The Best Restaurants in ICELAND
Blessed with an abundance of clear water, fertile fishing and fresh vegetables year-round, Icelanders like saucy, salty, and well-seasoned food. Lamb roam so freely they can almost be described as game meat. Wild reindeer from eastern Iceland appear on some menus. Icelanders have centuries of experience cooking seabirds, especially puffins and guillemots; and harvest some of the world’s freshest seafood: cod, haddock, catfish, monkfish, halibut, trout, arctic char and salmon. Iceland's greatest food invention, a yogurt-like product called skýr, is gaining popularity abroad. And last, but not least, Iceland has the world's best hot dogs.
-
Interested in becoming our Food Expert? Click here
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
Since 1937, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (which translates to “the best hot dogs in town”) has been serving what some call the world's greatest hot dog. Just look for the lines in front of the red and white caravan down by Reykjavik’s harbour. Their Icelandic hot dogs are a blend of pork, beef and organic, grass-fed lamb, which deepens its flavour. The links are braised in beer until the casing achieves the perfect snap. Cradled in a fluffy white bun, the steaming meat is sprinkled with cronions, a combination of raw and crispy, crunchy fried onions. Eat it as is, or choose from ketchup made with apples, lightly spiced mustard and a remoulade of mayonnaise, pickles and capers.
The Sea Baron
Kjartan Halldórsson, a chef, fisherman and entrepreneur, turned his fish shop into a restaurant and created a legend. At his Sea Baron restaurant on the Reykjavik harbour, the retired Coast Guard chef created a recipe for what has been called the “world’s greatest lobster soup.” Bouillon crafted from a blend of lobster shells, halibut skin and salmon skin, combines with heavy cream, spices and succulent lobster meat. It’s served with the toast to savour every drop. Just look for the green fisherman’s hut, where you can taste the creamy, salty and delicious lobster soup for yourself. Also famous for fresh seafood barbequed on skewers, the grill spears feature trout, salmon, shrimp, cod, scallops, redfish, catfish, plaice and more.
