For those who’re planning a visit to Iceland, you’ll rapidly uncover the nation’s meals scene is as distinctive as its landscapes. No less than that’s what we discovered. From cosy bowls of fish stew after a day within the Westfjords to lobster pizza in a South Coast fishing village, consuming right here is an journey in itself. Icelandic delicacies attracts on centuries-old traditions formed by isolation and survival, then provides trendy creativity from a brand new era of cooks.
On this journey, you may begin with plokkfiskur, a creamy fish stew, or hangikjöt, the smoky lamb typically served at Christmas. You’ll discover pylsur, the well-known Icelandic scorching canine, in each metropolis streets and distant gasoline stations, whereas rúgbrauð (rye bread) bakes underground in scorching springs. Contemporary catches like humar (lobster) and Arctic char showcase the island’s pristine waters, and treats like selfmade Icelandic ice cream or tangy skyr give a candy end to any day.
Our information takes you thru essentially the most iconic and scrumptious Icelandic meals to strive, from hearty farmhouse favourites to creative dishes in Reykjavík’s buzzing meals scene.
High Iceland Meals at a Look
- Plokkfiskur – Creamy fish stew served with darkish rye bread
- Hangikjöt – Smoked lamb, typically a Christmas custom
- Pylsur – Icelandic scorching canine with fried onions and remoulade
- Humar – Candy lobster tails from the South Coast
- Rúgbrauð – Rye bread baked in scorching springs
- Skyr – Thick yogurt eaten at breakfast or in desserts
Why Iceland’s Meals Scene is Distinctive
Iceland’s volcanic soil, chilly seas, and geothermal sources have formed its delicacies for over a thousand years. Farming is restricted, so lamb, dairy, and seafood turned staples. Geothermal greenhouses now develop greens like tomatoes and cucumbers year-round, whereas the encircling ocean offers cod, haddock, and Arctic char. The result’s a mix of conventional recipes, typically born out of necessity, and trendy dishes impressed by international culinary tendencies.
One night time you may tuck into lamb soup at a mountain hut; the following, you’re sipping craft beer with langoustine tacos in Reykjavík. For a real Iceland foodie expertise, strive each ends of the spectrum.
1. Pylsur – Well-known Icelandic Scorching Canine
What it’s:
Pylsur are Iceland’s well-known scorching canine, constituted of a mix of lamb, pork, and beef. They’re served in a bun with uncooked onions, crispy fried onions, tangy mustard, candy ketchup (made with apples), and creamy remoulade.
Why strive it:
We stood within the snow exterior Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur in Reykjavík, the nation’s most well-known scorching canine stand , and it was price each minute of the wait. The lamb offers the sausage a refined sweetness, whereas the fried onions add a satisfying crunch.
Cultural observe:
Scorching canine turned in style in Iceland after WWII, and immediately they’re thought of a nationwide quick meals. They’re additionally one of the vital inexpensive meals yow will discover on this in any other case costly nation.
The place to seek out it:
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur is the long-lasting spot, however you’ll discover pylsur at gasoline stations, festivals, and roadside stands nationwide. Order it “ein með öllu” — one with the whole lot.
2. Skyr – Icelandic Yogurt
What it’s:
Skyr is a thick, protein-rich dairy product that appears and tastes just like Greek yogurt however is technically categorised as a mushy cheese. The Icelandic model is made by straining milk to take away the whey, it has a creamy texture and a tangy flavour that pairs completely with fruit, honey, or granola.
Why strive it:
On our glacier hike day in Vatnajökull Nationwide Park, we packed particular person pots of skyr for breakfast. It was filling sufficient to maintain us going for hours with out weighing us down, and the tangy creaminess was refreshing after the lengthy drive. It’s not only a wholesome snack — it’s a real meals from Iceland that locals get pleasure from day by day, whether or not at residence or on the go.
Cultural observe:
Skyr has been a part of Icelandic diets for over a thousand years, relationship again to Viking settlements. As soon as made solely in houses and farms, it’s now produced commercially however nonetheless makes use of conventional cultures to take care of its distinct flavour.
The place to seek out it:
Each grocery store, café, and comfort retailer sells skyr in plain and flavoured varieties. For a particular deal with, strive skyr-based desserts like skyrkaka (cheesecake) in eating places.
3. Plokkfiskur – Icelandic Fish Stew
What it’s:
Plokkfiskur is a creamy stew of flaked white fish (normally cod or haddock), mashed potatoes, onions, and a buttery white sauce. The identify actually means “plucked fish,” describing the best way the fish is damaged into small items earlier than mixing.
Why strive it:
We first had plokkfiskur in a harbour café in Ísafjörður on a snowy winter night time. The home windows steamed up as locals got here in from the chilly, and the odor of fish stew stuffed the air. It’s hearty with out being heavy, and the candy, recent fish balances completely with the buttery sauce.
Cultural observe:
This dish began as a method to make use of leftover fish, stretching it with potatoes to feed the entire household. Right now, it’s consolation meals — the type you’ll discover at residence kitchens, roadside cafés, and upscale eating places alike.
The place to seek out it:
In Reykjavík, Café Loki serves a standard plokkfiskur with darkish rye bread. Coastal cities like Siglufjörður and Húsavík have wonderful variations of their harbourside eating places. You may even purchase it pre-made in grocery shops when you’re self-catering.
4. Kjötsúpa – Lamb Stew
What it’s:
A hearty soup made with lamb shank, root greens like carrots and rutabagas, potatoes, and recent herbs.
Why strive it:
On a chilly, windy day alongside the Golden Circle, we stopped at a small café and ordered steaming bowls of kjötsúpa. The lamb was so tender it fell off the bone, and the broth was wealthy with out being heavy.
Cultural observe:
Kjötsúpa is likely one of the most Icelandic typical meals dishes, valued for its skill to heat and nourish via lengthy winters.
The place to seek out it:
Eating places, countryside guesthouses, and even gasoline station cafés.
5. Hangikjöt – Smoked Lamb![]()
What it’s:
Hangikjöt interprets to “hung meat,” referring to the best way the lamb is smoked whereas hanging over a birchwood or dried sheep dung fireplace. This conventional preservation methodology infuses the meat with a deep, smoky flavour.
Why strive it:
We first tried hangikjöt throughout the Christmas season in Reykjavík, served with boiled potatoes, inexperienced peas, purple cabbage, and Icelandic leaf bread. The smoky aroma hit earlier than the plate reached the desk, and the meat was so tender it virtually melted.
Cultural observe:
Sheep farming has been central to Iceland’s financial system for hundreds of years. Smoking lamb wasn’t nearly style, it was about survival via the lengthy winters. Even immediately, hangikjöt is a festive centrepiece, particularly in December.
The place to seek out it:
Accessible in grocery shops throughout the holidays and in conventional eating places year-round. Farm stays typically serve their very own smoked lamb, which is about as genuine because it will get.
6. Humar – Icelandic Lobster
What it’s:
Humar is Iceland’s small, candy lobster, truly nearer to langoustine, prized for its tender tail meat. It’s served grilled, baked, fried in garlic butter, or in creamy lobster soup known as humarsúpa.
Why strive it:
On our South Coast highway journey, we stopped in Höfn, Iceland’s lobster capital, for humar pizza. The candy lobster meat with melted cheese and herbs was an unforgettable mixture.
Cultural observe:
Humar is generally caught alongside Iceland’s southeast coast, and fishing for it’s strictly regulated to make sure sustainability.
The place to seek out it:
Seafood eating places in Höfn and Reykjavík serve humar in numerous varieties, from connoisseur entrées to informal lobster rolls.
7. Rúgbrauð – Scorching Spring Rye Bread
What it’s:
Rúgbrauð is a dense, darkish rye bread with a barely candy flavour, historically baked within the floor utilizing geothermal warmth from Iceland’s scorching springs. The dough is positioned in a pot or picket cask, buried close to a scorching spring, and left to prepare dinner slowly for about 24 hours utilizing geothermal warmth.
Why strive it:
We first tasted Icelandic rye bread recent from the earth at Laugarvatn Fontana, the place employees dug up steaming pots proper in entrance of us. The bread was moist, wealthy, and subtly candy, so good it barely wanted butter. Pairing it with smoked lamb or pickled herring is a traditional Icelandic mixture.
Cultural observe:
Earlier than ovens had been frequent, Icelanders relied on the earth’s pure geothermal warmth to prepare dinner. Rúgbrauð (aka Scorching Spring Bread) was a staple as a result of it may very well be made year-round with out scarce gasoline sources.
The place to seek out it:
Bakeries and cafés throughout the nation promote rúgbrauð, however for the genuine expertise, go to Laugarvatn Fontana or different scorching spring cities the place you’ll be able to watch it being baked underground.
8. Harðfiskur – Dried Fish
What it’s:
Harðfiskur is dried fish, usually cod, haddock, or wolffish, cured within the salty North Atlantic air till it’s chewy and filled with flavour.
Why strive it:
On a highway journey via the Westfjords, we grabbed a bag in Bolungarvík, pondering it might be a lightweight snack. Inside minutes, we had been hooked, particularly after locals advised us to unfold it with salted butter. It’s protein-rich, moveable, and one of the vital conventional meals from Iceland.
Cultural observe:
Drying fish dates again over 1,000 years and is comparable in precept to ageing cheese. In lots of fishing villages, you’ll nonetheless see picket racks lined with fish drying within the open air.
The place to seek out it:
Bought in grocery shops, gasoline stations, and harbour markets. For the freshest, purchase it straight from fishermen in coastal cities.
9. Arctic Char
What it’s:
A chilly-water fish native to Iceland, Arctic char is someplace between salmon and trout in flavour and texture. It may be grilled, smoked, or pan-seared.
Why strive it:
We had Arctic char in Seyðisfjörður, butter fried with tomatoes and sliced almonds. The fish was buttery and delicate, with a clear, recent style that spoke to its pristine atmosphere.
Cultural observe:
Arctic char thrives in Iceland’s chilly, clear rivers and lakes, making it a dependable meals supply for hundreds of years.
The place to seek out it:
Served at eating places throughout Iceland, particularly within the Eastfjords and different fishing areas.
10. Fish and Chips – Iceland Type
What it’s:
Contemporary cod or haddock coated in a lightweight batter, fried till crisp, and served with chunky fries and selfmade sauces.
Why strive it:
In Akureyri, we tucked into fish and chips the place the cod had been caught simply hours earlier. The fish flaked aside with the lightest contact of a fork, and the tartar sauce was brilliant with recent herbs.
Cultural observe:
Whereas fish and chips isn’t native to Iceland, the standard of the fish right here makes it distinctive. Icelandic waters produce a few of the finest cod on the earth.
The place to seek out it:
Harbour cafés, Reykjavík’s Icelandic Fish & Chips restaurant, and coastal meals vehicles.
11. Flatkaka með Hangikjöti – Flatbread with Smoked Lamb
What it’s:
Flatkaka is a skinny, spherical flatbread constituted of rye flour and water, cooked rapidly on a scorching griddle. It’s typically topped with hangikjöt (smoked lamb), cream cheese, or lamb liver pâté.
Why strive it:
We tried flatkaka at a family-run café on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the place it was served heat with thick slices of smoky lamb. It’s easy however stuffed with flavour, and it’s a type of Iceland meals to strive that you would be able to simply recreate at residence.
Cultural observe:
Flatbreads have been a part of Icelandic diets for hundreds of years, providing a fast, filling base that may very well be paired with no matter was accessible, from lamb to fish to foraged herbs.
The place to seek out it:
Accessible in most bakeries and supermarkets. Many guesthouses serve it as a part of a standard breakfast unfold.
12. Icelandic Mussels
What it’s:
Contemporary mussels harvested from Iceland’s clear coastal waters, typically steamed with garlic, herbs, and white wine.
Why strive it:
In Stykkishólmur, we had a steaming pot of mussels caught that morning in Breiðafjörður Bay, candy, briny, and completely recent.
Cultural observe:
Iceland’s chilly waters gradual the mussels’ development, leading to a extra concentrated flavour.
The place to seek out it:
Coastal seafood eating places, particularly within the Westfjords and Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
13. Pickled Herring
What it’s:
Marinated herring fillets preserved in vinegar, sugar, and spices, typically served with heat rye bread, boiled potatoes, and typically hard-boiled eggs.
Why strive it:
We had pickled herring for breakfast at a harbour café in Ísafjörður, and the mix of sweet-sour fish with heat, earthy rúgbrauð was unforgettable. It’s easy, satisfying, and deeply rooted in Iceland’s coastal traditions.
Cultural observe:
Herring fishing was as soon as a serious a part of Iceland’s financial system, and preserving it via pickling meant it may very well be loved year-round.
The place to seek out it:
Breakfast buffets, fish markets, and conventional eating places.
14. Icelandic Ice Cream
What it’s:
Icelanders have a shocking obsession with ice cream — and so they eat it year-round, even in snowstorms. It ranges from soft-serve ice cream (often called “ís”) dipped in chocolate to artisanal scoops in creative flavours like rhubarb, licorice, and even beer.
Why strive it:
We as soon as stood in line for Icelandic ice cream in Reykjavík whereas the wind chill was nicely beneath freezing, and we weren’t the one ones. The creamy texture, wealthy flavour, and beneficiant toppings made each shiver price it. It’s a type of Iceland meals to strive that tells you as a lot concerning the tradition because it does concerning the delicacies.
Cultural observe:
Ice cream parlours are a social hub in Iceland. Households, buddies, and {couples} typically make an evening of going out for ice cream, regardless of the climate.
The place to seek out it:
In style spots embody Valdís in Reykjavík for artistic flavours and Ísbúð Vesturbæjar for traditional soft-serve with mix-ins.
15. Icelandic Cinnamon Roll (Kanilsnúðar)
What it’s:
Kanilsnúðar are Iceland’s tackle the cinnamon roll, mushy, buttery dough spiralled with cinnamon sugar and infrequently topped with a drizzle of icing or a dusting of coarse sugar.
Why strive it:
We adopted the scent of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls to Brauð & Co. in Reykjavík, and inside minutes we had been unravelling the nice and cozy, sticky spiral. The mixture of pillowy dough, aromatic cinnamon, and simply the correct quantity of sweetness makes it the most effective good meals in Iceland moments for anybody with a candy tooth.
Cultural observe:
Whereas impressed by Scandinavian baking traditions, Icelanders have made kanilsnúðar their very own. They’re as in style for breakfast as they’re for a day deal with.
The place to seek out it:
Bakeries throughout Iceland, particularly Brauð & Co. and Sandholt in Reykjavík, serve freshly baked cinnamon rolls day by day.
16. Icelandic Cheese & Dairy
What it’s:
Whereas skyr will get a lot of the worldwide consideration, Iceland’s dairy scene gives a wide range of distinctive cheeses. These embody tangy skyr-based spreads, mushy white cheeses, and brunost (Norwegian-style brown cheese) constituted of caramelized whey, which has a candy, nutty flavour.
Why strive it:
We stumbled upon a cheese counter at Reykjavik’s Kolaportið flea market and couldn’t resist sampling the whole lot. The brunost was in contrast to any cheese we’d tasted earlier than, virtually dessert-like, whereas the mushy cheeses had been wealthy and creamy, good with rye bread or crackers.
Cultural observe:
Dairy farming has been a cornerstone of Icelandic agriculture for over a millennium. Even within the harshest situations, sheep and cows supplied milk that may very well be was cheese, butter, and skyr to final via the winter.
The place to seek out it:
Specialty meals retailers, markets, and cheese plates in Reykjavík wine bars. Many rural guesthouses serve their very own farm-made cheese.
17. Hákarl – Fermented Shark
What it’s:
Greenland fermented shark meat is fermented for a number of months after which dried, leading to a powerful aroma and intense flavour.
Why strive it:
We sampled hákarl at a fishing village museum in Húsavík. The odor was eye-watering, however chasing it with Brennivín (Iceland’s schnapps) made the expertise extra enjoyable than scary. Let’s simply say some native meals are enjoyable to strive as soon as.
Cultural observe:
Fermented shark was developed as a survival meals; Greenland shark is poisonous when recent, so fermentation was essential to make it secure.
The place to seek out it:
Specialty retailers, Þorrablót feasts, and conventional eating places.
18. Icelandic Craft Beer & Brennivín
What it’s:
Iceland’s craft beer scene gives a shocking selection, from crisp Arctic lagers brewed with glacial water to wealthy stouts flavoured with native herbs. Brennivín, however, is a transparent schnapps infused with caraway seeds. Its nickname, “Black Loss of life,” comes from the black label used when it was first produced, and its robust, distinctive style.
Why strive it:
We had our first style of Brennivín as a part of the traditional “hákarl problem” in Reykjavík — the schnapps’ daring, spicy flavour lower proper via the fermented shark’s intense aroma. Pairing a chilly craft beer with recent humar or lamb stew is equally rewarding, including an area contact to any meal.
Cultural observe:
Beer was banned in Iceland from 1915 till March 1, 1989; a date nonetheless celebrated as “Beer Day.” Since then, breweries have flourished, creating beers that replicate Iceland’s distinctive elements and pure water sources. Brennivín stays tied to custom, typically served at Þorrablót feasts and different cultural gatherings.
The place to seek out it:
Pattern craft beer at Reykjavík brewpubs like Skúli or MicroBar, or go to native breweries in cities like Akureyri and Egilsstaðir. Brennivín is bought at Vínbúðin liquor shops and served in most conventional eating places and bars.
Exploring the Icelandic meals scene is like taking a chew overseas’s historical past, panorama, and tradition suddenly. Each dish, whether or not it’s a easy slice of rye bread recent from a scorching spring or a plate of humar in a seaside café, tells a narrative of resourcefulness, custom, and pleasure in native elements.
From hearty staples like lamb soup and fish stew to candy comforts like skyr and cinnamon rolls, there’s one thing for each palate. And with trendy Icelandic cooks reimagining these classics, there’s by no means been a greater time to be an Iceland foodie.
So, as you propose your journey, make room in your itinerary (and your abdomen) for these iconic flavours. Whether or not you’re sipping Brennivín with locals at a midwinter pageant or grabbing a scorching canine at a Reykjavik meals stand, you’ll go away with extra than simply nice images, you’ll take residence the style of Iceland.
FAQ – Icelandic Meals
Pylsur, Iceland’s scorching canine, are sometimes known as the nationwide dish. They’re made with lamb, pork, and beef and topped with uncooked onions, crispy onions, mustard, apple ketchup, and remoulade. Strive the unique stand in Reykjavík at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.
Begin with plokkfiskur fish stew, kjötsúpa lamb soup, hangikjöt smoked lamb, rúgbrauð scorching spring rye bread, harðfiskur dried fish, skyr, and humar langoustine. These classics replicate Iceland’s preservation traditions and native elements.
Consuming out may be dear. For worth, seize scorching canine, bakery gadgets, or grocery store picnic provides and blend in just a few sit?down meals. Authorities?run liquor shops have restricted hours, so plan forward if you would like native beer or Brennivín.
Go to Laugarvatn Fontana to see bread buried in geothermal sand and baked for about 24 hours, with day by day tastings and demos.
On March 1, 1989. The date remains to be celebrated nationwide as Beer Day.
Search for specialty retailers and museums that supply samples, and seasonal Þorrablót occasions. It’s generally served with a shot of Brennivín.
