Best food tours in Reykjavik

There is so much to see and do in Reykjavík, from whale watching to helicopter tours, glaciers and volcanoes, black sand beaches and so much more, but without a doubt, trying the food is something you can't miss out on. Food is part of their culture and a clear example of who they are as a people.

With a unique charm, Iceland is interesting even when it comes to sitting down at the table. With an extensive menu, Icelandic cuisine is exotic and tasty. Get ready for an unforgettable experience, one of those that can be enjoyed with all five senses. Here I have selected for you the best gastronomic tours you can take in Reykjavik.

This unique walking tour through the aromas and flavours of Iceland is a unique way to sample the most typical Icelandic cuisine, while enjoying a walking tour of Reykjavík and the commentary of your expert guide.

This is undoubtedly one of the best food tours in Reykjavík, as it allows you to get to know the local cuisine, such as seafood soup or lamb soup. Bear in mind that, being used to the cold, soups and pot meals are classic here, as well as fish dishes.

The route usually starts at Ingolfur Square, a perfect starting point to visit the harbour for a typical snack. Then it's time to try a traditional hot dog at a restaurant that has been cooking them... since 1937!

It is also very common for these tours to include a visit to a supermarket with your guide, who will show you some of the products and food that you can only get in Iceland.

The next destination on these tours is usually the Icelandic Bar (Islenski Barinn), a great place to dine in style.

Finally, a stop is made at the Loki Café, an exceptional place located next to the beautiful Hallgrimskirkja Church, where you can sweeten your evening with Ryebread ice cream and some Icelandic pastry delicacies.

Throughout the tour you can listen to the stories of your guide, who knows how to make this walk an entertaining adventure for your senses. History, flavour and adventure blend together on this food tour of Reykjavík to give you a great time.

Useful information

• Price: Typically costs around €98 per person.
• Duration: The tour usually lasts 150-180 minutes
• Pros of this option: You can enjoy the typical flavours of the local cuisine in some of the most charming places in Iceland.
• Disadvantages of this option: If you are allergic to fish or seafood, or are a strict vegetarian, you may not be able to fully enjoy the experience.

One of the most enjoyable experiences you can add to your trip to Iceland. If you're a fan of Nordic culture and especially the world of the Vikings, you're pretty sure you already know that mead was one of their most traditional drinks.

On this 3-hour tasting you will be able to taste authentic mead in the very place where the mythical Ragnar Lothbrok sailed west for the first time. The tour includes a visit to Öldur, the first and only meadery in Iceland. A guide will show you how mead is produced and how the different varieties of mead are made.

Throughout your tour you will have the opportunity to taste up to 3 different types of mead. An unparalleled experience, ideal for those who enjoy both Nordic history and intense flavours.

And if you're interested in immersing yourself in the past, you'll definitely want to take one of the best Game of Thrones tours in Reykjavik, one of the most popular TV series in the world.

It was precisely here, in and around Reykjavík , where many of its most emblematic scenes were filmed. You can visit, for example, the Valley of Arryn, to feel like an adventurer crossing the Wall.

Interesting information

• Price: from €107
• Duration: approximately 3 hours
• Advantages of this option: you will get to taste one of the Vikings' favourite drinks in its place of origin.
• Disadvantages of this option: The tour does not include any food.

An excellent type of tour for beer lovers. After meeting your guide at the meeting point, usually Ingolfstorg Square, you will spend over 2 hours tasting some of the best varieties of Icelandic craft beer.

Beer is one of the most important and traditional beverages in the Nordic countries, with a history dating back to the Vikings. Your guide, a specialist in the subject, will tell you all about the history of the place and its relation to this drink, and you will see why some of these types of beer can only be tasted in Iceland.

This is one of the best tours of Reykjavik, as you will feel like you are travelling back in time in one of the most charming regions in the world.

Most often the guide will take you to 4 of the most important bars in Reykjavík, ending at the Icelandic Bar (Islenski Barinn), where, after the tour, you can continue to dine on some of the most incredible dishes of Icelandic cuisine.

Interesting information

• Price: from €79
• Duration: 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Pros of this option: A unique experience for lovers of Icelandic beer and culture.
• Disadvantages of this option: While the tour is family-friendly, young children may get a little bored.

Walk the streets of Reykjavík and enjoy the local flavours while visiting iconic and highly picturesque sites.

The tour usually starts at the Harpa Conference and Concert Hall in the heart of Reykjavík, a place of great beauty full of surprising details. You will also see the city hall and the statue of Ingólfur Arnarson.

Of course, the whole tour includes stops at some of the best quality restaurants and food trucks to accompany history with flavour.

The delicacies you will taste during this tour are not only Icelandic, but include other types of dishes and street food that reflect the Nordic palate in general. A great way to get in touch with the culture of these countries.

Interesting information

• Price: from €118
• Duration: Approximately 3 hours
• Advantages of this option: A good way to get to know more than just the local gastronomy.
• Disadvantages of this option: Not recommended for small children.

An excursion to immerse yourself in the local curiosities while sampling some of the flavours of Icelandic cuisine. Such tours often include a visit to the charming Kolaportið Icelandic food and flea market, a great place to pick up a souvenir to take home from your trip.

Please note when booking this tour that the flea market is only open on weekends.

Afterwards, a tour of Reykjavík's old harbour is the most common way to go, where you'll try a traditional seafood soup snack. Seafood in Iceland is one of the most popular foods, as well as lamb, and is cooked in many ways, so you can't miss it during your stay in this amazing country.

The next stop on the tour is usually a Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur-style joint for a lamb hot dog, one of Iceland's classics. Together with your local guide you will visit a supermarket to see the different products, spices and flavours typical of the region.

For dinner you will visit a restaurant serving traditional food, which you can accompany with a mug of Icelandic craft beer. Your guide will accompany the whole tour with stories about the past of the city and its surroundings.

Finally, you can't miss tasting the flavours of Reykjavík's bakery. One of the most common places on these tours is the Loki Café, an excellent place to end this gastronomic tour.

Interesting facts

• Price: from €107
• Duration: approximately 3 hours
• Advantages of this option: not only do you get to enjoy the local cuisine but you also get to see an authentic Icelandic flea market and other points of interest.
• Disadvantages of this option: The flea market is only open on weekends.

A great experience if you decide to stay in a flat or rent a house during your trip to Iceland. A professional Icelandic chef will arrive 90 minutes before dinner and prepare everything for you and your loved ones to experience a typical local meal.

You don't have to worry about anything, the chef brings absolutely everything you need to prepare some snacks, drinks and a buffet-style menu, or a formal three-course dinner, whichever you prefer.

Definitely one of the best things to do in Reykjavik in summer. Enjoy drinks and conversation with your private chef, while the atmosphere is filled with some truly irresistible aromas.

You will learn about Icelandic dishes, their history, and why certain ingredients are used.

An exclusive adventure to be enjoyed indoors, in the comfort of your accommodation. It is also a very good option if you are travelling with your family, as it is an excellent activity to include in your trip to Reykjavik with children, as they might get bored on a conventional tour, especially if they are very young, and you might not be able to enjoy the experience to the fullest.

Useful information

• Price: from 89 €.
• Duration: Approximately 2 to 3 hours.
• Advantages of this option: it's a great way to sample traditional Icelandic food in the comfort of your flat.
• Disadvantages of this option: You miss out on getting to know the atmosphere of typical bars and restaurants, so I recommend that you take the time to visit them in addition to this experience.

Although you can book in many ways, the most practical and convenient of all is to book online, as you can be sure that it is a serious and quality tour, and you can also see the opinions of other people who have done the tour before you, and how they have done.

Taking a food tour of Reykjavik is a great way to get in touch with the place, its customs and traditions. Don't forget that a country's cuisine says a lot about its people.

Each tour has a different duration, but in general they are around 3 hours, the perfect time to taste, walk around, get to know and feel part of the place.

My recommendation is that you don't decide based on the length of the tour, but on what each one offers, you'll see that there are many options available, all of them highly recommended.

On this type of tour you can enjoy the flavours and aromas of Icelandic and Nordic cuisine in general, from soups, lamb hot dogs, typical pastries, craft beer to the mythological mead.

Most of these tours combine tastings with walks around the highlights of Reykjavík, as well as a journey through Icelandic history. All of them are guided by expert guides who make the tour a rich and entertaining experience.

You will be able to taste some of the most traditional dishes of Icelandic cuisine, for example:

• Lamb meat: One of the most popular in Iceland, it is prepared in many different ways.
• Lamb soup: with large chunks of lamb and slow cooking, this is one of the most traditional and recommended dishes to try in Iceland.
• Lamb hot dogs: a variation of the typical American hot dog, made with lamb.
• Fermented shark (hákarl): a dish from Iceland's Viking past, made with basking shark meat.
• Shrimp soup: served as an appetizer before meals.
• Fish stew (Plokkfiskur): made with cod meat, this is a local favourite.
• Dried fish meat (harðfiskur): small strips of dried fish meat, a Nordic delicacy.

Prices are generally around 100 € per person, with some cheaper and some more expensive, depending on the duration and number of places visited during the city tour.

It is always advisable to go on a gastronomic tour in a city we don't know, as it is an excellent way of getting to know its culture a little better, since gastronomy is one of the gateways to getting to know a people.

In the case of Iceland, its cuisine speaks a lot about its roots, its tradition and its past, so I can't think of a better and more fun way to get in touch.

By opting for a guided tour you are guaranteed to see some of the most representative places of Icelandic cuisine, as all these tours have a specialised guide, who will not only take you to these unmissable places, but will also tell you all about the history and past of the place.

If you choose to visit restaurants and bars on your own, you may be lucky, or you may end up missing out on some of Reykjavik's most interesting flavours and sights, so my advice is to always opt for a guided tour.