Best Restaurants in Reykjavik: Where to Eat in 2026

Reykjavik's restaurant scene has undergone a transformation in the past decade. The city that once offered primarily overpriced tourist fare and a few decent fish restaurants now has a genuinely competitive fine dining scene, excellent coffee culture, and a growing range of mid-range options that take Icelandic ingredients seriously. The fundamental advantage of eating well in Reykjavik is access to some of the best raw materials in the world: Icelandic lamb (free-range on highland grasses), Arctic char, langoustine, cod, haddock, skyr, and dairy products from farms with minimal antibiotic use and exceptional welfare standards.

Fine Dining

Dill Restaurant (Hverfisgata 12) is Iceland's original New Nordic restaurant — Gunnar Karl Gíslason's Michelin-recommended tasting menu works exclusively with Icelandic ingredients in contemporary formats. The lamb, fish and foraged element combinations are precisely executed and genuinely reflect Iceland's food landscape. 8-course tasting menu, advance reservation essential. Matur og Drykkur (Grandagarður 2, Old Harbour) takes traditional Icelandic ingredients — salt fish, blood sausage, pickled herring — and presents them with contemporary technique. The head-cheese dish and the smoked langoustine consistently appear on Iceland's best dish lists.

Mid-Range

Fishmarket (Aðalstræti 12) has excellent fresh fish with Nordic-Asian crossover seasoning. Messinn (Lækjargata 6B) serves fish in cast iron skillets — informal, generous, very good. Forréttabarinn (Hverfisgata 26) is a starter-only restaurant concept where the entire menu is small plates — excellent for groups who want to share and try widely.

Budget and Casual

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur — the hot dog stand near the old harbour, operating since 1937. The lamb-pork-beef hot dog with mustard, remoulade, raw and crispy onion is Iceland's most consumed street food. Open until 1am on weekdays, 4:30am on weekends. Hlöllabátar (multiple locations) serves lobster sandwiches — the langoustine tail in a toasted bread roll is the best quick-serve food in Reykjavik. Brauð og Co (Frakkastígur 16) for sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls — the morning queue starts before opening.

Coffee Culture

Reykjavik has an excellent independent coffee scene that rewards exploration. Reykjavik Roasters (Brautarholt 2) roasts its own beans and serves some of the finest espresso and filter coffee in Iceland — the café has a serious, quiet character suited to working or slow mornings. Kaffi Vinyl (Hverfisgata 76) is a plant-based café and vinyl record shop hybrid — the coffee is excellent, the vibe is creative. Te og Kaffi (multiple locations) is the Icelandic chain that sets the standard for high street coffee — their single-origin filter coffees are genuinely well-selected. For breakfast with coffee, Sandholt Bakery (Laugavegur 36) is the most complete combination of quality bread, pastries, and espresso drinks in one location.

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