Best Dining Bets in Iceland
- Dill (Reykjavík; tel. 552-1522): With elegant tasting menus that explore native products and techniques, Iceland’s first Michelin-starred restaurant has taken modern Icelandic cuisine to levels far beyond anything the country has ever seen.
- Fjöruborðið (Stokkseyri; tel. 483-1550): Icelanders drive long distances—and sometimes come by helicopter from Reykjavík—to butter their bibs at this famed lobster house on Iceland’s southwestern coast.
- Humarhöfnin (Höfn; tel. 478-1200): With Höfn the lobster capital of Iceland, it’s no surprise that this restaurant’s name translates to “lobster harbor.” The special of course is the Icelandic lobster (actually a langoustine), and it’s served every which way you can imagine.
- Narfeyrarstofa (Stykkishólmur; tel. 438-1119): Just off the Stykkish harbor, this old-fashioned dining room serves some of Iceland’s best seafood. The blue mussels, harvested just offshore, are the specialty, though you won’t go wrong with the lamb, either.
- Moss Restaurant (Grindavík; tel. 420-8700): The luxe tasting menus change with the seasons at this refined restaurant tucked away in a corner of the Blue Lagoon’s Retreat hotel. Check out the wine cellar, several floors below and carved out of lava.
- Sægreifinn (Reykjavík; tel. 553-1500): Often called simply “the lobster soup place,” Reykjavík’s ultimate low-budget dining experience offers a spicy, creamy lobster soup along with other local seafood treats in a tiny seafront warehouse.
- Slippurinn (Vestmannaeyjabær; tel. 481-1515): The Westman Islands are probably the last place you would expect to find one of the country’s best restaurants, but believe it. The chef of this family-run operation incorporates native wild herbs into dishes and cocktails, and he experiments with all sorts of traditional techniques like salting, pickling, and smoking.
- Tjöruhúsið (Ísafjörður; tel. 456-4419): This no-nonsense Westfjords restaurant serves up generous portions of amazingly fresh and tasty pan-fried fish without the slightest fuss. Ask the cook if the fish is frozen and you’ll get a look of utter horror.
- Vogafjós Cowshed Cafe (Lake Mývatn; tel. 464-4303): Looking directly into the milking shed, this restaurant redefines the term “farm to table.” Sample the lamb, raised right outside, or the Arctic char, smoked out back.
