The 20 Must-Try Restaurants in Reykjavík

La Primavera marks the revival of a Northern Italian restaurant that first opened in Reykjavík’s House of Commerce in 1993 but closed its doors in 2011. The restaurant made a comeback on its 25th anniversary in 2018 within the Marshall House, a former fish factory from 1948 that has been transformed into a cultural hub, with an additional location launching in the Harpa concert hall in 2021. The hiatus appears to have benefited the concept greatly, as the culinary team excels with a refined menu of innovative dishes, including grilled monkfish paired with garlic risotto, bacon, and red wine sauce.

Matur og Drykkur, meaning “food and drink,” takes its name from an ancient cookbook. Nestled in a former saltfish factory adjacent to the Saga Museum, this cozy dining space offers contemporary twists on traditional Icelandic dishes, such as foal tartare served with fermented angelica seeds, pickles, and flatbread.  

If you can’t secure a table at Dill, you can still experience Gunnar Gíslason’s cuisine at the stylish restaurant Tides, which overlooks the harbor in the Edition hotel, where he curates the menu. Open for breakfast through late night, it features a relaxed international menu infused with Icelandic ingredients like 1,000-day-aged feykir cheese and Arctic thyme. An adjacent café offers coffee and pastries, and there's an eight-seat chef’s counter that serves a 12-course tasting menu.

While Reykjavík boasts numerous gastropubs serving craft burgers, if you must choose one, it should be Le Kock, where every condiment and potato bun is made fresh. Don’t miss the smash-style Trump Tower burger, described by the restaurant as 'big and extreme, thick-nosed, and utterly outrageous.'

Opened in mid-2023, Anna Jóna honors owner Haraldur Þorleifsson’s late mother and is set in a beautifully designed, semicircular space filled with natural light in one of her cherished buildings. The diverse menu offers delights such as poached eggs with seaweed caviar and fluffy Japanese pancakes, alongside all-day breakfast options. The drink selection stands out with a variety of teas, Italian coffee, sparkling wines, and unique cocktails.

Bæjarins Beztu, established in 1937, has grown into a national chain, yet this iconic stand remains the heart of the Icelandic hot dog culture. It famously hosted President Bill Clinton during a UNICEF conference. Open from 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. on weekends, this stand serves hot dogs crafted from a mix of lamb, beef, and pork. For the best experience, order eina með öllu, or with everything: ketchup, mustard, both fried and raw onions, and remoulade.

Opened in 2021 by former Dill chef Ragnar Eiríksson and TV personality sommelier Ólafur Örn Ólafsson, Brút is a seafood-focused restaurant located in a spacious wraparound area linked to the Radisson Blu 1919 Hotel. Highlighting the diversity of Iceland’s waters beyond just cod, the menu features dishes like skate with brown butter and monkfish glazed in chicken stock, along with a selection of oysters, whelks, and anchovies. The extensive wine list includes categories like Funky Shit and Candy Shop, boasting a significant collection of Champagne and sparkling wines.

In 2022, Icelandic baker Ágúst Einþórsson, who mastered sourdough in some of Copenhagen's top bakeries, launched this two-story bakery and restaurant after selling his share in the expanding Brauð & Co. The establishment uses stone-milled Icelandic flours for its pastries and sourdough breads available for takeaway, while also offering complete brunches and wood-fired pizzas, complemented by natural wines in the evenings.

This cozy Mytoury, situated on the increasingly trendy Hverfisgata Street, has moved away from its original Nordic-Italian theme to offer a variety of seasonal small plates that defy easy categorization. Highlights include grilled pork belly featuring wasabi sourced from the East Fjords, a range of tacos available only at lunch made with homemade flour tortillas filled with items like scallops and mole, plus an imaginative cocktail menu.

While Reykjavík boasts several taquerias, this quaint Pueblan-style establishment, launched by musician Carlos Guarneros, stands out. It offers a range of dishes, including campechano tacos and vegan chorizo burritos, but don’t miss the weekend specials like birria tacos served with consomé.

Since 1994, this exquisite restaurant, featuring teak ceilings and antique bronze decor, has shattered expectations by demonstrating that Indian cuisine can thrive in Iceland without being overly cheap or strictly traditional. Utilizing high-quality Icelandic ingredients alongside Indian spices, the menu celebrates regional Indian flavors. Be sure to try the minced lamb-stuffed keema paratha and the tandoor-cooked hariyali salmon.

Before opening the more upscale Brút, Ragnar Eiríksson and Ólafur Örn Ólafsson established this trendy wine bar in a sleek basement space on Reykjavík’s main street. The selection primarily features natural wines or those from small-scale producers, with about a dozen bottles available by the glass, constantly rotating. To accompany your wine, choose from a variety of small plates and charcuterie.

Having honed her skills in fine dining establishments across France and Iceland, Aurore Pélier Cady launched this exquisite French patisserie, creatively incorporating seasonal Icelandic herbs and flowers into her choux, macarons, and cakes, many of which she forages herself. The bakery features a relaxed downstairs area with cozy seating, making it a perfect spot to enjoy delightful coffees and breakfast pastries.

In early 2023, the Michelin-starred restaurant Óx relocated from the rear of owner Þráinn Freyr Vigfússon’s venue Sümac to a more spacious site just down the street, hidden behind a graffiti-covered entrance and the speakeasy Amma Don. This 17-seat counter is set in an ambiance reminiscent of a 1960s Icelandic kitchen and living area. Chef Rúnar Pierre’s three-hour tasting menu features around 20 small courses that blend contemporary and traditional flavors, becoming increasingly refined each year.

Chef Gunnar Gíslason has been pivotal in shaping Icelandic cuisine. He opened Dill in 2009, which became the first restaurant in the country to earn a Michelin star, revitalizing Reykjavík's dining scene. After several years in New York, where he gained another star at Agern in Grand Central Station, Gíslason returned to transform Dill into a new venue tucked away up a spiral staircase on the main shopping street. The menu emphasizes local producers (like seaweed foragers and organic barley farmers) and seasonal ingredients (including lumpfish roe and crowberries), with the kitchen consistently pushing culinary boundaries through meticulous attention to detail and flavor.

This bakery revolutionized Reykjavík’s bread scene with its Danish-style rugbrauð (rye bread), inventive versions of the snúður (cinnamon roll), and various other baked delights. Since its inception in 2016, the business has grown rapidly throughout the city, and although baker Ágúst Einþórsson is no longer involved, the quality remains high.

Located within Hlemmur Mathöll, an old bus station transformed into a food hall, Skál is run by Björn Steinar Jónsson and Gísli Grímsson (also behind salt company Saltverk) and features Danish chef Thomas Lorentzen, formerly of Kadeau in Copenhagen. Bar stools surround the counter and open kitchen, which serves an array of small plates, such as salt-baked beets and scallops with red currant granita, enhanced by fermented and foraged ingredients. The bar offers one of the city's finest selections, featuring herb-infused cocktails, natural wines, and local craft beers and ciders.

Reykjavík boasts a variety of Thai dining options, but none are as renowned as the long-established Ban Thai. Despite its somewhat kitschy decor, it has attracted numerous celebrities over the years. The extensive menu features around 200 dishes, showcasing recipes from across Thailand, with each item, from the spicy Chiang Mai curries to the keow wan roti, prepared fresh from scratch.

Established in 1989 on a tranquil side street in downtown, Þrír Frakkar is a go-to spot for both locals and tourists seeking traditional Icelandic fare. Rather than the touristy puffin breast or whale sashimi, opt for the comforting hashed fish with black bread or the cod tongue gratin.

Located at the renowned Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, the Retreat luxury hotel boasts its own private lagoon along with the dinner-only, Michelin-starred restaurant Moss. This restaurant stands out with its wine cellar, carved from volcanic rock, showcasing an impressive selection of Bordeaux and Burgundy. It offers seasonal tasting menus infused with Asian influences from Icelandic chef Aggi Sverrisson, who previously worked at London’s Texture.