some of these dishes were from.
I wanted to post from that 7 course meal but the pics were all terrible! I even emailed them for better pics but they didn’t have any!
Good to know! I have heard various perspectives on food in Iceland – it looks and sounds like you ate well. I have a sweet tooth and skyr sounds like something I would enjoy a.m or p.m.
This looks all so delicious! I like how they put a modern, global spin on local ingredients. The buttery lobster sounds especially good 🙂
Happy continued travels!
C
The buttery lobster roll was standout amazing! It was such a find at some hole in the wall shack. Those places usually have the best food!
What was the name of the restaurants that served the lobster roll, due and chips and the pasta? I didn’t see the names anywhere. Thanks in advance!
I’ve watched a Michael Portillo programme about a weekend in Iceland where he tried fermented shark! Looked absolutely terrible, they were both gagging! Sounds like theres a lot of great food there anyhow.
I didn’t try it fermented but I’ve heard it’s really bad. I don’t generally care for much of anything fermented, although I’ve learned to like kimchi, especially if it’s spicy.
Yeah, so excited to hear that the food in Iceland is good. Your food photos are making me hungry. And that bacon, oh lord. I’m not much of a cod fan but that cod dish looks tempting.
Every one of these were so amazing! And yes, we were so excited to find bacon. We had had so many terrible breakfasts that this was so welcome.
OMG! When I went to Iceland, I never tried any of the above apart from Whale Steak (had to try it despite the fact I am against killing the whales…and it tasted like beef). Hoping to go back to Iceland soon so will try out at least some of these.
I actually tried whale twice even though I’m against it also. I was conflicted about it. Once I didn’t like it all and another time I really loved it. I would also love to return to Iceland. As crazy as this sounds, now that I’ve been in the summer, I would love to go in the winter to experience the ice caves!
So glad you proved everyone wrong about the food in Iceland – we actually cooked a lot for ourselves while in Iceland, hit up the local Bonus grocery stores, which was always an adventure trying to figure out what stuff was from interpreting the ingredients on the back! I did give fermented shark a try though 😀
The food looks very filling and comforting. I am a seafood fan so all things fish have a real appeal to me. And skyr sounds like my breakfast of choice in Moscow and various other cities around the world. I even eat it for breakfast now.
The line up must be long here at Foodie Flashpacker. For starters ill have the Cod in a Mexican Cream Sauce. I have never heard of this and I like cod this looks fantastic. I’d like to follow that up with Bacon (I am Canadian after all) Next I’d like the Icelandic Fish & Chips and for dessert Skyr. You can’t go wrong with yogurt and fresh fruit.
OH MY! They all look so damn delicious… But that lobster roll. WHAT THE?!??! *Books ticket to Iceland…*
Ok, now my mouth is watering! All of that looks so amazing. Especially the bacon! lol
Seriously everything looks so amazing, that buttery lobster roll REALLY i need one like right now! YUM
For a pescatarian like me, Iceland is perfect. The lobster seems to be so tasty. Yummy!! I need to try it when in Iceland.
Oooo, look at that seafood pasta! And the crispy bacon! Sign me up for all of this, please. Thanks for sharing and happy travels 🙂
The food trail that you have left here in this post is really delicious. The fresh seafood and the amazing dishes can lighten up anyone’s day. I specially loved Skyr, it looked refreshing as well as delicious.
These all look amazing! So much delicious fish and that bacon, you’re making my hungry! And that lobster roll too oh my!
I love seafood so hell yes to the roasted cod! My mouth is watering. Actually… hell yes to all of these meals! Who knew Iceland was so delicious?! Thanks for sharing 🙂
When I think of Iceland I certainly dont think of food. You have certainly changed this a little. Photos are greaat!
Or Cod every which way! I think you may have had better food than I did in Iceland. We tried a lot of different dishes, maybe we should have stuck with cod!
The cod was really good! I love cod anyway and this was so fresh.
You’re giving me hope that we won’t starve to death while in Iceland in May! The fish n chips and the lobster roll made my mouth water!
No, there’s plenty of good food to be found in Iceland- it’s just going to cost you! Prices there are high but everything is top notch quality- very high standards.
Good grief you’ve left me licking my lips. Cod in a Mexican cream sauce? I’m still pondering that one and dreaming of a taste. Your Iceland food list looks a million times better than most of the food posts I’ve seen about this country. You did good. 😉
Iceland is absolutely on my bucket list and I’ve heard also the food is boring and overly carbie so it was fun to scroll through your list of yummy foods you experienced. Lobster rolls would have me traveling there just for the food methinks.
These make me very hungry. Will follow this list next year. Can you please give the name of these restaurants? Especially the buttery lobster roll.
Highly appreciated!
Best
Hi, I’m going to Iceland in March and while looking up places to eat I stumbled upon this article and I am dying to know where the place with the lobster hole was? Was it in Reykjavik or elsewhere? Thanks 🙂
It was outside of Reykjavik actually- we spent most of our time outside the city as we were on a road trip. I wish I knew the name of the specific place we were at — some hole in the wall restaurant in a small town!
Too bad you didn’t post the restaurants you ordered the food from….
I’m in love with Iceland and it’s food! I visited in 2016 and had more than my share of Fish and chips at Reykjavik Fish Restaurant! Skyr is yummy! I’ll be going back in August and can’t wait to try Plokkfiskur!! The delicious rye bread and rye bread ice cream at Cafe Loki in Reykjavik! Also the baked goods at Sandholt bakery and Braud Co. And Reykjavik Roasters coffee ☕️
No. I don’t do the fermented shark or lamb but there are soooo many amazing restaurants and I will most definitely be going back to Reykjavik Fish Restaurant!!
I’ve spent some time in Iceland you clearly have NO IDEA about the true Icelandic cuisine. Wasted trip for you.