Dill
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
Exquisite New Nordic cuisine is the major drawcard at Reykjavík's elegant Michelin-starred bistro. Skilled chefs use a small number of ingredients to…
Slippurinn
Heimaey
Lively Slippurinn fills the upper storey of a beautifully remodelled old machine workshop that once serviced the ships in the harbour and now has great…
Hlemmur Mathöll
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
If only all bus terminals had a food court like this. Some 10 vendors rustle up multicultural foods including Danish smørrebrød (rye bread), Mexican tacos…
Café Flóra
Reykjavík
Sun-dappled tables fill a greenhouse in the Botanic Gardens and spill onto a flower-lined terrace at this lovely cafe specialising in wholesome local…
Gló
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
Join the cool cats in this airy upstairs restaurant serving fresh daily specials loaded with Asian-influenced herbs and spices. Though not exclusively…
Tjöruhúsið
Ísafjörður
Set in a building from 1781, warm, rustic Tjöruhúsið offers some of the best seafood around. The set-course, serve-yourself dinner includes soup, catches…
Þrír Frakkar
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
Owner-chef Úlfar Eysteinsson has built up a consistently excellent reputation at this snug little restaurant. Specialities range throughout the aquatic…
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Reykjavík
Dramatic presentations of elaborate dishes fill the tables of this intimate, artistically lit restaurant, where chefs excel at infusing Icelandic seafood…
Messinn
Reykjavík
Make a beeline to Messinn for the best seafood that Reykjavík has to offer. The speciality here is the amazing pan-fried dishes: your pick of fish is…
Sægreifinn
Reykjavík
Sidle into this green harbourside shack for the most famous lobster soup in the capital, or choose from a fridge full of fresh fish skewers to be grilled…
Hverfisgata 12
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
There's no sign, but those in the know come to this cream-coloured converted corner house for some of the city's best gourmet pizza and fabulous co*cktails…
Bakarí Sandholt
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
Reykjavík’s favourite bakery is usually crammed with folks hoovering up the generous assortment of fresh baguettes, croissants, pastries and sandwiches…
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
Head for the building smothered in rainbow spray paint then queue for the locals' tip for the best snúður (cinnamon buns) in town – watch Viking hipsters…
Matur og Drykkur
Reykjavík
One of Reykjavík's top high-concept restaurants, Matur og Drykkur means 'Food and Drink', and you'll surely be plied with the best of both. The brainchild…
Randulffs-sjóhús
East Iceland
This extraordinary boathouse dates from 1890, and when new owners entered it in 2008, they found it untouched for 80-odd years. The upstairs sleeping…
Jón Ríki
Southeast Iceland
This fabulous farmhouse restaurant at Hólmur is something of a surprise, with funky decor, a small in-house brewery, and beautifully presented, high…
Eldhúsið
Inland
Some of the east's most creative cooking happens at the restaurant inside Gistihúsið – Lake Hotel Egilsstaðir. The menu is an ode to locally sourced…
Pakkhús
Southeast Iceland
Hats off to a menu that tells you the name of the boat that delivers its star produce. In a stylish harbourside warehouse, Pakkhús offers a level of…
Fisherman Kitchen
The Westfjords
The fine restaurant at the Fisherman hotel has striking place mats and menu covers made from fish skins. The food though refuses to be upstaged – assured…
Nostra
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
Fine-dining Nostra is where fresh, local ingredients – à la New Nordic Cuisine – are turned into French-inspired multicourse tasting menus, including…
Minilik Ethiopian Restaurant
The Golden Circle
In the most unlikely location, Azeb cooks up traditional Ethiopian specialities in a welcoming, unpretentious setting decorated with African farming tools…
Klausturkaffi
Inland
Klausturkaffi, inside Skriðuklaustur, serves an impeccable lunch buffet showcasing local ingredients (seafood soup, reindeer pie, brambleberry skyr cake)…
Settlement Centre Restaurant
Borgarbyggð
The Settlement Centre’s restaurant, set in a light-filled room built into the rock face, is airy, upbeat and one of the region's best bets for food…
Tryggvaskáli
The South
Situated in Selfoss' first house (built for bridge workers in 1890), Tryggvaskáli has been lovingly renovated with antiques. Some tables in the intimate…
Siglunes Guesthouse Restaurant
Tröllaskagi
A refreshing surprise in this remote village, Moroccan chef Jaouad Hbib prepares delicious, from-scratch Moroccan cuisine for the wood-lined restaurant at…
Suður-Vík
The South
The friendly ambience, in a warmly lit building with hardwood floors, exposed beams and interesting artwork, helps to elevate this restaurant beyond its…
Gísli, Eiríkur, Helgi
Tröllaskagi
Named after three brothers from a folk tale, this might just be the perfect small-town cafe. It's decked out in timber, full of vintage bric-a-brac and…
Vogafjós
Mývatn Region
The ‘Cowshed’, 2.5km south of Reykjahlíð, is a memorable restaurant where you can enjoy views of the lush surrounds, or of the dairy shed of this working…
Grillmarkaðurinn
Reykjavík
Top-notch dining is the order of the day here, from the moment you enter the glass atrium with its golden-globe lights to your first snazzy co*cktail, and…
Litlibær
The Westfjords
One of the Westfjord's most atmospheric eateries, Litlibær is a 19th century, turf-roofed hut that's crammed with family photos and memorabilia. The…
Beituskúrinn
East Iceland
A touch of New England in the Eastfjords: this photogenic waterfront shed has been reborn as a cheerfully rustic eatery-bar, with a deck boasting million…
Skaftfell Bistro
Seyðisfjörður
This fabulous bistro-bar and cultural centre is perfect for chilling, snacking and/or meeting locals and artists. There’s a short menu that changes weekly…
Fjallakaffi
North Iceland
Folks simply passing through Möðrudalur should stop at Fjallakaffi for coffee and homemade kleina (traditional twisted doughnut) or ástarpungur (love ball…
SKÁL!
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
SKÁL! demands your attention – with its capital lettering and punctuation but most emphatically with its food. Experimental offerings combine unusual…
Simbahöllin
The Westfjords
Simbahöllin is a cool cafe in a restored 1915 general store with friendly staff serving tasty Belgian waffles during the day and hearty lamb tagines at…
Lindin
The Golden Circle
Owned by Baldur, an affable, celebrated chef, Lindin could be the best restaurant for miles. In a sweet little silver house, with simple decor and wooden…
Vitinn
Reykjanes Peninsula
The nautical-themed Vitinn is not to be missed. A friendly team serves heaps of seafood (stored in tanks out back in the courtyard) in marine-fancy…
Hafið Bláa
The South
Three kilometres west of Eyrarbakki on Rte 34 at the Ölfusá Bridge, this seafood restaurant sits on the water's edge in an ovoid building, with a…
Varmá
The South
At the Frost & Fire Hotel, this wonderfully scenic restaurant boasts floor-to-ceiling windows looking over the stream and gorge. Icelandic dishes are made…
Humarhöfnin
Southeast Iceland
Humarhöfnin offers ‘Gastronomy Langoustine’ in a cute, cheerfully Frenchified space with great attention to detail: chequerboard tiled floor and herb pots…
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