The best restaurants in Reykjavík

What is it? Once the crown jewel of Iceland’s first ever foodhall, Skál has grown up and moved into its own space in the city centre. An Icelandic gastropub, if you will, this is the definitive taste of Iceland: small plates that pack a punch, natural wines that span funky-fruity-minerally, cocktails that highlight foraged-for-the-masses ingredients like pineapple weed and lovage, the whole package delivered at a hard to beat price point. 

Why we love it: This is fresh, authentic Icelandic cooking at its best. Get the queen scallops served bejewelled with a zippy redcurrant granita and sharp horseradish cream. Or the arctic char, a classic Skál dish; a puddle of shallot-caper butter, homestyle mashed potatoes and the silken fish, baked to flaky perfection. Or the lamb, a lesson in pristine presentation and flavours. If you are on a quest for the best, all roads lead to Skál. 

Time Out Tip: Don’t sleep on the veggies, which tend to be served simply, but with a little char, a little smoke, and a tonne of character.

Address: Njálsgata 1, 101

Opening hours: Sun & Wed-Thu 12-3pm and 5-11pm, Mon-Tue 5-11pm, Fri-Sat 12-3pm and 5pm-12am

Expect to pay: Small plates meant for sharing range from 1950 ISK (€13.50) to 3,950 ISK (€27.50). Order about 2-3 plates per person.

What is it? La Primavera offers hearty Italian cooking with a view. Located in the trendy Grandi district in the sedate Marshall House, the restaurant overlooks the small harbour and the city’s skyline. 

Why we love it: La Primavera’s small rotating menu showcases regional Italian dishes, marrying ingredients like rovieja beans with peak season Icelandic produce like fresh cod eggs. This is chef Leifur Kolbeinsson’s study in simplicity, proving not everything in the Nordics needs to be a fermented, pickled, tweezered plate of nowness.

Time Out Tip: Lunch is especially popular here, so book ahead. But fair warning, it is like dining at your nonna’s, so bring an appetite, and cancel all your afternoon meetings.

Address: Grandagarður 20, 101

Opening hours: Tue-Wed 11.30am-2pm, Thu-Fri 11.30am-2pm and 6-9.30pm, Sat 6-9.30pm.

Expect to pay: Starters 900-1,890 ISK (€6-13), mains 1,890-2,980 (€13-21).

What is it? This three-decade old establishment is a beloved local haunt, known for its homely, comforting Indian food. Austur Indíafélagið is where Icelanders woo, propose, and celebrate milestones big and small. Heck, even Harrison Ford has claimed it as one of his faves. 

Why we love it: Warm teak coffered ceilings, even warmer service and memorable food that leans on regional hero dishes are the beating heart here. The hariyali salmon marries Iceland and India in its herb redolent marinade. Breads beyond naan beckon and the onion kulcha is exceptional. 

Time Out tip: I suggest foregoing the beers and getting a stiff martini to pair with the kebabs and curries.

Address: Hverfisgata 56, 101

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 6-10pm, Fri-Sat 6-11pm

Expect to pay: Starters 2,150-4,250 ISK (€15-30), mains 5,690-7,390 ISK (€39-51)  

What is it? Small plate popularity soared with rising hospitality costs the world over, and no one was quicker to jump on that bandwagon than Reykjavik joints. What started as a Nordic-Italian take on comfort plates at Mat Bar has evolved into a kosho loving, inspired from all over buzzy little spot where the decor and food are both fresh and inspired.

Why we love it: The small, seasonal menu has something for vegans and meat lovers alike, making it a great spot for a mixed group. The warm cauliflower dip and the capelin roe (when in season) are emblematic dishes of its ethos. While the Nordic adjacent tacos here have their fans, I’d come back again and again for the wood fire-grilled meats.

Time Out tip: Aim for about 2-3 dishes per person, and make sure to share.

Address: Hverfisgata 26, 101

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12-2pm and 5-9pm, Fri-Sat 12-2pm and 5-10pm

Expect to pay: Starters 1,490-3,590 ISK (€10-25), mains 2,990-6,990 ISK (€21-48)

What is it? Housed in one of Reykjavik’s oldest timber buildings, Fish Company is a seafood-forward restaurant serving the best fish in the city. The menu journeys around Iceland and beyond, elevating local ingredients with international flavours. 

Why we love it: Most travellers arrive in Reykjavik craving seafood – and nowhere does it better than this long-running institution that consistently delivers the very best. The Icelandic seafood and meat are turned up a notch with their international twists; some dishes stay true to home, while others wander off and borrow common ingredients from Spain, France, and even the Faroe Islands. 

Time Out tip: Go for the ‘Around Iceland’ menu, which showcases the country’s finest ingredients in four courses. 

Address: Vesturgata 2A, 101

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm and 5-10.30pm, Sat 5-11.30pm, Sun 5-10.30pm

Expect to pay: Starters 4,190-4,990 ISK (€29-35), mains 4,290-9,690 ISK (€30-67)

What is it? Chef Gunar Karl from Aegern, New York and Dill in Iceland knows a thing or two about elevating classic ingredients. Locals who intimately know Icelandic food and gourmands who appreciate new flavours and ingredients will both find a place here, and post-pandemic Dill is a celebration of renewed confidence in the kitchen. 

Why we love it: This is a blowout meal you won’t forget. The kitchen employs a circular ethos: everything gets used in its entirety with nothing going to waste. So expect rich, savoury broths to sip alongside delicious morsels – the petite onion cake is sublime, and the meat, always local and sustainably sourced, lends itself to more than just choice cuts. 

Time Out tip: The desserts and wine pairings have never been better, so bring a curiosity whet appetite.

Address: Laugavegur 59, 101

Opening hours: Tue-Sat 6pm-12am

Expect to pay: At time of writing, the tasting menu cost 39,900 ISK (€277), the wine and drink pairing 21,300 ISK (€148)

What is it? What do you get when fine dining chefs throw their aprons in together to create a gourmet tuck shop? Sister bakery to the popular burger joint Le Kock, Deig is a spunky little spot that opens early for breakfast and remains so only until wares run out. 

Why we love it: Reykjavik has plenty of spots to satisfy your sweet tooth, but Deig is special. All the bagels and doughnuts are made in-house, spanning classics with lox to more Deig nostalgia (chef Markus Ingi is a Boston-Icelander); egg mcmuffin-esque eggs with beer ham or pickled roasted peppers.

Time Out tip: While you should definitely try the TikTok-famous crème brûlée doughnuts, their underrated take on a kleina (an Icelandic twisted doughnut with crackly lemon glaze, lemon zest and fresh ground cardamom) is a must-try.

Address: Tryggvagata 14, 101

Opening hours: Daily 7am-4pm, or until the food runs out

Expect to pay: 950 ISK (€6.50) for bagels, 550 ISK (€3.80) more for a doughnut 

What is it? This family run restaurant takes the falafel and runs with it through umpteen variations, all centred around its good-for-you, made-from-scratch philosophy whilst leaning into their Moldovan culinary roots. 

Why we love it: A dedicated restaurants for veggies and vegans, there are plenty of house made pickles, condiments like adjika that are slathered or tucked into their sourdough pitas and wraps. The real star is Chickpea’s herby falafel, available as a classic version as well as a ruby hued beet version.

Time Out tip: Locals love the ‘number two’ with the latter, grilled halloumi and mango aioli, but the soup of the day is delicious, hearty and cheap.

Address: Hallveigarstigur 1, 101 (Entrance from Ingólfsstræti)

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm

Expect to pay: Soup of the day is 2,090 ISK (€14.50), sandwiches and salads are 2,690 ISK (€19). 

What is it? While Prohibition may have spurred speakeasy bars in America, Iceland is no stranger to restrictions on alcohol – beer was banned in the country until as recently as 1989. Óx channels that clandestine spirit in a far more refined form. Chef Þráinn Freyr runs this Michelin-starred, 16-seat restaurant from a kitchen hidden in the back of a bar, the cabinets transplanted from his grandfather’s farm – peeling paint and all. It’s a high-end and nostalgic nod to family life in a time when alcohol itself was a rare luxury. 

Why we love it: Dinner here feels like being invited into someone’s home, if that home belonged to one of Iceland’s best chefs. You’ll gather around the counter, watching as the chefs whip up the delicate small plates, all of them presented beautifully and paired with fantastic wines. For the perfect night, dine deliciously and then hit up Amma Don – the speakeasy-style bar named after Þráinn’s grandmother – for a nightcap.

Time Out tip: This is an intimate affair where you’ll be seated alongside the other diners; prepare to be social. 

Address: Laugavegur 55, 101

Opening hours: Tue-Fri 6pm-12am, Sat 12.30-4.30pm and 6pm-12am