Best Restaurants in Reykjavik: Your Complete Foodie Guide

Reykjavik has exactly one Michelin-starred restaurant per 43,000 residents. That ratio puts it ahead of Paris, Copenhagen, and Tokyo on a per-capita basis yet most travelers arrive without a plan and default to wherever the hotel concierge points them.

The real problem isn’t a shortage of good food. It’s that every existing guide treats a $250 tasting menu and a $5 hot dog stand as equally valid answers to the same question. They aren’t. Where you should eat depends entirely on what kind of experience you’re after and nobody tells you that clearly enough.

This guide organizes Reykjavik’s best restaurants by experience type, with honest prices, booking lead times, and the specific dishes that justify each visit.

The Short Answer:
Reykjavik’s best restaurants depend on your budget and intent. DILL and ÓX hold Michelin stars book 6–8 weeks ahead. Messinn and Matur og Drykkur serve honest traditional Icelandic food. Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur delivers Iceland’s most iconic $5 meal. Apotek leads for cocktails.

What Makes Reykjavik’s Food Scene Worth Your Attention

Reykjavik’s restaurant scene has transformed dramatically over the past 15 years. Iceland now has three Michelin-starred restaurants none existed before 2017. Icelandic chefs have also regularly placed in the top five at the Bocuse d’Or, the unofficial world championship of cooking.

The foundation of the cuisine is remarkably strong:

• Choose lamb Icelandic sheep roam free and eat wild herbs, producing unusually flavorful meat
• Pick Arctic char or cod both are caught locally and served within hours
• Order skyr-based desserts Iceland’s native dairy culture produces distinctive flavors
• Avoid any restaurant near Hallgrímskirkja church with laminated photo menus tourist traps cluster there
• Expect high prices a mid-range dinner for two runs $80–$140 USD without drinks

The city’s size works in your favor. Almost every restaurant worth visiting sits within a 15-minute walk of the main Laugavegur shopping street. No long taxi rides. No neighborhoods to decode.

Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Reykjavik

Reykjavik holds two of Iceland’s three Michelin-starred restaurants. Both require advance reservations. Both are genuinely world-class.

• Book DILL and ÓX at least 6–8 weeks ahead — they sell out that fast
• Expect tasting menus only — no à la carte at these two
• Budget $150–$250 USD per person before wine pairings
• Choose DILL for a chef’s counter experience with New Nordic storytelling
• Choose ÓX for theater — only 11 seats, entirely surprise menu

DILL Iceland’s First Michelin Star

DILL earned Iceland its first Michelin star in 2017. Chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason leads the kitchen, and the menu changes constantly with Iceland’s seasons. Diners climb a spiral staircase to a dark, candlelit room above Laugavegur. Each dish arrives with an explanation from the chef or kitchen team this is participatory dining, not passive eating. Dishes are built around fermented, smoked, and foraged ingredients that would never appear on a standard European tasting menu. DILL is not for diners who want recognizable food it’s for those who want to understand Iceland through a plate.

Address: Laugavegur 59, 101 Reykjavík

ÓX 11 Seats, Total Surprise

ÓX operates inside the Grillmarkaðurinn building and seats only 11 guests per service. Chef Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson sends out a multi-course surprise tasting menu built entirely on what’s excellent that day. There is no printed menu. Guests surrender completely to the kitchen. The experience feels theatrical and intimate simultaneously closer to performance art than a standard restaurant dinner. This is the right choice for adventurous eaters who want Reykjavik’s most unusual and memorable meal.

Address: Lækjargata 2a, 101 Reykjavík

Best Traditional Icelandic Restaurants

For travelers who want to understand what Icelanders actually eat not what chefs reinvent for tourists — these three restaurants are essential. They serve the real canon: plokkfiskur (fish stew), lamb soup, cod cheeks, and smoked meats done without pretension.

• Pick Messinn for traditional fish dishes served family-style in a hot skillet
• Choose Matur og Drykkur for heritage recipes elevated with modern technique
• Try Þrír Frakkar for more than 30 years of honest Icelandic seafood
• Order plokkfiskur at least once — it’s the dish that defines home cooking here
• Skip adventurous options like fermented shark unless you’re genuinely curious

Messinn The Plokkfiskur Standard

Messinn is the restaurant most local Reykjavik residents send their visiting family to first. The mismatched furniture and warm lighting make it feel like a private home rather than a restaurant. Fish dishes arrive in hot skillets meant for sharing. The plokkfiskur — a creamy fish and potato stew — is the benchmark version in the city. Waits are common on weekday evenings. Arrive early or book ahead.

Address: Lækjargata 6B, 101 Reykjavík

Matur og Drykkur Heritage Made Beautiful

Matur og Drykkur translates simply as “Food and Drink.” The menu pulls recipes from old Icelandic cookbooks and rebuilds them with contemporary technique. Cod’s head with dulse and béarnaise is the signature dish — unfamiliar to most visitors, but the clearest expression of what Icelandic food is really about. The Old Harbour location adds a maritime context that makes the meal feel earned. Open Thursday through Sunday evenings only.

Address: Grandagarður 2, 101 Reykjavík

Þrír Frakkar Three Decades of Seafood

Þrír Frakkar (Three Coats) has served classic Icelandic seafood for over 30 years without chasing trends. The menu centers on creamy fish soup, fried cod cheeks, grilled halibut, and pan-fried salted cod. For adventurous travelers, hákarl (fermented Greenlandic shark) appears on the menu — an authentic Icelandic experience that divides opinion sharply. The restaurant is small and intimate. Book ahead for dinner service.

Address: Baldursgata 14, 101 Reykjavík

Best Mid-Range Restaurants in Reykjavik

This is where Reykjavik’s food scene gets genuinely exciting. Several restaurants in the $30–$60 per person range deliver meals that compete with fine dining elsewhere in Europe. These are the spots that reward travelers who do their homework.

• Choose Skál! for inventive small plates and natural wine in a casual setting
• Pick Fiskfélagið (The Fish Company) for globally-influenced Icelandic seafood
• Try Kol for a stylish date-night option with a strong cocktail program
• Book ROK for shareable Nordic small plates — the arctic char tartare is exceptional
• Reserve ahead for all four — none takes walk-ins reliably on weekends

Skál! Michelin Bib Gourmand, Zero Pretension

Skál! earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2019 and relocated to a standalone downtown space in 2024. The menu is short and seasonal, focused on small plates with unexpected combinations. Raw scallops with red currant granita and dill oil represent the kitchen’s philosophy: Icelandic ingredients, global technique, genuine restraint. The open kitchen and casual atmosphere make it feel accessible despite the quality. Natural wine pairings are a strength here.

Address: Hverfisgata 20, 101 Reykjavík

Fiskfélagið (The Fish Company) Consistently #1 on TripAdvisor

The Fish Company has ranked at or near the top of Reykjavik’s TripAdvisor listings for well over a decade. That kind of consistency is rare and meaningful. The kitchen takes Icelandic seafood and introduces Japanese and Asian influences — think Arctic char prepared sushi-style alongside classic smoked salmon preparations. The dimly lit maritime interior, with wooden accents and cosy nooks, makes the experience as atmospheric as the food.

Address: Vesturgata 2a, 101 Reykjavík

ROK Nordic Small Plates Done Right

ROK delivers a confident, contemporary take on Icelandic ingredients through a shareable small-plates format. Arctic char tartare, Icelandic lamb skewers, and an elevated plokkfiskur all appear on a menu built for exploration rather than a single centerpiece dish. The space is chic and modern on Frakkastígur, making it a natural anchor for an evening that starts with drinks and ends with dessert at a nearby café.

Address: Frakkastígur 26a, 101 Reykjavík

Best Budget Eats and Food Halls in Reykjavik

Reykjavik is expensive but not uniformly. Street food, food halls, and a few legendary institutions deliver outstanding value. These are the meals that often end up as travelers’ most memorable.

• Visit Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur and order “ein með öllu” (one with everything)
• Explore Hlemmur Mathöll food hall for multiple cuisines in one stop
• Check Grái Kötturinn for the best breakfast in the city center
• Budget $5–$15 for street food and food hall meals
• Avoid hotel breakfasts — the cafés do it better for less

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur The Hot Dog That Presidents Eat

This tiny stand near the harbor has operated since 1937. The hot dogs are lamb-based — which changes everything compared to a standard beef frank. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton visited and ordered one with mustard only; locals still call that combination “the Bill Clinton.” Order “ein með öllu” for the full experience: ketchup, sweet mustard, raw onion, fried onion, and remoulade. The line is always worth it. This is one of the great $5 meals in Europe.

Address: Tryggvatagata 1, 101 Reykjavík

Hlemmur Mathöll Reykjavik’s First Food Hall

The former main bus terminal of Reykjavik is now the city’s most interesting food hall. Flatey Pizza, taco specialists Fuego, and natural wine bar Skál! (before its 2024 relocation) all launched here. The space still holds multiple vendors offering everything from fresh juice to experimental Icelandic bites. It’s the best single stop for travelers who want to sample widely without committing to one cuisine.

Address: Lækjartorg 2, 101 Reykjavík

Grái Kötturinn The Grey Cat Breakfast

Grái Kötturinn (The Grey Cat) is the kind of café that earns regulars on the first visit. The bookish, low-ceilinged space seats a handful of tables. Breakfast platters include freshly baked bread, eggs, and smoked salmon — honest food made well. Arrive early. The café fills quickly and doesn’t take reservations. For travelers doing an early start toward the Golden Circle or South Coast, this is the right fuel stop.

Address: Hverfisgata 16a, 101 Reykjavík

Best Cocktail Bars in Reykjavik

Reykjavik’s cocktail scene deserves its own conversation. The city punches far above its weight for a capital of 130,000 people. Two venues stand clearly above the rest for travelers who want serious drinking alongside serious food.

• Visit Apotek for the most dramatic cocktail bar setting in the city
• Choose Kol for a sophisticated pre-dinner drink before a date night
• Expect $18–$24 USD per cocktail — Iceland’s alcohol taxes are steep
• Ask bartenders for skyr-based or Brennivín-forward cocktails — local ingredients elevate the menu
• Book a dinner table at Apotek if you want the full experience — the food matches the room

Apotek The Pharmacy That Became a Legend

Apotek occupies a beautifully restored historic pharmacy building on Austurstræti. The architect behind Hallgrímskirkja church, Guðjón Samúelsson, designed the original building in the early 20th century. The cocktail menu is organized into “pharmacist” categories — painkillers, stimulants, tranquillizers, placebos. The Argentinean grill produces excellent food to accompany the drinks. The room itself — high ceilings, ornate original details, warm lighting — is worth the visit even before the first drink arrives.

Address: Austurstræti 16, 101 Reykjavík

What to Eat in Reykjavik: Essential Dishes

First-time visitors often don’t know what to order. Reykjavik’s cuisine has a distinct vocabulary. Learning five dishes before you arrive changes the experience entirely.

• Order plokkfiskur — creamy fish and potato stew, Iceland’s true comfort food
• Try kjötsúpa — lamb soup with root vegetables, especially on cold days
• Eat fresh Arctic char — cleaner and more delicate than salmon, uniquely Icelandic
• Sample skyr — a thick, protein-rich dairy product closer to strained yogurt than cheese
• Get one lamb dish — Icelandic lamb is grass-fed and genuinely different from imported alternatives

Icelandic ingredients consistently outperform their equivalents elsewhere. The cold, clean waters produce fish with exceptional flavor. The lamb, raised on mountain herbs without grain supplementation, tastes unlike anything available in a standard supermarket. Travelers who eat seasonally and locally in Reykjavik consistently report it among their best food experiences in Europe.

How Much Does Eating Out in Reykjavik Cost?

Iceland is expensive. Budget travelers need real numbers, not vague warnings.

• Street food / hot dogs: $5–$10 per person
• Casual café lunch: $15–$25 per person
• Mid-range dinner (no drinks): $35–$60 per person
• Fine dining tasting menu: $120–$250 per person
• Cocktails: $18–$24 each
• Wine by the glass: $14–$20

The best strategy for budget-conscious travelers is to eat a large lunch at mid-range restaurants many offer lunch menus at 30–40% below dinner prices and save one dinner for a splurge at Messinn or Fiskfélagið.

The Verdict

Reykjavik earns its place among Europe’s most underrated food cities. The Michelin recognition is real, the traditional cuisine is genuinely distinctive, and the cocktail bars would hold their own in any major capital. Our research points to DILL for the defining tasting-menu experience, Messinn for honest Icelandic cooking, and Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur for the meal you’ll still be talking about. Book early, eat adventurously, and give the lamb and the Arctic char more credit than you expect to.