8 Iceland Eating places to Guide in 2025

Dill Restaurant

Some marvel why the Vikings settled on this rocky, enigmatic island; after you pattern the groundbreaking meals of Gunnar Karl Gíslasson, the chef behind Reykjavík’s most well-known restaurant, a nuanced image of the nation’s bounty emerges. From a pure, creamy hand-harvested scallop from the distant Swan Fjord in northwest Iceland, to the woodsy aroma of spruce oil drizzled atop a young style of whelk, to a chew of potato cake topped with dill ice cream, the meals at Dill captures the onerous however lovely life Iceland’s denizens have lived. Gíslasson, who landed the nation’s first Michelin star, not too long ago earned a Inexperienced Michelin star for his dedication to sustainable sourcing, foraging, upcycling, and recycling.

Oto

A pink neon swirl suspended from the ceiling at Oto evokes the purple-tinted edges of the Northern Lights. Or maybe the sunshine performs into the fashionable look of this new, up to date restaurant merging Japanese strategies and flavors with Italian and Icelandic dishes. Begin with the tender Hokkaido milk bread and trio of dips, together with a whipped tofu that can change your thoughts on soy milk unfold. Finish with the Amalfi lemon – give it a fast crack to disclose the lemon, almond, and mint sorbet inside.

Skál!

This wine bar, restaurant, and neighborhood hangout began in a Reykjavík meals corridor. Immense reputation pushed the homeowners to improve into a comfy nook house on Njálsgata road, only a brief stroll from Laugavegur, the town’s fundamental drag. On a chilly Monday night time, Skál! buzzes, with patrons sipping on funky and enjoyable pure wines like A-Miami Vice, an uncommon mix of Pinot Noir and Aligoté from Burgundy. The meals is as large a draw because the drinks, thanks to go chef Thomas Lorentzen, whose pedigree contains Kadeau in Copenhagen. Don’t miss the cod wing slathered in scorching sauce.

Keimur Café

Iceland’s bathing tradition dates again 800 years to the time of the Sagas when Vikings settled its rocky shores within the Center Ages. Ever since, Icelanders have loved socializing in geothermally heated waters, together with at Reykjavik’s Sky Lagoon. After a soak within the lava rock infinity pool or finishing the seven-step Skjól Ritual, friends collect at Keimur Café to sip beer, wine, or espresso. The café options an all-day menu with recent baked items from Sandholt, one in every of Iceland’s oldest bakeries, together with croissants, tarts, and a gravlax bagel that rivals New York Metropolis’s most interesting.

ÓX and Amma Don

To seek out Michelin-starred Óx, hunt down the subterranean speakeasy, Amma Don. Whisper the password via the intercom, and the gates reveal a mid-century lounge replicating an Icelandic lounge from the ‘70s. This vibe is exactly the intent of chef Thráinn Freyr Vigfússon who sourced furnishings from his grandmother’s home for the setting. Whereas anybody could make an appointment for an ingenious cocktail or glass of Champagne at Amma Don, the lounge serves as a prelude to ÓX’s 17-seat, 17-course expertise on the alternative facet of a second hidden door. On the heart of Óx sits Vigfússon’s ancestral household kitchen. The format permits cooks to work together with friends, cooking whereas explaining the provenance of a few of the freshest produce and seafood served in Reykjavík.

Moss

The Michelin-starred restaurant at upscale lodge The Retreat at Blue Lagoon options the ingenious New Nordic meals of chef Agnar Sverrisson. Go for the tasting menu and premium wine pairing (which prices premium cash in Iceland) for the final word eating expertise. Dimly lit by slender golden pendants hovering above every desk, the elegant but spare room options transporting views over the close by lava fields (besides in winter, when the solar units early.) Dishes at Moss mix superlative Icelandic substances like langoustine seasoned with black lava salt or seared cod topped in caviar, with little Italian luxuries from white Alba truffles to Sicilian olive oil. Carved out of the lava rocks, the wine cellar has an unbelievable 900 labels and 5,000 bottles in one of many world’s most uncommon settings.

Tides and Tolt

Within the metropolis’s swankiest new lodge, The Reykjavik EDITION, Tides attracts each vacationers and locals to its convivial bar and comfy inside. The menu leans closely on Icelandic seafood from arctic char, cod, and salmon to langoustines, whereas satisfying meat eaters with native lamb and huge cuts of steak, together with an eye-popping dry-aged grass-fed Icelandic Tomahawk steak. Housemade pasta, a nod to the worldwide clientele, stays rooted in native flavors, whether or not gnocchi smothered in braised Icelandic lamb sauce or lobster ravioli with feykir cheese.

Don’t miss a drink on the lodge’s secret cocktail bar, Tolt, the place locals linger in festive costume after an evening on the close by Harpa live performance corridor.

Sümac

The boisterous little sibling to ÓX, Sümac has confirmed to be a success with Icelanders since opening in 2017, even inspiring a cookbook from chef Thráinn Freyr Vigfússon. The idea weaves Japanese Mediterranean and Center Japanese strategies and spices with Icelandic substances, served in a bustling, semi-industrial house due to open views of the kitchen and grill and uncovered ductwork. Standout dishes embody grilled flatbread with hummus, candy and savory brussels sprouts seasoned in mustard molasses and dukkah seeds, salmon topped in Aleppo butter, and tender lamb ribs. The wine record meanders from Lebanon to Sicily to Spain.